The English equiv is “Do you Yahoo?” So, why isn’t it “Faites-vous Yahoo?” in French? This drives me crazy but I know Dopers will put my mind at rest. Thanks et merci!
I think that would mean “are you doing Yahoo?”, not quite the same thing. Perhaps “Yahooez vous?”
The English “do you verb” doesn’t seem to be present in a lot of other languages. I’ve never encountered it in German, Spanish, French, or Italian (not that I’m fluent in all of them!). Instead most of the word speaks like our first grade “Run Spot Run” books: I go to the bathroom. I work. You eat? Looks she pretty?
That’s not to say that the verb for “do” doesn’t exist; it most certainly does. Just not this construction.
Usram has the closest translation.
Short answer: Marketing, my friend. Most catchy slogans do not translate favorably to another language. Some advertising guy probably thought “Etes vous Yahoo?” was a winner for the froggy internet, et voila!
I misinterpreted the “Yahoo” as a direct object. As in, “Let’s do lunch” or “She does heroin.” :smack: Color me corrected! Thanks, Dopers.
mmm…