6 Comments
- "sup" is just the contraction of "what's up", no? If so, then the corresponding in French will be the corresponding of "what's up" => "Quoi de neuf ?" (which is also colloquial, like "What's up?".
- dude => mec, as elizadeux said.
For "dude," maybe "mec" or "type." However, I'm just guessing based on French movies that I saw years ago.
The only thing that comes to mind for "sup" is comment ça va" but there's probably something better and shorter than that.
For 'dude', there is also 'gars' (pronounced 'ga'); 'type' (pronounced 'tip') is a bit old fashioned, now; 'mec' is close in usage to 'dude'.
'Comment ça va ?' is generally shortened into 'Ça va ?'. 'Quoi de neuf ?' suggested by jrikhal is getting old fashioned. Even the humorous versions, 'Ça boume ? Ça gaze ?' are old fashioned. So the simplest is: 'Ça va ?'
Isn't (comment) ça va ? corresponding far more to How are you?: both meaning about the person wellness?
While quoi de neuf ? and what's up? (and sup) don't ask about wellness but about what are the news the interlocutor has to share with you, no?
Thats because (comment) ça va being asking about wellness while What's up? isn't (well, at least I thought) that I didn't mentioned it since it's then doesn't corresponds to the meaning.
Of course, but we almost never ask about the news, in French. The way to do that would be with 'Quoi de neuf ?', indeed, but it is rarely asked. It is more common to ask, 'Qu'est-ce que tu deviens ?' ('What are you becoming?') but only when we have not seen that person for a while.
I think in the end, it is exactly the same thing. It is common to ask 'What's up?' in the US, and it is common to ask 'Ça va ?' in France. So they are similar.
But actually, we should not even try to translate these things. We cannot translate habits, customs. We should learn them directly in the vernacular. I have already said that on this forum. For example, there is no 'Good morning' in French. We say 'Bonjour', but in summer it can be used up to 5 pm or later, so it is certainly not a good translation of 'Good morning'.
'Quoi de neuf ?', indeed, but it is rarely asked. It is more common to ask, 'Qu'est-ce que tu deviens ?'
Well, as a French native speaker, I use even less "Qu'est-ce que tu deviens ?" than "Quoi de neuf ?"... ;)
I don't remember when was the last time I used the former, while I use from time to time (when I want to have precise/detailed news) "Quoi de neuf ?".
we should not even try to translate these things. We cannot translate habits, customs. We should learn them directly in the vernacular
I agree.
But the OP asked for that... ;)
