Imagine you want to order food delivery, but it costs an arm and a leg, and you’re broke. If only you had gotten your ducks in a row earlier, you’d have the right ingredients in the house!
Now, imagine you’re reading the previous paragraph with only a basic understanding of English. Would it make any sense? Idioms are expressions that have meaning beyond their literal definitions—hence why they can be so confusing to new language learners. And that paragraph is full of them!
To understand idioms, you need context. In French, you’ll notice that native speakers use idioms to convey anything from humor to ridicule. They’re an awesome way to add depth and personality to conversations. Start adding that Je ne sais quoi (“I don’t know what”; something that can’t be easily described) to your exchanges with these fun French idioms!
Table of Contents
What is an idiom?
An idiom, or idiomatic expression, is a set phrase or expression that can’t be understood literally, or word-for-word. Not only is the English language full of them, but all languages use idioms as a shorthand way to express a more complex idea—even French.
Idioms sometimes translate fairly closely between languages, but it’s far more common that there will be a different way to express that idea. Learning idioms can be a lot of fun, and can also help you:
- avoid confusion
- avoid embarrassing situations
- catch on to humor and the tone of a conversation
- learn some folklore
- deeply understand cultural beliefs
- fit in with a group of native speakers
Once you have a good understanding of what a French idiom means and when it’s appropriate to use it, you can impress native speakers. They may even tell you the story of how this idiom evolved in their language, although it might be news to them, too!
French idioms with animals
Whether they’re fierce or adorable, animals make great subjects for funny idioms.
À bon chat, bon rat (you’ve met your match)
The literal translation of à bon chat, bon rat is “to a good cat, a good rat.” It’s one way you might say that someone “has met their match.” This expression has been around for centuries, with references in paintings, plays, and literature, to express a situation where a clever adversary matches wits or strength with an opponent.
- J’ai essayé de gagner le jeu, mais enfin, à bon chat, bon rat. J’ai perdu. = I tried to win the game, but in the end, I met my match. I lost.
Poser un lapin à quelqu’un (to stand up to someone)
A word-by-word translation would be “to put a rabbit to someone.” The idiom means to stand someone up. It could be a date or an appointment. This expression comes from 19th-century French slang where the word lapin (rabbit) meant a “refusal of payment.”
- J’avais rendez-vous avec Marie, mais elle m’a posé un lapin. = I had a date with Marie, but she stood me up.
Other French animal idioms
Continuing with the animal theme, here are a few more animal-related idioms to finish off our list!
| French | Literal Translation | English Idiom / Concept |
| Quand on parle du loup, on en voit la queue | When you talk about the wolf, you see its tail. | “Speak of the devil.” This is used when you are talking about someone and then they appear. |
| comme un éléphant dans un magasin de porcelaine | like an elephant in a china shop | “like a bull in a china shop” someone who is very clumsy or awkward and makes a mess without meaning to |
| C’est le serpent qui se mord la queue. | It’s the snake that bites its own tail. | “It’s a vicious cycle.” a series of problems that causes its own continuation |
| Quelle mouche t’a piqué? | What fly bit you? | What’s gotten into you? What’s wrong with |
| appeler un chat un chat | to call a cat a cat | “to call a spade a spade” to say exactly what one means |
| avoir un chat dans la gorge | to have a cat in the throat | “to have a frog in your throat” to have throat congestion or cough |
| Quand le chat n’est pas là, les souris dansent. | When the cat isn’t here, the mice dance. | “When the cat’s away, the mice will play.” Lacking supervision, some will take advantage of the situation. |
| donner sa langue au chat | to give one’s tongue to the cat | “to be out of ideas” to stop guessing when you have no ideas left |
| avoir d’autres chats à fouetter | to have other cats to whip | “to have bigger fish to fry” to have more important things to do |
French idioms with water
Many expressions come from the sea—it seems that those who lived their lives on the ocean were particularly influential to modern-day language. Note that not all ocean-related idioms are what they seem though!
Il pleut des cordes (It’s raining intensely)
You might not guess that this expression, literally meaning “it is raining ropes,” would be similar to “it’s raining cats and dogs,” which means “it is raining intensely.” These vivid expressions likely come from the visual of rain falling so quickly that it appears there are ropes falling from the sky. The Québecois expression il tombe des clous (“nails are falling”), paints a similar image.
