Now that you have read most of our articles you can say “Je ne suis pas né(e) de la dernière pluie”, since now you’re an expert in this field. Do you want to know where this expression comes from? Keep on reading!
The origins of this expression
It first appeared in the XX century, so it’s not that old. Picture a rainy day in the woods, everything looks moist and fresh, the plants look greener and flowers are revitalized. You can also see how the day after, mushrooms decorate the scene. It is in fact this last part that this phrase makes reference to: the mushrooms that flourish when rain falls. “Ne pas être né” means to not be born and “de la dernière pluie” means from the last rainfall. In this way, when something is born from the last rainfall, it is new and fresh.
Its meaning
When you say “I was born from the last rainfall” it means you’re naive. On the contrary, with the negation “ne pas” this phrase indicates that you are experienced and have an advantage in age in a certain field. It definitely evoques an opposition in age and the absence of gullibility.
When and how to use it?
Let’s say you are buying a house, but you know that new houses are way more expensive than the old ones. You know what you’re looking for and you’ve made some research about the prices and conditions for buying a house. You finally get to find a house that suits you for its location, size and actual state, so you meet the seller. The last one makes you an offer ensuring that you won’t find a better price elsewhere. However, you have some knowledge in Real Estate and know for sure that the price is not right and that he is actually trying to scam you. Then, to his offer you say “Je ne suis pas né de la dernière pluie” (I wasn’t born from the last rainfall) and probably the seller will take his offer back and change his mind. That would mean that with this magic trick “tu as tiré ton épingle du jeu”!
We have set up some quizzes so that you can better understand this expression. Just click below to access these quizzes.