avoir la veine

/a.vwaʁ la vɛn/
to be lucky

J'ai eu la veine de trouver un billet de 10 euros par terre.

I was lucky to find a 10 euro bill on the ground.


informal

To be fortunate or lucky in a situation, often unexpectedly.

Il a eu la veine de ne pas se faire prendre.

He was lucky not to get caught.

Quelle veine d'avoir évité cet accident !

What luck to have avoided that accident!

This phrase is commonly used in everyday French to express good fortune or unexpected luck.

Related Phrases

avoir du bolphrase
to be lucky (slang)
avoir la barakaphrase
to be lucky (informal)

Pro Tip

Common Usage

This phrase is often used in casual conversations to express luck or fortune.

Gold Rule

Context

Use this phrase when describing unexpected good fortune or luck.

Word Origin

The phrase comes from the word 'veine,' which originally referred to a vein in the body, symbolizing good fortune or luck.

Usage Notes

This expression is informal and commonly used in spoken French. It can be used in both positive and negative contexts to describe luck.

Word Breakdown

avoir
to have
verb
+
la veine
luck or fortune
noun phrase
Dictionnaire Français-Anglais