- Je reste ici! Il pleut des cordes! = I’m staying here! It’s raining cats and dogs!
Une goutte d’eau dans la mer (a very small amount)
The direct meaning of une goutte d’eau dans la mer is “a drop of water in the ocean.” English uses “a drop in the bucket” to express a small, negligible amount. Nevertheless, you can’t have a bucket or an ocean full of water unless you start with a drop.
- J’économise un peu chaque semaine, mais ce n’est qu’une goutte d’eau dans la mer! = I save a little each week, but it’s only a drop of water in the ocean!
Lancer une bouteille à la mer (call for help)
Word-for-word, lancer une bouteille à la mer means “to throw a bottle to the sea.” Think about the idea of a shipwrecked passenger writing a message in a bottle and throwing it out into the ocean to ask for help. With that in mind, it’s easy to remember its figurative expression: to call for help. If you can’t send out an SOS, a bottle is the next best thing!
- Je ne sais plus quoi faire … je lancerai une bouteille à la mer. = I don’t know what to do anymore … I will send out an SOS!
Ce n’est pas la mer à boire (it’s not that much to ask)
The direct translation of ce n’est pas la mer à boire is “it’s not the ocean to drink.” You might use this to express that something is not that much to ask. It might be used to encourage someone that a task really isn’t a big deal.
- Courage! C’est seulement un devoir de quatre pages. Ce n’est pas la mer à boire.= Chin up! It’s only a four page paper. It’s not asking the impossible.
Avoir du vent dans les voiles (being drunk)
The exact idea expressed by the phrase avoir du vent dans les voiles is “to have wind in the sails.” This sounds like someone has a lot of energy or is making progress, but it actually conveys the idea of being drunk. It is similar to the English expression “to be three sheets to the wind.” You may not want to tell your boss that you have wind in your sails this morning, or you’ll give the wrong impression!
- Marc avait du vent dans les voiles hier soir. = Marc was three sheets to the wind last night.
French idioms about how you feel
From feeling sick to feeling great, there’s a French idiom to describe your current state.
Être en pleine forme (full of energy and feeling great)
A verbatim translation of être en pleine forme would be “to be in full shape.” This would be a perfect expression for a day when you simply feel great and are full of energy. It’s been a popular way to talk about your good mood since the 20th century.
- J’étais très fatiguée hier, mais ce matin je suis en pleine forme. = I was really tired last night, but this morning I feel great!
Filer à l’anglaise (leave a party without saying goodbye)
Taking each word’s meaning in this phrase, it means “to leave in the English style.” English speakers use a variety of similar expressions with different nationalities, such as “French exit” or “Irish exit,” which mean “to slip out of a social gathering without saying goodbye.”
- La jeune fille a filé à l’anglaise avant dix heures. = The young girl slipped out before ten o’clock.
Some linguists point to a non-literal origin of the phrase, with the term anglaiser being an old synonym for “to steal.” A thief would obviously want to leave without being noticed. Perhaps there is some connection with the English expression “to steal away.”
Se faire des cheveux blancs (worrying excessively)
The literal phrase, se faire des cheveux blancs means “to make white hair on oneself.” It’s not far from what you might think—if someone claims to be getting gray hairs, it’s because they are worrying excessively.
- Il est si malade… Je me fais des cheveux blancs pour lui. = He’s so ill. I’m worried sick about him.
This expression may be based somewhat on reality, as stress from worry or concern may be linked to hair turning gray. However, there are also multiple legends of a sudden change to white hair.
Here are some more head and hair-related idioms:
| French | Literal Translation | English Idiom / Concept |
| couper les cheveux en quatre | to cut the hair into four | “to split hairs” to overcomplicate something |
| avoir un poil dans la main | to have a hair in the hand | to be extremely lazy |
| se payer la tête | to pay oneself the head | to make fun of someone; to play a prank on them |
| avoir la tête dans les nuages | to have the head in the clouds | “to have your head in the clouds” to be a dreamer; to be unrealistic |
| s’arracher les cheveux | to tear out one’s hair | “to tear your hair out” to be frustrated trying to figure out what to do; not finding a solution |
| perdre la boule | to lose the ball (slang term for head) | “to lose your marbles”; “to lose your mind”; “to lose your head” to become irrational |
| avoir la tête sur les épaules | to have one’s head on their shoulders | “to have a good head on your shoulders” to be balanced and realistic; to have common sense |
Se mettre sur son trente-et-un (all dressed up)
Have you ever been “dressed to the nines”? The meaning is similar in French, and se mettre sur son trente-et-un translates as “to put oneself on one’s thirty-one.” Whichever number it is, in either case, we use these idioms to say that someone is dressed up, dolled up, or dressed to impress.
