Why do I need to know couper les ponts?
This expression is widely used in France to talk about severed relationships.
What does it mean?
The French expression couper les ponts, roughly pronounced koo-pay lay pohn (listen here), literally translates to “cutting bridges”.
But in reality, it means “cutting ties” with someone or “breaking off contact”.
It can refer to friendships, family relationships, romantic relationships or even professional ties.
Figuratively or metaphorically, a bridge can be seen as a relationship between two people or two groups, whether for personal or professional purposes.
To couper les ponts is to decide to break off relations. It can also be used to describe someone who decides to turn the page or situation, to move on, or to make a clean break with the past.
Be careful, the expression “burning bridges” in English is not the same, although it sounds quite similar.
The French equivalent to that would be se fermer les portes (close the doors) or se griller auprès de quelqu’un (to grill oneself in front of someone), meaning to damage or destroy relationships or opportunities in a way that makes it difficult or impossible to go back.
Use it like this
Après leur dispute, ils ont décidé de couper les ponts. – After their argument, they decided to cut ties.
Elle a coupé les ponts avec sa famille. – She broke off contact with her family
J’ai décidé de couper les ponts avec lui. – I decided to sever ties with him.
Not to be confused with
Faire le pont – the ‘do the bridge’ refers to the French tradition of taking an extra day of annual leave when a public holiday falls on either a Tuesday or a Thursday to create a four-day weekend.
