French and Latin Words, Sayings and Phrases

Here's a short list of Latin and French words and phrases, with meanings in English.
Scroll down for a quick lesson in making French accents with the Alt Key.

au revoir -       

bête noir -    

bonjour -       

bonsoir -          

bon mot -         

c'est la vie - 

chacun à son goût -

coup de grâce - 

coup d'état -    

fait accompli - 

pièce de résistance -

raison d'être -    

sans souci -       

tout le monde - 

voici -             

until we see each other again

a person or thing strongly detested or avoided (black beast)

good day

good evening

a clever remark

such is life

everyone to his own taste

a stroke of mercy, a decisive finishing blow

a sudden, decisive exercise of force in politics

a thing accomplished and presumably irreversible

a showpiece; the chief dish of a meal

reason for being

carefree; without worry

everyone

here is

annus horribilis - 

a posteriori -

a priori -

ars gratia artis -

to infinity (without end)

to a sickening degree

a horrible year

from the latter

from the former

secrets (mysterious knowledge known only to initiates)

art for art's sake

hail and farewell

(adjective) in good faith, well-intentioned, fairly

(noun) honest intention

seize the day

let the buyer beware (i.e. - take the risk)

something that is automatically accepted

by the grace of God

from the chair (of authority)

in one's absence

in extreme circumstances (e.g. - at point of death)

in the place of a parent

forever

totally, entirely

a way of operating

love conquers all

after death

after childbirth

for the public good

a clean slate

time flees

How to Make French Accents
Using the Alt Key and Numeric Keypad

You can make the French accents used in the list above by placing your curser where you need the accented letter, then hit the "Alt" key and the numbers indicated beside each letter (below) in succession - on your numeric keypad - remember to "numlock."

à - 0224

â - 0226

ç - 0231

è - 0232

é - 0233

ê - 0234

û - 0251