What Does TETE-A-TETE Mean? The Fascinating Definition of TETE-A-TETE

Learn the fascinating definition of TETE-A-TETE and look for opportunities to use it in daily conversation as soon as possible.

The English language has absorbed numerous words from French. Tete-a-tete is an example.
This video provides illustrated sentence examples to show the meaning and definition of TETE-A-TETE.

Slide 1:
Hello, I’m David James.

Slide 2:
What does the expression tete-a-tete mean?

Slide 3:
tête-à-tête is a French expression that literally means head to head.
We use it in English to describe a private conversation between two people, speaking face to face.
(It is often written without the accents: tete-a-tete)
Slide 4:

In our first example we see two women in a café having a private conversation, speaking face to face.
The sentence reads: She met her friend at a cafe for a quick tete-a-tete.

Slide 5:
Next, the picture shows the German Chancellor and Dutch Prime Minister speaking together in private.
The sentence reads: Here we see the Dutch Prime Minister having a tete-a-tete with the German Chancellor back in 2013.

Another Definition of TETE-A-TETE

Slide 6:
In this picture we see a two seater sofa and an s-shape garden seat.
The sentence reads: ‘Tete-a-tete’ is also the name given to a sofa or seat for two, often in an s-shape to allow two persons to face each other.

Slide 7:
So remember, the next time you have a face-to-face or head-to-head conversation with someone, you are having a tete-a-tete!

Slide 8:
Just before we finish, let me tell you about my online course for English students who find the articles a, an, and the, confusing. It’s called: “How to Master Definite | Indefinite Articles in 7 Days!”
Just go to http://goodenglish.online and check it out!

Slide 9:
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Now you know the definition of tete-a-tete, look for opportunities to use it in your everyday conversation.
Additionally, if you are interested in other language words that have come into English, be sure to check this page:
What is a POTPOURRI?

Additional examples of common usage of TETE-A-TETE:

“For the next ten minutes, Jocelyn just watched the conversation between Nova and Jackie grew from small chitchat to a long and interesting tête-à-tête.”
Source: http://www.fictionpress.com/s/1472965/4/The-Standard

“Usually he would have noted the conversation down; however he felt that this little tête-à-tête would be one he wasn’t going to forget easily.”
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2717966/1/Cannington-Inquires-Point-of-the-Matter-Book-1

“Just then Benny and the gang appeared through the gigantic garage door for the warehouse, which ended Taylor and Joy’s tête-à-tête as soon as it started.”
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2231495/1/A-Bronx-Tale

 

Image Credits
Slide 4 - conversation between two women
Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/4QpVkm

Slide 5 - - Dutch Prime Minister
Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/eqCpas

Slide 7 - 2 seater sofa
Creative commons
https://flic.kr/p/89DDdr
Wikimedia Commons
Love_seat_-_garden_furniture.jpg: Andy Roberts from East London, Englandderivative work: Catfisheye
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/Love_seat_-_garden_furniture_cropped.jpg