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deux trois barres

English translation: a bit of weed, a couple of ounces

21:25 Mar 27, 2024
French to English translations [Non-PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
French term or phrase: deux trois barres
Même des amis d'enfance se font la guerre pour deux trois barres.
Marney Ogle
United States
Local time: 20:39
English translation:a bit of weed, a couple of ounces
Explanation:
Or whatever the in lingo is.

My first thought was of the carambars that the French - of a certain age, at least - rave about. Silly naive me. Not only am I not a fan of the things, but neither have I ever touched cannabis in any shape or form, but given the content of the song in question, it has to be referring to 2/3 barres de shit. If I understand the Ouèbbhe correctly, a barre is - or at least was - a 'soap bar'. Not being a user I cannot say for sure, but I get the impression the English term may have changed.

Who'll fess up to knowing about these things?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2024-03-28 00:21:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I referred to 'the song in question' - easy to find.
The lines "gyrophares des keufs" and "T'as des projets mais tout s'éteint quand la BAC frappe à la porte" (BAC - brigade anti-criminalité - "les policiers de la BAC sont spécialisés dans les interventions à risques en zones urbaines, particulièrement en milieux sensibles (cités ou quartiers prioritaires).")
in particular suggests that something illegal is going on in la cité, like drugs.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs (2024-03-28 07:10:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Well, no one has been forthcoming with their drug-related experience, so here's the scale of things. If it is indeed 2/3 barres de shit we're talking about, we're looking at a value of €20/30, indeed a trivial amount for a couple of mates to argue over. But triviality is what it's about, I think, not thousands of euros.

"Ainsi, pour 20 euros de drogue achetée, soit deux barrettes de shit, le client obtient alors, gratuitement, un briquet et un paquet de feuilles à rouler. Pour 50 euros, il bénéficie même d'un paquet de cigarettes. Et pour 10 barres de shit d'une valeur de 10 euros chacunes [sic] achetées, une leur est offerte"
https://www.francesoir.fr/societe-faits-divers/marseille-des...
Selected response from:

Bourth
France
Local time: 02:39
Grading comment
Thank you all for your helpful input. Whether it’s weed or hash, I wanted to know whether they are talking about drugs.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
2 +4a bit of weed, a couple of ounces
Bourth
Summary of reference entries provided
context, fwiw/hth
writeaway

Discussion entries: 7





  

Answers


58 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +4
a bit of weed, a couple of ounces


Explanation:
Or whatever the in lingo is.

My first thought was of the carambars that the French - of a certain age, at least - rave about. Silly naive me. Not only am I not a fan of the things, but neither have I ever touched cannabis in any shape or form, but given the content of the song in question, it has to be referring to 2/3 barres de shit. If I understand the Ouèbbhe correctly, a barre is - or at least was - a 'soap bar'. Not being a user I cannot say for sure, but I get the impression the English term may have changed.

Who'll fess up to knowing about these things?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2024-03-28 00:21:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I referred to 'the song in question' - easy to find.
The lines "gyrophares des keufs" and "T'as des projets mais tout s'éteint quand la BAC frappe à la porte" (BAC - brigade anti-criminalité - "les policiers de la BAC sont spécialisés dans les interventions à risques en zones urbaines, particulièrement en milieux sensibles (cités ou quartiers prioritaires).")
in particular suggests that something illegal is going on in la cité, like drugs.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs (2024-03-28 07:10:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Well, no one has been forthcoming with their drug-related experience, so here's the scale of things. If it is indeed 2/3 barres de shit we're talking about, we're looking at a value of €20/30, indeed a trivial amount for a couple of mates to argue over. But triviality is what it's about, I think, not thousands of euros.

"Ainsi, pour 20 euros de drogue achetée, soit deux barrettes de shit, le client obtient alors, gratuitement, un briquet et un paquet de feuilles à rouler. Pour 50 euros, il bénéficie même d'un paquet de cigarettes. Et pour 10 barres de shit d'une valeur de 10 euros chacunes [sic] achetées, une leur est offerte"
https://www.francesoir.fr/societe-faits-divers/marseille-des...


Bourth
France
Local time: 02:39
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Thank you all for your helpful input. Whether it’s weed or hash, I wanted to know whether they are talking about drugs.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Daryo: You do not need any personal "insider knowledge" - plenty of other sources available, nearly as good.
9 hrs
  -> Thanks. Just teasin'.
agree  Anastasia Kalantzi
10 hrs
agree  Althea Draper: There are lots of songs and raps which reference "deux trois-barres". Showing my ignorance here, but is this a particular amount of hash?
11 hrs
  -> I don't know the weight, but it seems a barre of the stuff will set you back ten euros.
agree  Philippa Smith: Yup. Tho' if it's "shit" = hash, not weed (= herbe / beuh). I used to smoke and back in the day it was "a lump of hash". I checked with my son who suggests "a few ounces of hash" (UK use). ;-)
15 hrs
  -> You highlight my ignorance! Tant de grammes is what I see/hear on those 100 jours avec les gendarmes de Xxxx TV shows as I zap (mostly) through them.
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Reference comments


1 hr peer agreement (net): +2
Reference: context, fwiw/hth

Reference information:
[Couplet 3 - Lacrim]
Une place parmi les riches ici, mais qui n'la voudrais pas ?
Même des amis d'enfance se font la guerre pour deux trois barres
On y crois pas à ton bonheur, cousine j'ai la vision terne
Tout ça me parait difficile, comme te dire "je t'aime"
Les morceaux ca**és qui les ressouderas ?

Que Dieu me pardonne car j'ai des envies de sous grave
Et si tu cours après tes rêves, refais ton lacet
Ou tu tombes de haut comme un clandé au port de Marseille
https://lyrics.az/le-rat-luciano/-/vis-tes-reves.html

writeaway
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 66

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  AllegroTrans: Bien trouvé, but we still need to know *what exactly* Marney is translating
42 mins
agree  Daryo
9 hrs
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