grand-chose

French

Alternative forms

• grand’chose (obsolete)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡʁɑ̃.ʃoz/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -oz

Pronoun

grand-chose

1. a big deal; something or someone important
2. (not) much, (not) a lot

   Synonym: peu

   Par ici, il n’y a pas grand-chose à faire.

   There isn't much to do around here.

   Je n’ai plus grand-chose à y ajouter.

   I don't have much to add.

   • 2003, Carla Bruni, Quelqu'un m'a dit:

     On me dit que nos vies ne valent pas grand-chose ; elles passent en un instant comme fanent les roses.

     People tell me that our lives are not worth much; they go by in an instant, like roses wilt.

Usage notes

Grand-chose is used with a negative:

• Ce n’est pas grand-chose.

  It's not a big deal.

• Qu’est-ce que tu as fait aujourd’hui? – Pas grand-chose.

  What did you do today? – Not much.

Related terms

• grand monde

References

• “chose”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.