French Expression of the Day: Faire amende honorable
You might know that ‘une amende’ means a fine in French – but this expression actually means something else.
Why do I need to know faire amende honorable?
This is a good expression to know if you want to apologise for something you’ve done.
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What does it mean?
The French expression faire amende honorable, roughly pronounced fehr ah-mahnd oh-noh-rahbl (listen here), translates literally as “to make honourable amends”. It means to admit you were wrong, acknowledge a mistake and show that you are sorry. It can also suggest making a public apology or taking responsibility for something you have done.
It is a little more formal than simply saying désolé.e (sorry) or je m’excuse (I apologise). It often implies that someone is willing to recognise their fault and therefore make amends.
READ ALSO: Beyond désolé – 7 ways to say ‘I’m sorry’ in French
The expression dates back to the 16th century and has its roots in the French judicial system. It combines the idea of amender (to correct or make amends for a wrong) with honorable (relating to honour, which in this case would have been tarnished by the offence).
Back then, amende honorable was a type of judicial punishment. It was considered an intermediate penalty, less severe than physical mutilation, for example, but more serious than a formal reprimand. It was used to punish offences including indecent behaviour, insults and financial misconduct.
The guilty person was required to appear in public, barefoot and wearing only a shirt, to apologise before a judge, a priest and the victims. This public act of repentance was intended to atone for the offence and repair the harm caused.
Although this type of punishment has long since disappeared from the French legal system, the expression has survived.
Today, une amende usually means a fine – a financial penalty for breaking a law or rule – for example for speeding.
Use it like this
Elle a fait amende honorable et reconnu qu’elle avait eu tort. – She admitted she was wrong and acknowledged her mistake.
Le patron devrait faire amende honorable auprès de ses employés. – The boss should apologise to his employees and acknowledge his wrongdoing.
J’ai fait amende honorable, je savais que j’avais fait une erreur, il fallait que je le dise. – I acknowledged my mistake. I knew I had done something wrong, and I had to say so.
