Explore the charm of the French language with this guide to 25 long French idioms. We’ll break down their meanings, give you a literal translation, and show you how to pronounce each one. This quick overview will help you understand and use these expressions like a native!
25 Long French idioms
Here are the 25 idioms:
Il ne faut jamais dire, « Fontaine, je ne boirai pas de ton eau ».
- How to pronounce in English: Eel nuh foh zhah-may deer, “Fon-ten, zhuh nuh bwah-ray pah duh ton oh.”
- Literal translation: One should never say, “Fountain, I will not drink of your water.”
- Meaning: Never say never.
Quand les poules auront des dents.
- How to pronounce in English: Kawn lay pool oh-ron day don.
- Literal translation: When chickens have teeth.
- Meaning: When pigs fly (i.e., never).
Il y a une mer à boire.
- How to pronounce in English: Eel ee ah oon mair ah bwar.
- Literal translation: There is a sea to drink.
- Meaning: It’s a Herculean task.
C’est la fin des haricots.
- How to pronounce in English: Say lah fan day ah-ree-koh.
- Literal translation: It’s the end of the beans.
- Meaning: It’s all over; there’s nothing left to be done.
Ce n’est pas la mer à boire.
- How to pronounce in English: Suh nay pah lah mair ah bwar.
- Literal translation: It’s not the sea to drink.
- Meaning: It’s not that difficult.
Qui vole un œuf, vole un bœuf.
- How to pronounce in English: Kee vol un uf, vol un buff.
- Literal translation: He who steals an egg, steals an ox.
- Meaning: Give someone an inch and they’ll take a mile.
Il n’y a pas de fumée sans feu.
- How to pronounce in English: Eel nee ah pah duh foo-may san fuh.
- Literal translation: There is no smoke without fire.
- Meaning: Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
Quand on parle du loup, on en voit la queue.
- How to pronounce in English: Kawn awn parl doo loop, on awn vwah lah keuh.
- Literal translation: When one speaks of the wolf, one sees its tail.
- Meaning: Speak of the devil.
Loin des yeux, loin du cœur.
- How to pronounce in English: Lwan day zyuh, lwan doo ker.
- Literal translation: Far from the eyes, far from the heart.
- Meaning: Out of sight, out of mind.
C’est en forgeant qu’on devient forgeron.
- How to pronounce in English: Say awn for-zhawn kawn duh-vee-awn for-zher-awn.
- Literal translation: It’s by forging that one becomes a blacksmith.
- Meaning: Practice makes perfect.
Appeler un chat un chat.
- How to pronounce in English: Ah-puh-lay un shah un shah.
- Literal translation: To call a cat a cat.
- Meaning: To call it like it is.
Tourner autour du pot.
- How to pronounce in English: Toor-nay oh-too-roo doo poh.
- Literal translation: To turn around the pot.
- Meaning: To beat around the bush.
Mettre la charrue avant les bœufs.
- How to pronounce in English: Met-truh lah shah-roo ah-vawn lay buf.
- Literal translation: To put the plow before the oxen.
- Meaning: To put the cart before the horse.
Faire d’une pierre deux coups.
- How to pronounce in English: Fair doon pee-air duh coo.
- Literal translation: To make of one stone two strikes.
- Meaning: To kill two birds with one stone.
Jeter de l’huile sur le feu.
- How to pronounce in English: Zhuh-tay duh loo-eel sir luh fuh.
- Literal translation: To throw oil on the fire.
- Meaning: To add fuel to the fire.
Couper les cheveux en quatre.
- How to pronounce in English: Koo-pay lay shuh-vuh awn katr.
- Literal translation: To cut the hair in four.
- Meaning: To split hairs
.
Mettre la puce à l’oreille.
- How to pronounce in English: Met-truh lah poos ah lor-ay.
- Literal translation: To put the flea in the ear.
- Meaning: To make someone suspicious or give a hint.
Battre le fer tant qu’il est chaud.
- How to pronounce in English: Bat-truh luh fair tawn keel ay show.
- Literal translation: To strike the iron while it is hot.
- Meaning: To act while the opportunity is there.
Passer du coq à l’âne.
- How to pronounce in English: Pah-say doo kock ah lan.
- Literal translation: To go from the rooster to the donkey.
- Meaning: To jump from one topic to another.
Tirer les vers du nez.
- How to pronounce in English: Tee-ray lay vair doo nay.
- Literal translation: To pull the worms out of the nose.
- Meaning: To pry information out of someone.
Faire l’autruche.
- How to pronounce in English: Fair low-troosh.
- Literal translation: To do the ostrich.
- Meaning: To bury one’s head in the sand.
Vendre la peau de l’ours avant de l’avoir tué.
- How to pronounce in English: Vawn-druh lah poh duh loor ah-vawn duh lah-vwar tway.
- Literal translation: To sell the bear’s skin before having killed it.
- Meaning: Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
Mettre les points sur les i.
- How to pronounce in English: Met-truh lay pwahn sewr lay ee.
- Literal translation: To put the dots on the i’s.
- Meaning: To make things clear, to specify.
Avoir le cœur sur la main.
- How to pronounce in English: Ah-vwar luh ker sir lah mahn.
- Literal translation: To have the heart on the hand.
- Meaning: To be very generous.
Donner sa langue au chat.
- How to pronounce in English: Doh-nay sah long oh shah.
- Literal translation: To give one’s tongue to the cat.
- Meaning: To give up guessing.
By learning these 25 long French idioms, you’ve taken a deeper dive into the nuances of French culture and language. Use them to enrich your conversations and sound more like a native speaker. Happy learning!