In this article, we explore 25 common French idioms, providing their English pronunciation, literal translations, and meanings. These phrases enrich conversation with unique cultural nuances, offering a glimpse into the French way of expression.
25 Common French idioms
Here are the 25 idioms:
C’est la fin des haricots.
- Pronunciation: say la fahn day ah-ree-koh
- Literal translation: It’s the end of the beans.
- Meaning: It’s all over; there’s no hope left.
Coûter les yeux de la tête.
- Pronunciation: koo-tay lay zyuh duh la tet
- Literal translation: To cost the eyes of the head.
- Meaning: To be extremely expensive.
Mettre son grain de sel.
- Pronunciation: met-truh sohn grahn duh sell
- Literal translation: To put one’s grain of salt.
- Meaning: To give an unsolicited opinion.
Ça ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard.
- Pronunciation: sa nuh kass pah trwah pat ah uhn kah-nar
- Literal translation: It doesn’t break three legs of a duck.
- Meaning: It’s nothing to write home about.
Faire la grasse matinée.
- Pronunciation: fair la grass ma-tee-nay
- Literal translation: To have a fat morning.
- Meaning: To sleep in.
Poser un lapin.
- Pronunciation: pozay uhn lah-pahn
- Literal translation: To place a rabbit.
- Meaning: To stand someone up.
Avoir le cafard.
- Pronunciation: ah-vwar luh kah-far
- Literal translation: To have the cockroach.
- Meaning: To feel down or depressed.
Tomber dans les pommes.
- Pronunciation: tom-bay dahn lay pohm
- Literal translation: To fall in the apples.
- Meaning: To faint.
L’appel du vide.
- Pronunciation: la-pell dew veed
- Literal translation: The call of the void.
- Meaning: The instinctive urge to jump from high places.
Passer une nuit blanche.
- Pronunciation: pah-say oon nwee blahnsh
- Literal translation: To spend a white night.
- Meaning: To pull an all-nighter.
Tirer le diable par la queue.
- Pronunciation: tee-ray luh dee-abl par lah kuh
- Literal translation: To pull the devil by the tail.
- Meaning: To live hand to mouth.
Être au bout du rouleau.
- Pronunciation: et-truh oh boo dew roo-low
- Literal translation: To be at the end of the roll.
- Meaning: To be at the end of one’s tether; exhausted.
Avoir un coup de foudre.
- Pronunciation: ah-vwar uhn koo duh foodr
- Literal translation: To have a strike of lightning.
- Meaning: To fall in love at first sight.
Monter sur ses grands chevaux.
- Pronunciation: mon-tay sewr say grahn shuh-voh
- Literal translation: To climb on one’s high horses.
- Meaning: To get angry and indignant.
Se mettre le doigt dans l’œil.
- Pronunciation: suh met-truh luh dwah dah loy
- Literal translation: To put one’s finger in the eye.
- Meaning: To be completely mistaken.
Mettre la charrue avant les bœufs.
- Pronunciation: met-truh lah sha-roo ah-vahn lay buhf
- Literal translation: To put the plow before the oxen.
- Meaning: To put the cart before the horse; to do things in the wrong order.
Jeter de l’huile sur le feu.
- Pronunciation: zhet-ay duh loo-eel sewr luh fuh
- Literal translation: To throw oil on the fire.
- Meaning: To add fuel to the fire.
Tourner autour du pot.
- Pronunciation: toor-nay oh-toor dew poh
- Literal translation: To turn around the pot.
- Meaning: To beat around the bush.
Couper les cheveux en quatre.
- Pronunciation: koo-pay lay shuh-vuh ahn katr
- Literal translation: To cut the hair in four.
- Meaning: To split hairs; overly meticulous.
Avoir la moutarde qui monte au nez.
- Pronunciation: ah-vwar lah moo-tard kee mon-tuh oh nay
- Literal translation: To have the mustard that goes up to the nose.
- Meaning: To get very angry.
Faire d’une pierre deux coups.
- Pronunciation: fair doon pee-air duh koo
- Literal translation: To do with one stone two hits.
- Meaning: To kill two birds with one stone.
Battre le fer tant qu’il est chaud.
- Pronunciation: ba-truh luh fair tahn keel ay show
- Literal translation: To strike the iron while it is hot.
- Meaning: To act decisively at the right time.
Avoir un chat dans la gorge.
- Pronunciation: ah-vwar uhn shah dah lah gorj
- Literal translation: To have a cat in the throat.
- Meaning: To have a frog in one’s throat; to be hoarse.
Se jeter à l’eau.
- Pronunciation: suh zhet-ay ah lo
- Literal translation: To throw oneself into the water.
- Meaning: To take the plunge.
Mettre de l’eau dans son vin.
- Pronunciation: met-truh duh loh dah sohn van
- Literal translation: To put water in one’s wine.
- Meaning: To temper one’s views; to compromise.
We hope this guide to common French idioms helps you grasp the playful and profound aspects of the French language. Happy learning!