{"id":176590622,"date":"2019-06-19T12:26:32","date_gmt":"2019-06-19T19:26:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lingq.com\/blog-new\/?p=176590622"},"modified":"2025-05-19T11:26:47","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T18:26:47","slug":"french-sayings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lingq.com\/blog\/french-sayings\/","title":{"rendered":"6 French Sayings You Should Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

That Dior handbag is going to cost the eyes out of your head! Your coworker entered the conversation like a hair in the soup. Little by little, the bird makes its nest. Sound like a foreign language? It is! Those are the English translations of some common French idioms and proverbs.<\/span><\/p>\n

An idiom is an expression whose meaning can\u2019t be deduced based on its individual words, yet everyone still knows what the saying means. In English we might say <\/span>it\u2019s raining cats and dogs<\/span><\/i> during a thunderstorm, while the French say <\/span>il pleut des cordes <\/span><\/i>(it\u2019s raining ropes). Since idioms can\u2019t be translated literally, they generally have to be memorized – but using one of these sayings correctly can help you sound more like a native speaker!<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some common French idioms and how to use them.<\/span>
\n\"Talking\"<\/p>\n

French idioms<\/h2>\n

Appeler un chat un chat<\/b>
\nOr \u201cto call a cat a cat\u201d is the French equivalent of \u201cto call a spade a spade\u201d. It means that you call it like it is, or that you\u2019re not afraid to speak your mind.<\/span>
\nVous devez \u00e9couter ce qu\u2019elle dit, elle appelle toujours un chat un chat<\/span><\/i>.<\/span>
\nYou should listen to what she says, she always tells it like it is.<\/span><\/p>\n

Arriver comme un cheveu sur la soupe<\/b>
\n\u201cArriving like a hair in the soup\u201d means that you\u2019ve entered a situation at the worst possible time.<\/span>
\nArnaud \u00e9tait en train de draguer une fille au caf\u00e9 quand son copain est arriv\u00e9 \u2013 comme un cheveu sur la soupe.<\/span><\/i>
\nArnaud was flirting with a girl at a caf\u00e9 when her boyfriend arrived \u2013 at the worst moment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Coup de foudre<\/b>
\n\u201cA flash of lightning\u201d \u2013 that\u2019s how quickly one can be struck by the phenomenon behind this phrase, or the French version of \u201clove at first sight\u201d.<\/span>
\nLe jour o\u00f9 nous nous sommes rencontr\u00e9s, c\u2019\u00e9tait le coup de foudre.<\/span><\/i>
\nThe first time we met, it was love at first sight.<\/span><\/p>\n

Du jour au lendemain<\/b>
\nIf something happens totally overnight, or \u201cfrom one day to the next\u201d, then French speakers would use this phrase.<\/span>
\nElle a mis une vid\u00e9o sur YouTube et c\u2019\u00e9tait comme si elle est devenue c\u00e9l\u00e8bre du jour au lendemain.<\/span><\/i>
\nShe put a video on YouTube and it was as if she became an overnight celebrity.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00catre \u00e0 c\u00f4t\u00e9 de la plaque<\/b>
\nOr to be \u201cway off the mark\u201d \u2013 that is, to be totally wrong.<\/span>
\nElle pensait qu\u2019elle avait bien r\u00e9ussi \u00e0 l\u2019entretien, mais elle \u00e9tait tout \u00e0 fait \u00e0 c\u00f4t\u00e9 de la plaque.<\/span><\/i>
\nShe thought she had done well in the interview, but she was way off the mark.<\/span><\/p>\n

Je dis \u00e7a, je dis rien<\/b>
\nLiterally \u201cI say this, I say nothing.\u201d Like it\u2019s English counterpart, \u201cjust saying\u201d, you\u2019d say this if you want to soften a tough opinion.<\/span>
\nSi \u00e7a fait 3 mois que tu ne l\u2019as pas vu, peut-\u00eatre qu\u2019il ne veut plus te voir. Bon, je dis \u00e7a, je dis rien.<\/span><\/i>
\nIf it\u2019s been three months since you\u2019ve seen him, maybe he doesn\u2019t want to see you anymore. Just saying.<\/span><\/p>\n

