French Phrase
Fais gaffe au vide en montant.
Meaning
Literally, ‘Be careful about the gap while you’re going up.’ It’s a warning to watch out for an empty space that could cause a fall when climbing stairs, a ladder, or any elevated surface.
When to use
Use this phrase when you see a potentially dangerous opening while someone is ascending – for example, on a construction site, a steep staircase, or a playground ladder. It’s informal, so it works best among friends, coworkers, or in casual settings.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Faisgaffeauvideenmontant
Faire gaffe (imperative)
‘Fais gaffe’ is the colloquial imperative of the expression ‘faire gaffe’, meaning ‘to be careful’. It uses the 2nd‑person singular present form ‘fais’.
au = à le
‘au’ is the contraction of the preposition ‘à’ + definite article ‘le’, introducing the noun ‘vide’ (the gap).
en + present participle
‘en montant’ is a gerundial construction meaning ‘while going up / while climbing’, formed with ‘en’ + present participle of ‘monter’.
vide (noun)
In this context ‘vide’ refers to an empty space or gap that could be dangerous, not the abstract concept of ‘nothingness’.
🗨In Conversation
Fais gaffe au vide en montant.
Watch out for the gap when you go up.
Merci, je ferai plus attention.
Thanks, I’ll be more careful.
✕Common Mistakes
Fait gaffe au vide en montant.
The verb ‘faire’ is conjugated as ‘fais’ in the 2nd‑person singular imperative, not ‘fait’.
Fais gaffe au le vide en montant.
‘au’ already includes the article ‘le’; adding another ‘le’ is redundant.
Fais gaffe au vide en monter.
After ‘en’ you need the present participle ‘montant’, not the infinitive ‘monter’.
↔Alternatives
Fais attention au vide en montant.
Pay attention to the gap while you go up.
Sois prudent(e) en montant, il y a un vide.
Be careful while climbing, there’s a gap.
Attention au vide quand tu montes.
Watch out for the gap when you climb.
Cultural Tip
‘Faire gaffe’ is very informal and typical of spoken French, especially among younger speakers. In a formal or professional context (e.g., a safety briefing), you’d prefer ‘Faire attention’ or ‘Soyez prudent(e)’. Also, the word ‘vide’ can refer to a literal opening (a missing step, a hole) rather than an abstract emptiness.