- Elle s’est mise sur son trente-et-un pour assister au concert. = She got dressed to the nines to go to the concert.
Theories abound as to why the idiom uses the French number 31. Like many idioms, we may never know the full history of the expression, as the meaning evolved throughout time and communities.
Bonnet blanc et blanc bonnet (two similar choices)
The meaning of bonnet blanc et blanc bonnet, is a rather ungrammatical and repetitive “white hat and hat white.” Isn’t that the same thing? Just like “six of one, half dozen of the other,” this expression refers to two choices that are essentially the same. It won’t matter which you choose, so it’s almost like having no choice to make at all.
- Avant la classe ou après, c’est bonnet blanc et blanc bonnet. = Before class or after, it’s six of one, half a dozen of the other.
Faire la grasse matinée (sleeping in)
The literal meaning of faire la grasse matinée would be “to do or make the fat morning.” It really expresses the delightful rest of sleeping late or having a lie-in. This is done intentionally, not as in the expression avoir une panne d’oreiller (to have a pillow breakdown), which would be “to accidentally oversleep.”
- Je n’ai rien à faire demain. Je vais faire la grasse matinée. = I have nothing to do tomorrow. I’m going to sleep in.
Ne pas être dans son assiette (not feeling well)
Taking each word of ne pas être dans son assiette, “to not be in one’s plate,” it’s quite a confusing idiom. The expression refers to feeling under the weather or being out of sorts. While even native speakers might associate the word assiette with the literal meaning, “plate,” this expression actually comes from the way you would ride a horse, being stable in the saddle. If you’re not balanced, you’re not feeling like you normally would. Something feels off.
- Luc ne vient pas. Il m’a dit qu’il n’est pas dans son assiette aujourd’hui. = Luc isn’t coming. He told me that he’s a little out of sorts today.
French food idioms
The literal translations of French food idioms often have little or nothing to do with the foods they highlight.
Avoir la pêche (in high spirits)
Word-for-word, avoir la pêche translates to “to have the peach.” This is a casual and playful way to say you are in high spirits. The expression is not vulgar, but it’s not one for a formal situation. It’s been around a long time, but scholars aren’t sure whether it came from the expression for a literal pêche (peach), which is a juicy and sweet fruit that could give you a lot of energy, or whether the word evolved from another word altogether over time.
- Elle dansait sur cette photo … elle avait la pêche! = She was dancing in this photo … she was all fired up!
Être haut comme trois pommes (short stature)
A close translation of être haut comme trois pommes is “to be tall like three apples.” This is a figurative way to call someone short. Imagine three apples stacked up on top of each other. Still, even short people in French must be fairly tall, compared to the idiom in English, “knee-high to a grasshopper.”
- Il est haut comme trois pommes mais il joue très bien déjà au foot! = He’s so tiny, but he already plays soccer so well!
Ramener sa fraise (be in someone’s business)
A direct translation of ramener sa fraise is “to bring one’s strawberry.” This expression, likely over a century old, means about the same thing as “to stick your nose in.” The use of fraise (strawberry) as a replacement for tête (head), brings it closer to the English meaning of “to stick your head into someone’s affairs where it’s not wanted.”
If this one is used as an order, such as Ramène ta fraise!, the speaker wants you to hurry up!
S’occuper de ses oignons (mind your own business)
Directly translated, s’occuper de ses oignons means “to busy oneself with his or her onions.” You might tell someone to “pay attention to their own onions” if you want them to mind their own business.
- Occupe-toi de tes oignons! Je n’ai pas besoin de ton aide. = Mind your business! I don’t need your help.
Mettre son grain de sel (give your opinion)
The meaning of mettre son grain de sel means “to put one’s grain of salt.” This is similar to “give your two cents” and implies a situation where someone shares their opinion, even if it is unsolicited. Someone might offer their two cents, or a grain of salt, which implies that it isn’t of tremendous value, but the recipient is welcome to it.
- Je ne t’ai pas invité à mettre ton grain de sel. = I did not invite you to put your two cents in.
