faire le premier pas
to make the first move
Intermediate Phrase
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Pronunciation
/fɛʁ lə pʁə.mje pɑ/
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Cultural Note
Traditionally in France, men were expected to make the first move, but modern French dating culture has evolved significantly. Women increasingly 'font le premier pas,' and this is seen as confident and attractive. However, the French still value a certain playful ambiguity — the game of who will crack first is part of the fun.
📝 Example Sentences
C'est toujours moi qui fais le premier pas, j'aimerais que ce soit réciproque.
I'm always the one making the first move, I wish it were mutual.
Elle a fait le premier pas en m'envoyant un message.
She made the first move by sending me a message.