à la dure

the hard way

→ à

phrase Rare #42,688

the hard way An idiomatic expression meaning through difficulty or unpleasant experience, often implying that someone learns from their mistakes. It contrasts with à la manière douce, or “the gentle way.”

FR: Tu ne m'écoutes jamais, alors tu vas devoir l'apprendre à la dure.

EN: You never listen to me, so you're going to have to learn the hard way.

Si tu te crois au-dessus des autres, t'apprendras à la dure.

If you think you're better than everyone else, you'll learn the hard way.

— Adieu ma concubine (1993)

On fait ça à la manière douce ou à la dure, comme vous voulez.

We can do it the easy way or the hard way, whichever you prefer.

— La Haine (1995)

Nous avons dû apprendre sans livres, à la dure !

We had to learn without books—the hard way!

— Masaan (2015)

Je suppose que nous devrons le faire à la dure.

I suppose we'll have to do it the hard way.

— Ne Zha (2019)