French Phrase
On récolte de l'argent pour du matos neuf.
Meaning
The sentence means that a group is gathering money in order to buy brand‑new equipment. It’s an informal way to announce a fundraising effort, often heard among friends, clubs, or online communities planning a purchase of gear.
When to use
Use this phrase in casual conversation, on social media posts, or during a friendly meeting when you want to tell people you’re raising funds for new equipment. It’s best suited for informal settings; in a formal email you’d replace "on" with "nous" and "matos" with "matériel".
✦Grammar Breakdown
Onrécoltedel'argentpourdumatosneuf.
On (impersonal pronoun)
In informal French, "on" often means "we" or "people in general" and is conjugated like the third‑person singular.
Récolter (to collect)
While literally meaning "to harvest", "récolter" is also used figuratively for gathering money or donations.
Partitive article "de l'"
Used before uncountable nouns like "argent" to indicate an indefinite amount.
"du" before a noun
"du" is the masculine singular partitive article, here introducing the slang noun "matos".
Adjective after noun
In French, most adjectives (like "neuf") follow the noun they modify, especially when the noun is a slang or informal term.
Slang "matos"
"Matos" is short for "matériel" and is common in youth, gaming, and creative circles.
🗨In Conversation
On récolte de l'argent pour du matos neuf, tu veux aider ?
We’re raising money for new gear, do you want to help?
Oui, je donne 20 €, merci !
Sure, I’ll give 20 euros, thanks!
✕Common Mistakes
On récolte l'argent pour du matos neuf.
When talking about an indefinite amount, use the partitive article "de l'" instead of the definite article.
On récolte de l'argent pour du nouveau matos.
In French the adjective "neuf" follows the noun; "nouveau" would change the nuance and is less idiomatic here.
On récolte de l'argent pour le matos neuf.
Using the definite article "le" implies a specific, already known piece of equipment, which changes the meaning.
↔Alternatives
Nous collectons des fonds pour du matériel neuf.
We are collecting funds for new equipment.
On cherche à financer du matos tout neuf.
We’re trying to finance brand‑new gear.
On veut acheter du nouveau matos, on a besoin d'argent.
We want to buy new gear, we need money.
Cultural Tip
The word "matos" is slang and is widely used by teenagers, gamers, musicians, and creators. It sounds too informal for business letters or official documents. Also, French speakers often use "on" instead of "nous" in spoken language, even when referring to a specific group, which gives the sentence a friendly, inclusive tone.