Learned and Latin phrases

a priori, in extremis, de facto, statu quo, alter ego.

⚡Key points

a priori / a posteriori→beforehand / from experience

in extremis→at the last moment

de facto / de jure→in fact / in law

statu quo→the existing state of affairs

grosso modo / in fine→roughly / ultimately

Latin phrases in modern French

Formal and journalistic French preserves many Latin phrases used untranslated. They lend precision and erudition: a priori (beforehand, prior to experience), a posteriori (from experience), in extremis (at the last moment).

Latinisms → meaning

a priori	beforehand, untested	a priori, c’est non.
a posteriori	afterwards, from experience	on le sait a posteriori
in extremis	at the last moment	sauvé in extremis
de facto	in fact	de facto, il dirige
statu quo	the current situation	maintenir le statu quo
alter ego	a second self, trusted aide	son alter ego

Other learned phrases

Other frequent ones: grosso modo (roughly), in fine (ultimately), ipso facto (thereby), modus vivendi (a way of coexisting), de visu (with one’s own eyes), vice versa (the other way round), ad hoc (for this specific purpose), statu quo.

In context

Reasoning

A priori, l’idée semble bonne ; a posteriori, elle a échoué.

Summary

Grosso modo, le plan tient en trois points. In fine, il faut décider.

Law / fact

De jure, c’est interdit ; de facto, on le tolère.

💡⚠️ Spelling and register

Latin phrases are usually invariable and often written in italics. They belong to the formal register — apt in essays, the press, a report, but pretentious in everyday chat. a priori is now often written without accents (the reformed spelling à priori is allowed).

In fine, la décision revient au directeur.

Ils ont trouvé un modus vivendi.

Dialogue: negotiation

InèsA priori, les deux parties refusent de bouger.

MarcIl faut sortir du statu quo, sinon on échoue.

InèsIn extremis, ils ont trouvé un modus vivendi.

MarcDe facto, l’accord tient, même sans signature.

Inès: A priori both sides refuse to budge. | Marc: We must break the status quo, or we’ll fail. | Inès: At the last moment they found a modus vivendi. | Marc: De facto the agreement holds, even without a signature.