French Phrase
Appuie fort et vite sur la poitrine.
Meaning
A direct command meaning ‘Press hard and quickly on the chest.’ It is typically heard in emergency or medical contexts, such as when giving CPR instructions.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to tell someone to apply immediate, strong pressure to a person's chest – for example, during first‑aid training, a medical emergency, or a physiotherapy session where chest compression is required.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Appuiefortetvitesurlapoitrine
Appuie (imperative)
‘Appuie’ is the second‑person singular imperative of the verb *appuyer* (to press). It is used for direct commands.
fort (adverb)
‘fort’ functions as an adverb meaning ‘strongly’ or ‘hard’, placed after the verb.
vite (adverb)
‘vite’ is an adverb meaning ‘quickly’. It can be coordinated with another adverb using *et*.
sur la poitrine (prepositional phrase)
‘sur’ + definite article ‘la’ + noun ‘poitrine’ (chest) indicates the location where the pressure must be applied.
🗨In Conversation
Le patient ne respire plus, que faire ?
The patient isn’t breathing, what should we do?
Appuie fort et vite sur la poitrine.
Press hard and quickly on the chest.
✕Common Mistakes
Appuyer fort et vite sur la poitrine.
The infinitive *appuyer* cannot be used for a direct command; you need the imperative *appuie* (or *appuyez*).
Appuie fort et rapidement sur la poitrine.
While *rapidement* is correct, the idiomatic phrase uses the shorter adverb *vite*.
Appuie fort et vite sur les poitrines.
The noun *poitrine* is singular here; adding an *s* changes the meaning and is ungrammatical.
↔Alternatives
Exerce une pression forte et rapide sur la poitrine.
Apply a strong and rapid pressure on the chest.
Mets une forte pression rapidement sur la poitrine.
Put strong pressure quickly on the chest.
Appuyez fort et rapidement sur la poitrine.
Press hard and quickly on the chest. (formal/plural)
Cultural Tip
In French medical settings the imperative is often used for clear, concise instructions. Remember to match the formality: *Appuie* for a single familiar person, *Appuyez* for a group or a professional setting. Also, French speakers tend to place adverbs like *fort* and *vite* directly after the verb, unlike English where they may appear before the verb phrase.