10 September 2025

savoir-faire

Learn English With Jokes
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Three French boys are discussing what it means to have savoir-faireGRACE, TACT AND FINESSE.

The first boy says, “It is like this. If a man comes home and finds his wife in bed withAU LIT AVEC another man, and quietlySILENCIEUSEMENT he tiptoesMARCHE SUR LA POINTE DES PIEDS away so as to not disturbLES DÉRANGER them, then he has savoir-faireGRACE, TACT AND FINESSE.”

The second boy says, “No, that is laisser-faireLAISSER FAIRE. If the man tips his hatINCLINE SON CHAPEAU and says, ‘Excuse me. Please continue,’ then he has savoir-faireGRACE, TACT AND FINESSE.”

The third boy says, “No. It is like this. If a man comes home, finds his wife in bed withAU LIT AVEC another man, and he tips his hatINCLINE SON CHAPEAU and says, ‘Please continue,’ and the other man keeps at itCONTINUE, then HE has savoir-faireGRACE, TACT AND FINESSE.”  


  Vocabulary  
   
Savoir-faire: the ability to act appropriately in social situations (now part of the English lexicon).
   
To tiptoe: to walks quietly and furtively on the balls of the feet.
   
Disturb: to interrupt the quiet, peace, or rest of someone.
   
Laisser-faire: a policy or attitude of letting things take their own course.
   
She has the        savoir-faireGRACE, TACT AND FINESSE to handle any social event.    
   
He tiptoesMARCHE SUR LA POINTE DES PIEDS into the kitchen.    
   
Please don’t disturbDÉRANGER the meeting.    
   
The manager takes a laisser-faireLAISSE FAIRE approach.    
 
  Grammar  
    This joke uses the present simple tense to describe a hypothetical situation. It also uses phrasal verbs.    
Present simple tense: If a man comes homeRENTRE À LA MAISON...
   
Phrasal verbs: tips his hatINCLINE SON CHAPEAU, comes homeRENTRE À LA MAISON.    
 
  Synonyms & Alternatives  
   
Savoir-faire: sophistication, tact, composure
   
Tiptoes: sneaks, pads, creeps
   
Disturb: bother, interrupt
   
Continue: carriy on, proceed
 
  Mini Dialogue  
   
Manager: I'm not going to disturbDÉRANGER you while you work.    
   
Employee: Thank you, I'll continueCONTINUER to focus on this report.    
   
Manager: You showed great savoir-faireGRACE, TACT AND FINESSE in handling that client.    
   
Employee: Thank you, I try to keep a laisser-fairePOLICY OF MINIMAL INTERVENTION attitude with difficult situations.    
 




© — This blog collects and shares light-hearted jokes that have been passed along by word of mouth. I do not claim ownership of any of them. You are welcome to copy, share, or tell them at weddings, dinner parties, your braaivleis, or even a bar mitzvah. If you have a favourite clean joke, drop it in the comments and we may, if it's really good, feature it here.

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