La goutte d\u2019eau qui fait d\u00e9border la vase<\/b>
\nIn English we have \u201cthe straw that broke the camel\u2019s back\u201d but in French, it\u2019s \u201cthe drop of water that made the vase overflow.\u201d<\/span>
\nCamille supportait beaucoup, mais quand son mari est rentr\u00e9 dans une Corvette, c\u2019\u00e9tait la goutte d\u2019eau qui faisait d\u00e9border la vase.<\/span><\/i>
\nCamille put up with a lot, but when her husband came back with a Corvette, it was the straw that broke the camel\u2019s back.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mettre son grain de sel<\/b>
\nAnyone who has to always offer an unsolicited opinion is said to be \u201cputting their grain of salt\u201d into the conversation.<\/span>
\nJe parlais \u00e0 Matthieu mais comme d\u2019habitude, Mathilde a d\u00fb mettre son grain de sel aussi<\/span><\/i>.<\/span>
\nI was talking to Matthieu but as usual, Mathilde had to give her opinion.<\/span>
\n\"talking\"<\/p>\n

French proverbs<\/b><\/h2>\n

A proverb is a saying that is used to give advice or to express a universal truth. Proverbs can vary between languages and knowing some in French will not only make you sound more fluent in the language but also more culturally aware. Here are some common French proverbs:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00c0 bon chat, bon rat<\/b>
\nLiterally this proverb means \u201cto a good cat, a good rat\u201d but in context, it\u2019s like saying \u201ctwo can play at that game.\u201d Like Tom & Jerry, the attacker and the prey get better the more they attempt to outwit one another.<\/span><\/p>\n

Apr\u00e8s la pluie, le beau temps<\/b>
\nSimilar to \u201cthere\u2019s always a rainbow after the rain\u201d, this French expression literally means, \u201cAfter the rain, good weather.\u201d It\u2019s a way to say \u201chang in there\u201d to anyone going through a tough time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bien faire et laisser dire<\/b>
\n\u201cDo well and let them talk\u201d can give encouragement to a friend who\u2019s unsure if they\u2019re doing the right thing. Don\u2019t worry about what the critics say \u2013 just do your best and keep on keepin\u2019 on.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Learn<\/a><\/h3>\n

Bien mal acquis ne profite jamais<\/b>
\nLiterally translated this proverb means \u201ca badly acquired good never profits.\u201d In other words \u2013 crime doesn\u2019t pay. Though the proverb refers specifically to stealing, it can be used in other ways, too \u2013 like lying to get ahead in school or work.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chacun voit midi \u00e0 sa porte<\/b>
\n\u201cEach person sees noon at his\/her door\u201d is the literal translation for this proverb. Figuratively, it means that everybody has their mind set on their own interests, or that nobody looks at the world the same way. It\u2019s a poetic way to remind us that everybody is different!<\/span><\/p>\n

L\u2019habit ne fait pas le moine<\/b>
\n\u201cThe outfit doesn\u2019t make the monk\u201d is the French equivalent of not judging a book by its cover. It\u2019s to encourage people to be wary of judging others based on appearances, or to remember that looks can be deceiving.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mieux vaut pr\u00e9venir que gu\u00e9rir<\/b>
\n\u201cBetter to prevent than to heal\u201d \u2013 that is, it\u2019s easier to take care of yourself now than worry about fixing the damage later. This expression can also lend itself to everyday social situations \u2013 for example, it\u2019s better to avoid social media altogether after a few glasses of wine\u2026you don\u2019t want to say something that you\u2019ll regret later!<\/span><\/p>\n

Impossible n\u2019est pas fran\u00e7ais<\/b>
\nIf you\u2019re ever feeling discouraged, remember that \u201cimpossible isn\u2019t French\u201d \u2013 in other words, there\u2019s no such thing as impossible. Though strangely patriotic, this proverb will encourage you to set your sights high and go after what you want, even if it\u2019s difficult. Let this be your motto as you continue on your journey to learn French!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Learn<\/a><\/p>\n

Learn French sayings and more using LingQ<\/h2>\n

Learning a language is a window into the culture; the two go hand in hand. The french sayings that are mentioned in this article are no different. If you want to blend in, and sound like a local, then a few of the examples provided earlier should be a part of your vocabulary.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you want to dive into even more French content, use LingQ. With over 1000s of hours of French audio and dialogue for you to read and listen to, LingQ makes studying efficient. You can also import your favorite content into LingQ<\/a> too (think blogs, videos, music and much more). LingQ is the best way to <\/span>learn French online<\/span><\/a> because it lets you learn from content you enjoy!<\/span><\/p>\n

Here’s an example of what a lesson looks like in LingQ.<\/p>\n

\"Learn<\/p>\n

As you can see, you can listen, read, save, and review your words… all in one platform. LingQ’s also available on mobile too. So take your lessons on the go and never miss an hour of practice.<\/p>\n

\"Learn<\/p>\n

Is French hard to learn<\/a>? No! Especially if you already speak English. Good luck!<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Megan is currently working on her graduate degree in French and Francophone Studies, prior to which she taught high school French for five years. In addition to French, she self-studies Spanish and is looking forward to starting German classes soon.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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