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French Expressions

From La French Connection

Funny French Expressions

Not surprisingly, many French expressions are related to food.

  • French expression = literal incorrect translation

-->English equivalent

  • Filer à l’anglaise = To spin in the English way

-->To take a French leave

  • Nous ne sommes pas sortis de l’auberge = We are not out of the inn

-->We are not out of the woods

  • Avoir le cafard = to have the cockroach

-->To have the blues

  • Casser la croûte = to break the crust

-->To have a bite

  • Appuyer sur le champignon = to press on the mushroom

-->To accelerate

  • Aller au petit coin = to go to the little corner

-->To go to the loo

  • C’est du tout cuit = it is all cooked

-->It’s in the bag

  • Un froid de canard = a cold of duck

-->Perishing weather

  • Pas folle la guêpe ! = Not crazy the wasp!

-->I'm/You're/He's/She's no fool

  • La fin des haricots= The end of green beans

-->The last straw

  • Rire jaune = To laugh yellow

-->To give a hollow laugh

  • Etre marteau = To be hammer-like

-->To be crazy

  • Broyer du noir = To crush black

-->To be depressed

  • Ça ne mange pas de pain = It doesn't eat bread

-->It is not important

  • Une poule mouillée = A wet chicken

-->A coward

  • Donner sa langue au chat = To give the cat one's tongue

-->To give up

  • Passer un savon = To pass a soap

-->To tear a strip off someone

  • Se mettre sur son trente et un = To put oneself on one's thirty one

-->To dress up in one's finest clothes

  • En voiture Simone = In the car Simone!

-->Go ahead!

See also

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