RACONTER DES SALADES
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Literally: to tell salads
The equivalent I found seems too British to me: spinning yarns
Your Turn!
What do you say?
See you on Monday for the letter T, part of the A to Z challenge!
From A to Z, Twenty-Six Funny, Weird, Vivid French Expressions
April 20, 2018 by 13 Comments
RIRE COMME UNE BALEINE
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Literally: laugh like a whale
Best equivalent: laugh one’s head off
See you tomorrow for the letter S, part of the A to Z challenge!
From A to Z, Twenty-Six Funny, Weird, Vivid French Expressions
April 19, 2018 by 10 Comments
COUPER LES CHEVEUX EN QUATRE
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Literally: cut hair in four pieces
Best equivalent: nitpick
Being precise and meticulous is asked from a hairstylist. But too much can be too much for other things in life, right?
See you tomorrow for the letter R, part of the A to Z challenge!
From A to Z, Twenty-Six Funny, Weird, Vivid French Expressions
April 18, 2018 by 7 Comments
METTRE LES PIEDS DANS LE PLAT
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Literally: to put one’s feet in the dish
Best equivalent: to mess up
When someone starts talking in a very unfiltered way about something everybody was careful to avoid, the French say he or she met les pieds dans le plat.
See you tomorrow for the letter Q, part of the A to Z challenge!
From A to Z, Twenty-Six Funny, Weird, Vivid French Expressions
April 17, 2018 by 14 Comments
S’OCCUPER (OU) SE MÊLER DE SES OIGNONS
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Literally: to care about one’s own onions
Best equivalent: mind one’s own business
The expression could have American origins. In the 1920s, many onion species grew in the U.S. People who worked in this field developed skills to learn how to distinguish the different kinds. Soon, they minded about their particular species, which became their exclusive business. Who knows for sure? What is sure, however, is that the French expression is used to remind someone to mind her/his own business.
The French can also say: Ce ne sont pas tes oignons. Literally: they are not your onions. In both expressions, oignons never designate onions but anything related to personal business.
See you tomorrow for the letter P, part of the A to Z challenge!
From A to Z, Twenty-Six Funny, Weird, Vivid French Expressions
April 16, 2018 by 17 Comments
LES DOIGTS DANS LE NEZ
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Literally: fingers in the nose
Best equivalent: hands down
When something is very easy to do, the French often say: les doigts dans le nez, implying that it’s so simple you have time to put your fingers in your nose while accomplishing the task. Here in the States, we are a little less graphic 🙂
See you tomorrow for the letter O, part of the A to Z challenge!
From A to Z, Twenty-Six Funny, Weird, Vivid French Expressions
April 14, 2018 by 10 Comments
AVOIR LA MAIN VERTE
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Literally: Have the green hand
Perfect equivalent: Have the green thumb
This expression doesn’t need any explanation.
For once, the French and the Americans fully agree.
Almost 🙂
See you Monday with the letter N, part of the A to Z challenge!
From A to Z, Twenty-Six Funny, Weird, Vivid French Expressions
April 13, 2018 by 14 Comments
LÂCHER LES BASKETS
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Literally: Let go off the baskets (remember: baskets are sneakers in French)
Best equivalent: Give a break (to someone)
Lâche-moi les baskets, for example, would be “give me a break,” or “get off my back.”
See you tomorrow for the letter M, part of the A to Z challenge!
From A to Z, Twenty-Six Funny, Weird, Vivid French Expressions
April 12, 2018 by 12 Comments
C’EST PARTI, MON KIKI!
Literally: It left, my Kiki.
Best equivalents: Here we go! We’re off.
The noun Kiki in French can also be used to designate the throat. But in this expression, it’s unrelated.
See you tomorrow with the letter L, part of the A to Z challenge!
From A to Z, Twenty-Six Funny, Weird, Vivid French Expressions
April 11, 2018 by 7 Comments
JALOUX COMME UN POU
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Literally: As jealous as lice
Best equivalent: Green-eyed, green with envy
Do I need to explain more? Anyone who has dealt with lice knows how territorial the parasites can be.
As always, if you know an American English expression that would match the French expression du jour, go for it!
See you tomorrow with the letter K, part of the A to Z challenge!
