French Expression · Intermediate
Faire le pont
To make a long weekend / To bridge the gap (holiday)
Pronunciation: fehr luh POHN
Meaning
To take an extra day off work or school when a public holiday falls close to a weekend (e.g., a Thursday holiday means taking Friday off), creating a longer break.
Example
Le 8 mai est un jeudi, alors je vais faire le pont.
May 8th is a Thursday, so I'm going to make a long weekend.
Common mistakes & tips
- Practice Faire le pont 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 intermediate-level French expression.