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French Word of the Day: Branché

The Local France
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French Word of the Day: Branché
Photo: Annie Spratt/Unsplash/Nicolas Raymond"

This word has multiple meanings, most of which are positive.

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Why do I need to know branché? 

Because being branché is no bad thing. 

What does it mean? 

Branché, pronounced "bron-shay", has multiple meanings. 

Une branche, is the French word used to denote the branch of a tree. 

In this respect, branché can be used in a botanical sense or to describe an object's position relative to a tree. 

Les merles sont branchés - the blackbirds are sitting on the branch 

But more often than not, the word is used to mean "plugged in" or "connected" in a literal and metaphorical sense. 

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For example, when talking about electrical appliances, you could use the following phrases:

Le cordon d'alimentation doit être branché - the power cord must be plugged in

Le téléphone peut être branché au dispositif  - the phone can be connected to the device 

If you wanted to use it as a verb, you could say:

Je branche mon micro - I am connecting my microphone 

When a person is branché it means that they are well connected, fashionable or on top of the latest news. It is thought that this meaning could come from pre-revolutionary France when having an aristocratic branch in the family tree would likely mean that someone was better connected and had greater life chances. 

Elle est très branchée avec un réseau énorme - she is very well connected and has an enormous network

À Paris Fashion Week, il y a trop de gens branchés - at Paris Fashion week there are too many of the in-crowd 

Ce journaliste est très branché - this journalist is very well connected/has good sources

Synonyms 

À la mode - fashionable

En vogue - fashionable 

Au courant - up to date

Connecté - connected

Relié - linked up

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Anonymous 2022/01/19 15:27
Chord, cord. Who knows.

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