So when you give your tongue to the cat, you expect it to give you the answer to a question you are unable to answer. and their words (that is if your cat can speak :D) therefore had a considerable value. This French expression is used to say you don’t know about something and are unable to give an answer.īack in the 19 th century, cats were considered the guardians of secrets. Literal translation : to give one’s tongue to the cat. So “un froid de canard” is an extremely cold and hostile weather. In winter, when it’s very cold, ducks go away from lakes and are therefore exposed to hunters. Literal translation : to do a cold of duck. Peux-tu me donner un coup de main s’il te plaît ? And very similar expression to English in the end. “Coup de main” means “helping hand” which immediately makes the expression easier to understand. Literal translation : to give a knock of hand. He is always splitting hairs, it’s irritating. Il cherche toujours la petite bête, c’est énervant. How to use the French expression “chercher la petite bête” ? In French we say that this person “cherche la petite bête”. We all know someone who always finds something to complain about and pays attention to the most insignificant details. Meaning : to always look for something to complain about/ splitting hairs. Literal translation : to look for the little beast. This expression was first used by Baudelaire in “ LesFleurs du Mal” in 1857 and has been quite popular ever since. No, it doesn’t mean that your bed is full of cockroaches, it means that you are depressed. Literal translation : to have the cockroach. It will take a while before he gets rid of his problems. When you are not out of the inn, it means you are facing lots of problems and won’t solve them any time soon. Literal translation : to not be out of the inn. Il m’a posé un lapin lors de notre premier rendez-vous. When you are waiting for a person who never shows up, you can say that the person ” vous a posé unlapin“. How to use “avoir un poil dans la main” ? So lazy in fact that he/she let a hair grow in her/his hand. This French expression means a person is extremely lazy. Literal translation : to have a hair in the hand. Each French idiom comes with its translation, English counterpart and explanation. Here is a selection of 10 common French idioms you need to become familiar with. French expressions and idioms are a great way to sound more natural and to better understand French culture But they can also be extremely confusing, and sometimes funny if you translate them literally
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |