07 April 2026

the cause of arthritis

Learn English With Jokes
Passez la souris sur (ou touchez) les mots soulignés pour voir la traduction.

A man who smelled like a distillery floppedS’AFFAISA on a subwayMÉTRO seat next to a priest.

The man's tie was stainedSA CRAVATE ÉTAIT TACHÉE, his face was plastered withÉTAIT BARBOUILLÉ DE red lipstick, and a half empty bottle of gin was sticking outDÉPASSAIT of his tornDÉCHIRÉ coat pocket. He opened his newspaper and began reading.

After a few minutes, the dishevelledDÉBRAILLÉ guy turned to the priest and asked, “Say, father, what causes arthritis?”

“Mister, it's caused by loose livingUNE VIE DÉBAUCHÉE, being with cheap, wicked womenDES FEMMES VILES ET IMMORALES, too much alcohol and a contempt for your fellow man.”

“Well I'll be,” the drunk mutteredMARMONNA L’IVROGNE, returning to his paper.

The priest, thinking about what he had said, nudged the manDONNA UN COUP DE COUDE À L’HOMME and apologised. “I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to come on so strongÀ ÊTRE SI BRUSQUE. How long did you have arthritis?”

“I don't have it, father. I was just reading here that the Pope doesJE VENAIS DE LIRE ICI QUE LE PAPE EN SOUFFRAIT.”


Vocabulary
Dishevelled: untidy, messy in appearance.
Loose living: an immoral or excessive lifestyle.
The dishevelledDÉBRAILLÉ man sat next to the priest.
The priest blamed his condition on loose livingUNE VIE DÉBAUCHÉE.
Grammar
The joke uses past simple for narration and past perfect for earlier background actions.
Past simple: He opened his newspaper and began reading.
Past perfect: The priest thought about what he had said.
Synonyms & Alternatives
Dishevelled: scruffy, unkempt.
Muttered: mumbled, grumbled.
Mini Dialogue
Henry: A dishevelledDÉBRAILLÉ man sat next to me on the bus yesterday.
Clara: What did he do?
Henry: He mutteredMARMONNA something about politics and newspapers.
Clara: Sounds like he’d had a long day.


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