Transcript

Hi everyone, hope you are doing well.

Welcome to this new video where we will see a French expression in a few minutes.

Today, we are going to see the expression take a step back. This expression was requested by a subscriber a few weeks ago, but it can be useful for everyone, because it is an expression that is used a lot in France.

Before you start, don't forget to like the video and especially to subscribe to the channel and activate the bell so you don't miss any of my videos, if you haven't already done so.

This expression to take a step back can be used literally, exactly as it is intended, or figuratively.

When we use it literally, to take a step back means to go backwards. For example, if I'm in front of the Eiffel Tower and I want to take a picture, but I don't see it in its entirety, I'll go back a little and there, I can say I'm taking a step back to see the entire Eiffel Tower.

Here, we are really doing the action of stepping back, of taking a step back. But most of the time, we use this expression figuratively.

Taking a step back means looking at things, looking at a situation differently, from another angle, taking some time for yourself to better analyze a situation.

Taking a step back usually allows you to put a situation into perspective or to realize that it is less serious than expected. Or to be able to make a big decision, to change things in your life.

For example, when you are in a relationship with someone and it is not going well anymore, you can tell the person I need to take a step back from our relationship.

So we need to think, we need to reflect, we need to analyze what is happening to be able to make the right decision, to be able to evaluate if the situation suits us or not.

Or for example, at work, if you are extremely stressed every day from your job, it can be good to take a step back and put things in perspective.

For example, if you work for a site that sells sneakers and you don't meet your sales goals, you can step back and say it's okay, I'm not in the business of saving lives, so it's not that big of a deal.

I take a step back and realize that the situation is not that bad. It's not a big deal if I can't meet my sales targets.

And let's end this video just with a little quote from a French rapper named MC Solaar, maybe you know him.

In one of his songs, I'll put it in the video description, he says "so I get ahead by stepping back, because stepping back is gaining momentum."

In order to move forward, you have to step back, because stepping back means gaining momentum. That's it for today, I hope you enjoyed this video, I hope you understood in what context you should use this expression step back.

If you liked the video, like it and I'll see you soon for a next video.