maïs

mais [mε]

1. conjunction

   a. (opposition) but

• il est gros mais souple he's big, but supple

• il est parti ? mais tu m'avais promis qu'il m'attendrait ! he's left? but you promised he'd wait for me!

   b. (renforcement) tu me crois ? -- mais oui or bien sûr do you believe me? -- of course

• mais je te jure que c'est vrai ! but I swear it's true!

• mais ne te fais pas de souci ! don't you worry!

• je vous dérange ? -- mais pas du tout am I disturbing you? -- not at all

   c. (surprise) mais alors qu'est-ce qui est arrivé ? so what happened?

• mais dites-moi, c'est intéressant tout ça ! well now that's all very interesting!

   d. (protestation) non mais ! (inf) for goodness sake! (inf)

• mais enfin, tu vas te taire ? (inf) look here, are you going to shut up? (inf)

2. masculine noun

• il y a un mais there's one snag

• il n'y a pas de mais qui tienne there are no buts about it

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mɛ

conjonction but

incroyable mais vrai — strange but true

mais ne t'inquiète donc pas! — don't you worry about it!

il est bête, mais bête! — (colloq) he's so incredibly stupid!

je n'ai rien compris, mais vraiment rien! — I understood absolutely nothing!

‘est-ce que je peux venir aussi?’ - ‘mais oui! — ‘can I come too?’ - ‘of course!’

mais où est-il passé? — where on earth (colloq) has he got to?

mais vas-tu te taire! — can't you just shut up? (colloq)

mais, vous pleurez! — good heavens, you're crying!

mais alors, vous m'avez menti! — so you lied to me!

mais j'y pense — now that I come to think of it

mais dis-moi, tu le connais aussi? — so you know him too?

il n' y a pas de mais — there are no buts about it

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mɛ conj

1) (contraste, opposition) but

C'est cher mais de très bonne qualité. — It's expensive, but very good quality.

mais non! — of course not!

2)

mais encore? ironique — is that all?

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I.

mais conj

1 (introduisant une correction, une opposition) but; il est intelligent mais paresseux he's intelligent but lazy; elle n'arrive pas lundi mais mardi she's not arriving on Monday but on Tuesday, she's arriving on Tuesday, not Monday; non seulement il est malhonnête, mais en plus il s'en vante not only is he dishonest but on top of that he boasts about it; il est acteur mais aussi écrivain he's an actor and a writer as well; incroyable mais vrai strange but true; mais il avait pourtant dit qu'il viendrait but he did say he would come;

2 (pour renforcer) mais c'est de la folie! but that's madness!; mais c'est tout naturel! but it's only natural!; mais ne t'inquiète donc pas! don't you worry about it; mais c'est vrai, je t'assure! but it's true, I tell you! ; il est bête, mais bête! he's so incredibly stupid!; il faisait chaud, mais chaud! it was so incredibly hot!; je n'ai rien compris, mais vraiment rien! I understood absolutely nothing!; ‘est-ce que je peux venir aussi?’-‘mais oui! or bien sûr! or certainement!’ ‘can I come too?’-‘of course!’;

3 (marquant l'indignation, l'impatience) mais où est-il passé? where on earth○ has he got to?; mais qu'est-ce qui se passe ici? what on earth○ is going on here?; mais vas-tu te taire! can't you just shut up○?; non mais (des fois)○! for God's sake!, really!; non mais quel culot! really! what a nerve!; non mais des fois○! pour qui se prend-il? really! ou I ask you! who does he think he is?; (non) mais◑ il commence à m'énerver celui -là! that guy is really beginning to get on my nerves!;

4 (marquant la surprise) mais, vous pleurez! good heavens, you're crying!; mais alors, vous m'avez menti! so you lied to me!; mais je te croyais parti à l'étranger! well! I thought you'd gone abroad!; mais qu'est-ce qui t'a pris? what on earth○ came over you?;

5 (comme transition) mais j'y pense now that I come to think of it; mais, je m'égare but I digress; mais dis-moi, tu le connais aussi? so you know him too?

II.

mais nm il n'y a pas de mais (qui tienne) there are no buts about it.

Idiome

il n'en pouvait mais he couldn't take it any more.

[mais] nom masculin

BOTANIQUE maize (UK), corn (US)

CUISINE sweetcorn

maïs en épi corn on the cob