French Vocabulary Related to Mardi Gras

Celebrate Mardi Gras in French (from About.com)

Mardi gras is an annual celebration called le mardi gras (literally, "fat Tuesday") or le carnaval in French.

Les dates de mardi gras ~ Mardi gras dates
Mardi gras takes place 46 days before Easter (le Pâques) - that is, sometime between 3 February and 9 March. Mardi gras is the day before Lent (le carême), which begins on Ash Wednesday (le mercredi des Cendres). The most famous Mardi gras celebration is held in New Orleans (la Nouvelle-Orléans), but many cities in Europe and South America also put on spectacular events.

Les couleurs de mardi gras ~ Mardi gras colors
Mardi gras has three official colors:

le violet purple (justice)
l'or gold (power)
le vert green (faith)

Les traditions de mardi gras ~ Mardi gras traditions
Mardi gras is traditionally celebrated with a parade led by a captain, during which trinkets, or "throws," are tossed to the crowd. The parade is followed by a costume ball presided over by a king and queen.

Le vocabulaire de mardi gras ~ Mardi gras vocabulary

une babiole-trinket un bal masqué-costume ball un bijou-jewel le capitaine-captain
un char-float un collier-necklace un costume-costume le courir-Mardi gras run
une couronne- crown un défilé-parade un déguisement-disguise un doublon-doubloon
une effigie-effigy un feu de joie-bonfire un flambeau-torch la foule-crowd
un krewe-krewe (Mardi gras organizer)
un mardi gras a person who really gets into celebrating Mardi gras
le masque-mask (make a Mardi gras mask) une paillette-sequin une perle-bead
la plume-feather la reine-queen le roi-king

Les expressions avec mardi gras ~ Expressions with Mardi gras
There are a couple of related French expressions with the phrase Mardi gras:

Ce n'est pas mardi gras aujourd'hui - Literally, "today isn't mardi gras"; this expression is used to make fun of someone who is wearing something ridiculous.

se croire à mardi gras - "to believe oneself (to be) at Mardi gras"; similar to the above, a way of mocking what someone is wearing: il se croit à mardi gras - he's dressed as if he's at Mardi gras, he's absurdly dressed

Le slogan de mardi gras ~ Mardi gras slogan
Mardi gras' slogan is "Let the Good Times Roll," which is (horribly) translated into French as Laissez les bons temps rouler

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