French Expression · Advanced
De but en blanc
Out of the blue / Bluntly / Without warning
Pronunciation: duh büt ahn BLAN
Meaning
To do or say something suddenly, directly, and without preparation or preamble.
Example
Elle m'a demandé de but en blanc pourquoi je voulais partir.
She asked me out of the blue why I wanted to leave.
Common mistakes & tips
- Practice De but en blanc out loud — read the pronunciation guide above and repeat.
- Use it in your own sentence today; reuse beats rereading.
- Pay attention to context: this is a advanced-level French expression.