Avoir du pain sur la planche (have a lot of work to do)
The literal meaning of avoir du pain sur la planche is “to have some bread on the board.” If you’re eating, it might seem like a pleasant situation, but if you’re the baker, you might have a lot of work to do.
- Je veux bien sortir, mais j’ai du pain sur la planche ce soir. = I want to go out, but I have a lot on my plate tonight.
Before the 20th century, this expression could have meant simply that one had the proper resources and was not lacking, since bread was a main form of sustenance. As commercial bakeries developed, a baker having multiple loaves of bread on the board still had work to do to finish them.
Gagner son pain à la sueur de son front (to work hard)
This bread idiom, gagner son pain à la sueur de son front, means “to earn your bread by the sweat of your brow.” Variations of this expression have been used since Biblical times, meaning “to work hard and physically labor for a living.”
- Mon grand-père a toujours gagné son pain à la sueur de son front, comme agriculteur. = My grandfather has always earned his living by the sweat of his brow, as a farmer.
More French food idioms
Here are a few other food-related French idioms!
| French | Literal Translation | English Idiom / Concept |
| couper la poire en deux | to cut the pear in two | “to split the difference” to meet halfway, to compromise |
| tomber dans les pommes | to fall in the apples | to faint, to pass out |
| avoir la banane (casual) | to have the banana | to be in a good mood, to have a big smile |
| être bonne poire (casual, pejorative) | to be a good pear | to be gullible or easily swayed by others; to be a pushover |
| C’est la cerise sur le gâteau. | It’s the cherry on the cake. | “It’s the cherry on top.”; “It’s the icing on the cake.” It’s the final detail to finish something satisfactorily. |
| compter pour des prunes | to count for plums | to be worthless; to not be important. |
| être mi-figue mi-raisin | to be half fig, half grape | “to have its pros and cons” to be both good and bad; to be contradictory in some way |
| mettre du beurre dans les épinards | to put some butter in the spinach | to earn a little extra money to improve one’s financial situation |
| C’est du pain bénit. | It’s some blessed bread. | “It’s a godsend.” It’s lucky and happening at the opportune moment. |
| long comme un jour sans pain | long as a day without bread | “as long as a month of Sundays” seemingly unending |
| en faire tout un fromage | to make a whole cheese of it | “to make a mountain out of a molehill” to create a larger problem out of a small one; to exaggerate |
| avoir la moutarde qui monte au nez | to have mustard that goes up the nose | to lose your temper |
| Les carottes sont cuites | the carrots are cooked | “the goose is cooked” It’s over; nothing you can do about it now |
How to expand your knowledge of French idioms
Idioms are like today’s memes. They are little bits of cultural knowledge passed down from speaker to speaker until they evolve and are used in a way that conveys meaning without using the literal definition. Not all idioms are to be found in formal learning situations, though.
To learn how to use idioms correctly, engage with native speakers. Explore and experiment with idioms by:
- joining online forums of language learners
- finding a language exchange partner
- watching TV shows in French
- watching lyric videos of popular French songs
- reading French children’s’ books and graphic novels
- looking up French phrases that you don’t recognize
- comparing common English idioms to similar French idioms
Even with the highest degree of focus, you’ll never be finished learning idioms. Usage varies among French dialects and regions, across generations, and in different social contexts. The good news is that learning idioms can be really fun. If you find a language partner you can trust, try some out and get feedback! Even if you find that you used an idiom in a way that didn’t quite fit, you’ll be able to adjust for the next time it’s appropriate.
Learn French idioms with Rosetta Stone
Imagine looking someone dead in the eye, the air heavy with emotion, and saying les carottes sont cuites (the carrots are cooked) with a straight face. That’s the beauty of idioms!
A saying can be downright silly in its literal sense, but its figurative meaning can send chills down your spine. With the list above, you can confidently encounter the wildest of idioms—from flies that bite to butter in spinach—and even sprinkle them in your own conversations.
And as the French say, c’est du pain bénit. It’s some blessed bread (a godsend) that Rosetta Stone is here to help you master French—without the tedious memorization. With bite-sized lessons and learning tools, you’ll have the unique chance to learn French immersively, which means you’ll learn faster and more effectively than forging the path on your own. Did we mention TruAccent can help you perfect your pronunciation from the very first lesson?
0 Commentaires