French Phrase
On devrait se faire un marathon bientôt.
Meaning
This phrase is a casual way to suggest binge-watching a series or movies. The 'marathon' here refers to watching many episodes or films consecutively, not a running event. It implies a shared activity with friends or family.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to suggest to friends or family that you all watch a long series or several movies together in one sitting. It's perfect for a relaxed weekend plan or a cozy evening in. It's an informal suggestion.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ondevraitse faireun marathonbientôt
On (Impersonal Pronoun)
'On' is an impersonal pronoun often used in informal French to mean 'we', 'one', or 'people in general'. It's very common in spoken French as a substitute for 'nous'.
Devrait (Conditional)
'Devrait' is the conditional form of the verb 'devoir' (to have to, must). It translates to 'should' or 'ought to', expressing a suggestion or obligation in a softer way.
Se faire (Reflexive Verb)
'Se faire' is a reflexive verb meaning 'to do for oneself' or 'to have something done'. In this context, 'se faire un marathon' is an idiomatic expression meaning 'to undertake a marathon (of watching)'.
Un marathon (Noun)
While literally referring to a long-distance race, 'un marathon' is commonly used metaphorically in French to describe an extended period of an activity, especially watching movies or TV series.
Bientôt (Adverb)
'Bientôt' is an adverb meaning 'soon'. It indicates that the suggested activity will take place in the near future.
🗨In Conversation
Tu as vu la nouvelle saison de 'Lupin'?
Have you seen the new season of 'Lupin'?
Pas encore! On devrait se faire un marathon bientôt.
Not yet! We should do a marathon soon.
✕Common Mistakes
Nous devrions faire un marathon de course bientôt.
While 'faire un marathon' can literally mean 'to run a marathon', adding 'de course' makes it explicitly about running. Without it, in a casual context, it's understood as binge-watching.
On devrait regarder un marathon bientôt.
Although 'regarder' means 'to watch', the idiomatic expression for binge-watching is 'se faire un marathon', not 'regarder un marathon'.
↔Alternatives
On devrait regarder toute la série ce week-end.
We should watch the whole series this weekend.
Et si on se faisait une soirée films?
How about we do a movie night?
On pourrait enchaîner les épisodes.
We could chain the episodes together (binge-watch).
Cultural Tip
Binge-watching, or 'binge-watching' as it's often called in French too, has become a global phenomenon. In France, it's common to use the English term or expressions like 'se faire un marathon' or 'enchaîner les épisodes' to describe watching multiple episodes of a series back-to-back. It's a popular social activity, especially with the rise of streaming platforms.