ficher

I.

v. trans. & intrans.

(This verb is the euphemistic equivalent of foutre, and a surprising alternative infinitive (ormfiche is quite often to be found.)

1. To be up to (with pejorative connotation), to do (very little). Et qu'est-ce qu'il fiche ici quand il se donne la peine de venir?! And can you tell me what he does here, if and when he bothers to clock in? Ne rien ficher (also: nepas en ficher un coup): To 'do bugger-all', to 'sit on one's backside', not to do a stroke of work.

2. To 'bung', to 'stick', to put. Où est-ce que vous avez fiché ma valise? Where did you dump my suitcase?

3. Ficher quelqu'un dedans: To 'land someone in it', to get someone into trouble.

4. Ficher quelqu'un à la porte: To chuck someone out.

5. Ficher le camp: To 'bugger off', to 'piss off', to go away.

6. Ficher la frousse (also: ficher la trouille): To frighten the wits out of someone.

7. Je t'en fiche (also: je vous en fiche) mon billet! You can bet your bottom dollar on this! — You can take it from me that¼

8. Envoyer faire fiche quelqu'un: To send someone away with a flea in his ear. Va te faire fiche! Go to hell!

9. Faire quelque chose à la va- tefaire-fiche: To do something 'any old how', to do something in a slapdash manner (also: à la va-comme-je-te-pousse).

10. Je t'en fiche! You must be joking! — Nothing of the sort! — Not remotely' likely.

11. Ça la fiche mal! That doesn't look good! — That certainly makes a bad impression! Ça la fiche mal, un patron qui fait de la taule! A director in the clink certainly doesn't enhance the company image.

II.

v. pronom.

1. Se ficher de:

  a 'Not to give a fuck', not to care a damn about something. Il se fiche éperdument de ce que vous pouvez bien lui dire: He couldn't care two hoots what you say.

  b To 'poke fun at', to 'pull someone's leg', to make fun of someone or something. Je sais qu'il se fiche de moi derrière mon dos! I know he's always taking the mickey out of me!

2. Se ficher dedans:

  a To 'make a boo-boo', to make a blunder.

  b To 'land oneself in it', to get oneself into trouble.

3. Se ficher en l'air:

  a To get killed. Il s'est fichu en l'air sur l'autoroute: He got shunted to kingdom come on the motorway.

  b To 'bump oneself off', to commit suicide.

4. Se ficher sur la gueule: To 'have a ding-dong set-to', to 'have a punch-up', to have a fight.

5. Se ficher par terre:

  a To fall flat on one's face, to go sprawling.

  b To 'come a cropper', to fall foul of one's luck.