Foreign Phrases commonly used in English (List)

  • A la carte (French) – On the menu, i.e., individually priced items from a menu in a restaurant.
  • Coup de grace (French) – Final blow or deathblow intended to end suffering.
  • Rsvp (French) – Répondez s’il vous plaît, a phrase often used at the end of invitations, meaning “please reply.”
  • Bon voyage (French) – Have a good journey.
  • Vis-à-vis (French) – In relation to.
  • Carte blanche (French) – Unrestricted power to act at one’s discretion.
  • De facto (Latin) – In fact, whether by right or not.
  • Ad hoc (Latin) – For the particular end or case at hand without consideration of wider application.
  • Pro bono (Latin) – For the good, often referring to work done without charge.
  • Status quo (Latin) – The current situation.
  • Ad infinitum (Latin) – To infinity; without limit.
  • Mea culpa (Latin) – My guilt, a formal acknowledgement of personal fault or error.
  • Persona non grata (Latin) – An unwelcome person.
  • Alma mater (Latin) – Nourishing mother, often used to refer to a school or university where one studied.
  • QED (Quod erat demonstrandum) (Latin) – Which was to be demonstrated, often used at the end of a mathematical proof or philosophical argument.
  • Veni, vidi, vici (Latin) – I came, I saw, I conquered.
  • Carpe diem (Latin) – Seize the day.
  • No man’s land (Latin) – Land that is unoccupied or is under dispute between parties who leave it unoccupied due to fear or uncertainty.
  • C’est la vie (French) – That’s life.
  • Faux pas (French) – False step, a violation of accepted social norms.
  • Je ne sais quoi (French) – A quality that cannot be described or named easily.
  • Et cetera (Latin) – And the rest; and so forth.
  • Vice versa (Latin) – The other way around.
  • Verbatim (Latin) – In exactly the same words as were used originally.
  • Per se (Latin) – By itself; in itself.
  • Per diem (Latin) – Per day; daily.
  • Alpha and Omega (Greek) – The beginning and the end.
  • Ad nauseam (Latin) – To a sickening or excessive degree.
  • Hasta la vista (Spanish) – Until we see (each other) again.
  • Tempus fugit (Latin) – Time flies.
  • Auf Wiedersehen (German) – Until we see each other again; Goodbye.
  • Gung ho (Chinese) – Enthusiastic, dedicated.
  • Sukiyaki (Japanese) – A type of hot pot dish.
  • Sushi (Japanese) – Traditional Japanese dish with vinegared rice and various fillings, toppings, and ingredients.
  • Sayonara (Japanese) – Goodbye.
  • Ciao (Italian) – Hello or goodbye.
  • Prima donna (Italian) – The main female singer in an opera or opera company.
  • Al fresco (Italian) – In the fresh (air).
  • Annus horribilis (Latin) – A horrible year.
  • Ars longa, vita brevis (Greek) – Art is long, life is short.
  • Deus ex machina (Greek) – god from a machine, an unexpected savior or solution.
  • Tempora mutantur (Latin) – The times are changing.
  • Memento vivere (Latin) – Remember to live!
  • Tabula rasa (Latin) – A clean slate.
  • Ipso facto (Latin) – By the fact itself.
  • Bona fide (Latin) – In good faith, authentic.
  • Quid pro quo (Latin) – Something given in return for something else; a favor for a favor.

		
	

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