Idiomatic Expressions
French Idioms
are often
quite humorous to non-French speakers because when
translated literally, the meaning is illogical. For
example, Ah, la
vache! literally translates
as Oh, the
cow. To the French this is
a way of expressing surprise much in the same way that
Americans might say wow
or
Good
grief! Here are some more
examples of amusing idioms:
Funny French Idioms
|
Phrase |
Literal Translation | Actual Meaning |
| C'est la fin
des haricots.
|
That's the end
of the beans.
|
It's the last
straw or that's the end of it.
|
| Les carottes
sont cuites.
|
The carrots
are cooked.
|
I've had it.
|
| Marcher à côté
de ses pompes.
|
To walk next
to one's shoes.
|
To be out of
it.
|
| Arrête ton
char!
|
Stop your
chariot!
|
Stop bluffing!
|
| Aller au
charbon
|
To go to the
coal (mines).
|
To do
something very difficult or arduous.
|
| Casser les
oreilles
|
To break my
ears.
|
To block out
the noise. (By plugging ears, etc.)
|
Sometimes the French use funny idioms to describe the same types of situations that English speakers do.
- Boire comme un trou literally translates as to drink like a hole but means to get wasted which isn't even grammatically correct in English.
- Poser un lapin literally translates as to leave a rabbit but means to stand someone up which in literal English would mean to put someone in a standing position.
Sometimes idiomatic expressions are based on the same idea, such as with 'beef' below, but are then used differently in French and in English.
Faire un boeuf translates into To make a beef. In French that means to improvise musically -- as in a jam session. Of course in English, to beef means to complain or make a fuss.
Funny French Phrases That Sound
Funny
Unlike
the phrases above, some groups of words simply sound
silly when spoken. Sometimes the meaning is silly as
well. Tongue
twisters are in and of
themselves funny because they are absurdly hard to say.
Since they are 'alliterative,' meaning they often start
with the same letter, it all starts to sound like
childish babble, reducing both the listener and speaker
to fits of laughter.
Logical
Tongue Twisters
The
meanings of the following phrases aren't necessarily
funny, and might even be considered instructive.
- Poisson sans boisson--c'est poison!.
- Didon dîna, dit-on, du dos d'un dodu dindon.
- Natacha n'attacha pas son chat qui s'échappa.
- Tonton, ton thé t'a-t-il ôté ta toux?
Tongue Twisters With Funny Meanings
These phrases not only sound funny coming out of the mouth, but are silly when you think about what is being said.
- La pipe au papa du Pape Pie pue.
- Je veux et j'exige du jasmin and des jonquilles
Just Pure Nonsense
Finally, some french tongue twisters are nonsensical in their meaning.
- Si mon tonton tond ton tonton, ton tonton sera tondu.
- Si six scies scient six cyprès, six cents scies scient six cent cyprès.
French Idioms
Appeler
un chat un chat
Translation:
Literally
translates as to call a cat, a cat.
Meaning: To call a spade a
spade. To speak your mind or to speak the truth.
Another way to interpret this French idiom is to call
it like it is.
History: Although the
history
of this
French idiom is not verified it is thought to have come
out of the superstitious middle ages when cats were
associated with witches. To call a cat, a cat was a way
of saying that sometimes things are exactly as they
seem and nothing supernatural.
In context: Vous pouvez
compter sur ce qu’il dit; il appelle toujours un chat
un chat.--You can trust what
he says, he always tells it like it is.
Aux
calendes grecques
Translation:
Literally
translates as the first day of the Greek
calendar.
Meaning: Aux calendes grecques
essentially means that it will never happen. This is
equivalent to the English expression, when pigs fly.
History: Les calendes
collectively refers to the first day of the month in
the Ancient Roman calendar. Since Ancient Greek had no
calendar system, aux calendes grecques refers to an
unknown date in the future.
