Mentir (en. Lie)

/mɑ̃.tiʁ/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishFrench
verb
To mislead by giving false information.
She lied about her age.
Elle a menti sur son âge.
To make a statement that is not true.
You should not lie to your friends.
Il ne faut pas mentir à ses amis.
To hide the truth or reality.
He lies to avoid problems.
Il mente pour éviter des problèmes.

Etymology

From the Latin 'mentīri', meaning 'to tell a lie'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

to lie like a tooth puller
To lie obviously.
mentir comme un arracheur de dents
to lie to oneself
To delude oneself about one's own situation.
mentir à soimême
to lie by omission
Not to tell the whole truth.
mentir par omission

Related Words

lie
A false statement made with the intent to deceive.
mensonge
liar
A person who frequently lies.
menteur
truth
That which is in accordance with reality.
vérité

Slang Meanings

To tell tall tales
He lied about his school results.
Il a bullé sur ses résultats scolaires.
To spin a yarn
He sweet-talked his boss to get a promotion.
Il a baratiné son patron pour obtenir une promotion.
To drop a tall tale
She told a tall tale about her vacation.
Elle a lâché un bobard sur ses vacances.