French Phrase
Évite de gigoter ou de croiser les bras.
Meaning
A direct command telling someone not to fidget or cross their arms. It is often used to encourage a more relaxed or attentive posture, especially in formal or instructional settings.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want someone—typically a child, a patient, or a student—to stay still and adopt an open posture, such as during a lesson, a medical examination, or a meditation session.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Évitedegigoteroudecroiserlesbras
Imperative of éviter
Évite is the second‑person singular imperative of the verb éviter, used to give a direct command.
de + infinitive after éviter
The verb éviter is followed by the preposition de and an infinitive (e.g., éviter de + infinitif).
Parallel infinitives
When two infinitives are linked by ou, repeat de before the second infinitive for clarity.
gigoter
Gigoter is an informal verb meaning ‘to fidget, wiggle, squirm.’
croiser les bras
Croiser les bras literally means ‘to cross one’s arms’; it can convey defensiveness or discomfort.
🗨In Conversation
Évite de gigoter ou de croiser les bras, s’il te plaît.
Please avoid fidgeting or crossing your arms.
D’accord, je resterai tranquille.
Okay, I’ll stay still.
✕Common Mistakes
Éviter de gigoter ou croiser les bras.
After éviter, each infinitive must be introduced by de; the second infinitive also needs de for parallelism.
Évite gigoter ou de croiser les bras.
The preposition de is required directly after the verb éviter, before any infinitive.
Évite de gigoter et de croiser les bras.
Using et changes the meaning to ‘and’, which is acceptable but loses the nuance of offering two alternatives; use ou when you want to present two possible behaviours to avoid.
↔Alternatives
Ne bouge pas et ne croise pas les bras.
Don’t move and don’t cross your arms.
Reste immobile et garde les bras ouverts.
Stay still and keep your arms open.
Essaye de rester calme, sans gigoter ni croiser les bras.
Try to stay calm, without fidgeting or crossing your arms.
Cultural Tip
In French‑speaking contexts, crossing the arms can be interpreted as a defensive or closed‑off attitude, especially in a classroom or meeting. Asking someone not to gigoter is informal and usually reserved for children or relaxed environments; with adults you might phrase it more politely: « Pourriez‑vous rester immobile, s’il vous plaît ? »