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Prendre le train en marche

English translation: Getting in on the action

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:Prendre le train en marche
English translation:Getting in on the action
Entered by: Katarina Peters

15:56 Mar 31, 2007
French to English translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
French term or phrase: Prendre le train en marche
Does this mean jumping on the bandwagon, and if so can anyone think of a less pejorative way of saying it?
Paul Hirsh
France
Local time: 02:15
join the movement
Explanation:
less formal would be: get in on the action, get on the bandwagon... but I'm sure someone will come up with a typical expression that eludes me at the moment...

of course, more context would help...
Selected response from:

Katarina Peters
Canada
Local time: 20:15
Grading comment
getting in on the action
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2get on board/getting on board
Patrice
3 +2jump on a moving train
Jennifer Forbes
4join halfway through
MoiraB
3 +1join the movement
Katarina Peters
3 +1get into the stream
Bourth (X)
4go with the flow
ormiston
3Take the moving train
MaryAnn Diorio, PhD, MA
3to take advantage of....
katsy
3Make hay while the sun shines
Trudy Peters


Discussion entries: 5





  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
join halfway through


Explanation:
Oxford-Hachette. Some context would be nice!

MoiraB
France
Local time: 02:15
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 28
Notes to answerer
Asker: It is a section heading with not many clues in the following section as to why it is there.

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The asker has declined this answer

9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
join the movement


Explanation:
less formal would be: get in on the action, get on the bandwagon... but I'm sure someone will come up with a typical expression that eludes me at the moment...

of course, more context would help...

Katarina Peters
Canada
Local time: 20:15
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in HungarianHungarian, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 28
Grading comment
getting in on the action

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Gacela20
25 mins
  -> Thanks, Gacela!
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11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
jump on a moving train


Explanation:
"Jump on a moving train" seems a good metaphorical image that works just as well in English as in French, but you give no context, so it's hard to be sure. "Jump on the bandwagon" or "joint halfway through" might also be fine - but without the context, who knows?

Jennifer Forbes
Local time: 01:15
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Swatchka
13 mins
agree  Evi Prokopi (X)
1 hr
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The asker has declined this answer

15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Take the moving train


Explanation:
Implies joining oneself to a person or organization that is going somewhere.

MaryAnn Diorio, PhD, MA
Local time: 20:15
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian, Native in EnglishEnglish
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The asker has declined this answer

26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
get into the stream


Explanation:
As someone has said, context would be good since, as there is not, I don't think, a standard English equivalent, it will be a horses-for-courses question.

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Note added at 27 mins (2007-03-31 16:24:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Go with the flow might work. Might.

Bourth (X)
Local time: 02:15
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 204

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  jean-jacques alexandre
1 day 14 hrs
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The asker has declined this answer

18 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
to take advantage of....


Explanation:
... of... whatever the context is - the situation, the progress made by...
just another suggestion, I don't disagree with what's already been proposed

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 38 mins (2007-03-31 16:34:30 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

If you wanted to be very positive, you could even envisage
"building on" .... whatever it is.....

katsy
Local time: 02:15
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 40
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The asker has declined this answer

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
get on board/getting on board


Explanation:
This would be more neutral and non-pejorative, I think.

Patrice
United States
Local time: 17:15
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jerome Elhaik: I like this one
2 mins
  -> Thanks!
agree  Emma Paulay: Yes, but it's often associated with joining a team so may not work in all contexts
20 mins
  -> Thanks!
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The asker has declined this answer

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
go with the flow


Explanation:
perhaps might fit sometimes ?

ormiston
Local time: 02:15
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 93
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The asker has declined this answer

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Make hay while the sun shines


Explanation:
is one way of looking at it. There's even a Google hit :-)

... (se joindre à une action/une idée déjà en cours ) : prendre le train en marche ... To make hay while the sun shines (profiter sans tarder d'une occasion ...
www.jenetpeers.co.uk/idiomes.htm

Trudy Peters
United States
Local time: 20:15
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
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The asker has declined this answer



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