Giving Dubious Excuses with "sous prétexte que"
When someone gives a reason that seems like a flimsy excuse or a false justification—like a collector hoarding worthless coins—French uses the expression sous prétexte que (on the pretext that / claiming that).
It connects an action to its questionable cause. Just like with other conjunctions ending in que, it is followed by a conjugated verb. Remember to contract que to qu' before a vowel.
| He keeps these old centimes on the pretext that they are rare. | Il garde ces vieux centimes sous prétexte qu'ils sont rares. |
Hoarding Useless Coins
To talk about this habit, you will often use the verb amasser (to amass or hoard). Collectors might hold onto items even if they are completely usé (worn out) or inutile (useless).
| You amass useless objects on the pretext that it is a collection. | Tu amasses des objets inutiles sous prétexte que c'est une collection. |
Describing the Collection
Old French currencies like le franc and le centime were minted using various metals. A stubborn collector might justify keeping a questionable devise (currency) because of its alliage (alloy).
When stating what a coin is made of, use the preposition en followed by the metal, such as en cuivre (made of copper) or en bronze (made of bronze).
| He keeps this copper franc on the pretext that it is shiny. | Il conserve ce franc en cuivre sous prétexte qu'il est brillant. |
| She keeps this bronze currency on the pretext that it is antique. | Elle garde cette devise en bronze sous prétexte qu'elle est antique. |
Whether the excuse is rarity, shine, or age, sous prétexte que perfectly frames a collector's stubborn mindset:
| He refuses to sell the francs on the pretext that every centime has value. | Il refuse de vendre les francs sous prétexte que chaque centime a de la valeur. |