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How to Say ‘Not to be subtle (lit. not to do lace)’ in French

Ne pas faire dans la dentelle

nuh pah fehr dahn lah dahn-TEL

[nuh pah fehr dahn lah dahn-TEL]

💬 Usage Tip: Dentelle is delicate lace, so the image is someone doing heavy-handed work instead of fine needlework. It works for people as well as music: il ne fait pas dans la dentelle "he doesn't mince words".

Phrase Breakdown

Ne pas faire

nuh pah fehr

Not to do

With an infinitive, 'ne pas' goes together before the verb.

Example

Ne pas faire de bruit.

Don't make noise.

Words in this phrase

[nuh]

(negation) not

Negation particle used with another negative word (ne… rien). In speech, it can be dropped, but it’s standard in writing.

Example

Ne me raconte rien sur l’anime, je veux garder la surprise.

Don’t tell me anything about the anime, I want to keep the surprise.

pas

[pah]

not (negation)

Second part of negation in “ne… pas.” Together: “Don’t worry.”

Example

Ne t’inquiète pas, je ne dis rien.

Don’t worry, I’m not saying anything.

faire

[fehr]

to do / to make

Infinitive of faire; often used with activities and sports.

Example

J'aime faire du roller fitness le soir.

I like doing fitness inline skating in the evening.

dans la dentelle

dahn lah dahn-TEL

in lace (i.e. subtle things)

The idiom means 'to be blunt or heavy-handed'.

Example

Elle aime ne pas faire dans la dentelle.

She likes to be blunt.

Words in this phrase

dans

[dahn]

Indicates inclusion within space or limits.

Example

Dans la maison, c'était calme.

In the house, it was quiet.

[lah]

the (feminine singular)

Definite article used before a feminine singular noun.

Example

La réservation est déjà confirmée pour samedi soir.

The reservation is already confirmed for Saturday evening.

dentelle

[dahn-TEL]

lace

Delicate fabric; the idiom means not being subtle or gentle.

Example

Il ne fait pas dans la dentelle.

He doesn't do things by halves.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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