Usage Note
Patauger means to walk or move clumsily through mud, puddles, or shallow water. Figuratively, it means to be floundering or getting nowhere with a task: je patauge dans ce dossier (I'm floundering with this file). The image of someone stuck in mud makes the figurative use very vivid and memorable for learners.
Examples
"Les enfants pataugent avec joie dans les flaques."
Natural Translation
The children splash happily in the puddles.
Related Words
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