n’en est encore qu’aux prémices

English translation: but it is still early days

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

French term or phrase:	n’en est encore qu’aux prémices
English translation:	but it is still early days
Entered by:	GillW (MCIL)

14:44 Apr 24, 2007

French to English translations [PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / general

French term or phrase: n’en est encore qu’aux prémices

(Creation/construction d'un complexe hotelier)

Plusieurs groupes ont déjà manifesté leur intérêt pour le futur complexe X. Le groupe Y, bien entendu, mais aussi X, Y, et Z.
Vacoas est une autre ville intéressée par ce complexe, mais n’en est encore qu’aux prémices. Cette ville accueille 2.500 personnes, dont beaucoup d’expatriés européens. Vacoas est située à 60 km de G.Baie, où aucun complexe X n’est envisagé.

(early days; early beginnings...how to say it in English?)Thanks for your help.

Stephanie Sullivan KudoZ activity Questions: 1067 (1 open) (31 closed without grading) Answers: 261 Mauritius
Local time: 02:33

but it is still early days

Explanation:
or, is still in its infancy
or, is still at an early stage
There are many ways of saying this and it depends what goes in the preceding clause.....

Selected response from:

GillW (MCIL)
Local time: 23:33

Grading comment

Thank you Gill, and thanks to all.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +8

but it is still early days

GillW (MCIL)

3 +3

but it is still in its early stages

James Murphy

is still only in the initial phase/stage

Ian Davies

Answers

10 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +8

but it is still early days

Explanation:
or, is still in its infancy
or, is still at an early stage
There are many ways of saying this and it depends what goes in the preceding clause.....

GillW (MCIL)
Local time: 23:33
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Grading comment

Thank you Gill, and thanks to all.

25 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

but it is still in its early stages

Explanation:
Here is an alternative to GillW's response.
I think "early days" might be a bit too colloquial for this.

James Murphy
Spain
Local time: 00:33
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English

8 hrs confidence:

is still only in the initial phase/stage

Explanation:
Presumably premices (sorry, no accents) refers to some administrative process (expression of interest, or somesuch), and the town of Vacoas is in the initial phase of this, as opposed to well adanced, having signed contracts etc.

Ian Davies
Australia
Local time: 08:33
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English

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n’en est encore qu’aux prémices

English translation: but it is still early days

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English translation: but it is still early days

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