faire le parvenu

/fɛʁ lə paʁvy/◆idiom

to act pretentious or show off wealth

Il fait toujours le parvenu avec ses vêtements de luxe.

He always acts pretentious with his luxury clothes.

◆ What It Really Means

To behave in a way that shows off one's wealth or social status in an ostentatious or pretentious manner, often to impress others.

¶ Literal Meaning

To do the arrived one

Literal Breakdown

faireto do or make+lethe+parvenusomeone who has arrived or succeeded

◇ Mental Image

The mental image is of someone who has recently gained wealth or status and is trying to flaunt it in a way that is obvious and often tacky.

◈ When to Use

At a party, someone might say 'Il fait le parvenu avec sa nouvelle voiture de luxe' to criticize a person who is showing off their new luxury car in an ostentatious way.

◉ Cultural Note

This phrase reflects a cultural disdain for those who flaunt their wealth or status in a way that is seen as tacky or pretentious. It is often used to criticize people who are trying too hard to fit into a higher social class.

informal

To behave in a way that shows off one's wealth or social status in an ostentatious or pretentious manner, often to impress others.

Elle fait le parvenu en parlant de ses voyages en première classe.

She acts pretentious by talking about her first-class travels.

This expression is often used to criticize someone for being overly flashy or trying too hard to appear wealthy or sophisticated.

Synonyms

faire le malin faire le snob se donner des airs

Antonyms

être modeste être humble être naturel

Related Phrases

faire le malinidiom

to act smart or show off

se donner des airsidiom

to put on airs

Pro Tip

Usage Context

This phrase is often used to criticize someone for being pretentious or trying too hard to impress others with their wealth or status.

Gold Rule

Tone

The phrase is usually used in a negative or mocking tone, so be aware of the context when using it.

Word Origin

The term 'parvenu' comes from the past participle of the French verb 'parvenir,' meaning 'to arrive' or 'to succeed.' It originally referred to someone who had recently gained wealth or social status but lacked the refinement or manners of the established upper class. The phrase 'faire le parvenu' emphasizes the behavior of someone trying to flaunt their newfound status.

Usage Notes

This phrase is typically used in a critical or mocking tone to describe someone who is trying too hard to appear wealthy or sophisticated. It can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it is more common in informal speech.

Word Breakdown

faire

to do or make

verb

the (definite article)

article

parvenu

someone who has recently gained wealth or status

noun

Dictionnaire Français-Anglais