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How to Say ‘To leave someone stranded’ in French

Laisser quelqu'un en plan

leh-SAY kelk uhn on plahn

[leh-SAY kelk uhn on plahn]

Phrase Breakdown

Laisser quelqu'un

leh-SAY kelk uhn

to leave someone

'Quelqu'un' means 'someone' and is pronounced 'kel-kun'.

Example

Il faut laisser quelqu'un parler.

You have to let someone speak.

Words in this phrase

Laisser

[leh-SAY]

to leave

To leave someone or something behind.

Example

Ne me laisse pas seul.

Don't leave me alone.

quelqu'

[kelk]

Someone

An unknown or unspecified person.

Example

Quelqu'un avec du style se remarque toujours.

Someone with style always stands out.

[uhn]

a / one

Indefinite article used before a masculine singular noun.

Example

Un café peut être une bonne occasion de discuter.

A coffee can be a good opportunity to talk.

en plan

on plahn

in the lurch

Completes the idiom 'to abandon someone'. Keep both nasal vowels clear.

Example

Ne me laisse pas en plan !

Don't leave me hanging!

Words in this phrase

[on]

A preposition indicating inclusion within a space.

Example

Il est en France.

He is in France.

plan

[plahn]

stranded (in idiom)

In 'en plan', means abandoned or left hanging.

Example

Tout est resté en plan.

Everything was left unfinished.

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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