envoyer at C1 — refined & idiomatic
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Home truths, barbs and knockout blows.
Idioms of sending
« Il ne le lui a pas envoyé dire » means he used no messenger: he said it himself, to the person’s face, and bluntly. The word order is frozen, the pronouns never move, and the participle keeps no agreement. From the same family comes « envoyer une pique », to slip someone a barbed little remark, usually in front of witnesses.
« S’envoyer des fleurs » is reciprocal: two directors, two departments, taking turns to compliment each other, and the phrase always mocks. Praising yourself alone is « se jeter des fleurs », a different idiom altogether. « Envoyer au tapis » comes from boxing, from the canvas: any blow that leaves you reeling, from bad news to a brutal exam.
💡 Focus at this level: Idiomatic — ne pas l’envoyer dire, s’envoyer des fleurs, envoyer au tapis
👨🏫 How to use « envoyer » at this level
1. « Il ne le lui a pas envoyé dire » = he said it to his face.
2. « S’envoyer des fleurs » = to trade compliments. Self-praise is « se jeter des fleurs ».
3. « Envoyer une pique » = to slip in a barbed remark.
🔊 Example sentences
✍️ Practice
Finish the idiom: she said it straight to his face — « elle ne le lui a pas envoyé… »
Show answer
« …dire » — nobody carried the message, because she delivered it herself.
Two directors praise each other for an hour: « s’envoyer des fleurs » or « se jeter des fleurs » ?
Show answer
« S’envoyer des fleurs » — the compliments travel both ways; « se jeter des fleurs » is praising only yourself.
🎮 Practise this level
🧩 Sentence builder put the words in the right order