In context: Ce qui se passera
aux calendes grecques. That will happen when
pigs fly. Nous allon
renvoyer aux calendes grecques la
reunion.--We will postpone the
meeting indefinitely.
Notes: The French
idiom aux calendes
grecques most often is heard
with the verb renvoyer
to mean
that it will be postponed indefinitely.
Avoir
le cafard
Translation:
Literally
translates as to have the beetle.
Meaning: Avoir le cafard has
the connotation that you are so bored you are depressed
or lack all manner of morale.
History: This expression is
thought to come from French speaking Algeria. It is
said that the French foreign legion, while in
confinement, suffered such extreme boredom that they
took to shooting beetles.
In context: Je ne peux pas
terminer, j’ai tellement le cafard!
I am so
bored, I can’t possibly finish.
Avoir
un faim du loup
Translation:
Literally
means to have the hunger of a wolf.
Meaning: Avoir un faim du loup
means to be extremely hungry.
History: No particular known
history.
In context: Je peux manger
tout cela ici, j’ai un faim du loup!
I am so
hungry I can eat everything here!
Bourrer
la crâne
Translate:
Literally
to stuff the brain.
Meaning: This expression has
the connotation that the person doing the filling
doesn’t really know what they are talking about.
Although it can mean to indoctrinate, it generally does
not refer to an organization doing the indoctrination
or brainwashing but rather an ill informed
individual.
History: No particular history
known.
In context: Elle bourre la
crâne avec des idées stupides.
Coup
de foudre
Translate:
Literally
means a bolt or flash of
lightening.
Meaning: Love at first
sight.
History: No particular history
known.
In context: Lorsque je l'ai
rencontré c'était le coup de
foudre.--When I first saw him
it was love at first sight.
Dans
son assiette or Ne pas être dans son
assiette
Translate:
Literally
means to be (or not be) in one’s own
plate
Meaning: Dans son assiette
means to feel at home or very comfortable. Ne pas être
dans son assiette means that one is feeling under the
weather or not quite oneself.
History: No particular known
history.
In context: Je suis dans mon
assiette chez toi! I feel at home in your
house.
Je suis désolé
mais je ne suis pas dans mon assiette
aujourd’hui. I’m sorry, I’m just
not feeling myself today.
Devenir
chêvre
Translate:
Literally
to become a goat.
Meaning: This French idiom
means to become extremely angry or
enraged.
History: Presumably this
expression came from the idea that goats are
notoriously bad tempered animals.
In context: Je vais devenir
chêvre si cela se produit. I’ll be so mad if that
happens!
Entre
chien et loup
Translate:
Literally
means between a dog and a wolf.
Meaning: This expression
describes dusk or twilight.
History: While the history on
this isn’t entirely clear, it is presumed to be such
because at dusk you can’t tell the difference between a
dog and a wolf.
In context: Je vais vous
répondre entre chien et loup. I'll get back to you
(with an answer) at dusk.
Notes: This expression is
somewhat antiquated for some more modern areas, but may
be used in the countryside.
La
goutte d’eau qui fait déborder le
vase
Translation:
The drop
of water that makes the vase
overflow.
Meaning: This is equivalent to
the English expression, the straw that broke the
camel’s back.
History: No particular known
history.
In context: La goutte d’eau
qui fait déborder le vase était au moment de son
départ.
Pleuvoir
les cordes
Translation:
To
literally rain ropes.
Meaning: Comparable to the
English expression, to rain cats and
dogs.
History: No particular known
history.
In context: Je ne peux pas
conduire, il pleut des cordes! I can’t drive, it’s
raining cats and dogs!
Tips for Improving Your French
It is worth mentioning
that if you really want to speak French
fluently,
studying slang and idioms is a worthwhile endeavor.
Speakers of any language constantly use idiomatic
expressions in the way that they speak. It is using
these colloquialisms and every day expressions that
will make you seem like a native speaker..
Thanks to http://french.lovetoknow.com/ for this
pleasure!
