Difference between revisions of "Language/French/Vocabulary/Idiomatic-Expressions"
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[[File:expressions-idiomatiques-en-français.jpg|thumb | [[File:expressions-idiomatiques-en-français.jpg|thumb]] | ||
<span style="font-size: | |||
<span style="font-size:300%; font-weight:bold;color: black">Useful French Idioms</span> | |||
'''Expressions idiomatiques utiles en français''' | '''Expressions idiomatiques utiles en français''' | ||
In this lesson, you will learn | =='''être à la bourre (to be late)'''== | ||
signifie " être en retard" Example: Now wil lbe late or I am going go to be rush to go work | |||
In this lesson, you will learn a few interesting French idiomatic expressions. Those expressions are very useful in everyday conversations. Have fun! :) | |||
=='''Se tirer la bourre (jostle for first place)''' == | |||
se faire concurrence, disputer âprement la victoire (to fight hard for victory) | |||
*Example : At 200 meters from the finish, the two riders were fighting for a victory in spectacular sprint | |||
==Manger son pain noir== | =='''Manger son pain noir'''== | ||
"Manger son pain noir" | "Manger son pain noir" literally means "to eat one's black bread, bad bread". It means that one is going through a rough patch. | ||
==Manger son pain blanc== | =='''Manger son pain blanc'''== | ||
The opposite of "manger son pain noir" is "manger son pain blanc" (eat | The opposite of "manger son pain noir" is "manger son pain blanc" (to eat one's white bread). It means to have a good time. | ||
==Ne pas être né d'hier== | =='''Ne pas être né (tombé) de la dernière pluie / Ne pas être né d'hier''' == | ||
* | *Literally: "To be not born with the last rain"; "To be not born yesterday" | ||
*Meaning: Having experience, being smart, knowing the things of life | *Meaning: Having experience, being smart, knowing the things of life | ||
*Example: Pourquoi me dis-tu cela ? je ne suis pas né d'hier ! Why | *''Example: Pourquoi me dis-tu cela ? je ne suis pas né d'hier / je ne suis pas tombé de la dernière pluie !'' | ||
*''Why are you telling me that? I was not born yesterday! I didn't come in the last shower!'' | |||
=='''Cela m'a ouvert les yeux'''== | |||
*Literally: "It opened my eyes" | |||
*Meaning: It was an eye-opener | |||
*Example: ''Ce que m'a dit ma femme m'a vraiment ouvert les yeux.'' | |||
*''What my wife said was a real eye-opener.'' | |||
== | =='''Jeter de l'huile sur le feu / Remuer le couteau dans la plaie'''== | ||
* | *Literally: "To throw oil on the fire", "to shake the knife in one's wound" | ||
*Meaning: | *Meaning: To add fuel to the fire, to make things worse. | ||
*Example: | *Example: ''Ce qu'il a répondu n'a fait que jeter de l'huile sur le feu / n'a fait que remuer le couteau dans la plaie.'' | ||
*''What he answered only added fuel to the fire.'' | |||
== | == '''Ce n'est pas à un vieux singe qu'on apprend à faire des grimaces''' == | ||
*Literally: "You don't teach an old monkey how to make funny faces" | |||
*Meaning: You can't teach an old dog new tricks. Younger ones shouldn't try to tell more experienced people (and usually older people) how to do things. | |||
*Example: ''J'ai été jeune avant toi. Ce n'est pas à un vieux singe qu'on apprend à faire des grimaces.'' | |||
*''I was young before your time. Don't teach your granny to suck eggs.'' | |||
* | == '''Ventre affamé n’a pas d’oreilles''' == | ||
*Meaning: | *Literally : Hungry belly has no ears | ||
* | *USA: Words are wasted on a staring man | ||
*Meaning:The hungry don't listen. Someone who's hungry is ready for anything | |||
*History :The expression dates from the 2nd century before J-C (Caton) | |||
== | ==Related Lessons== | ||
* | * [[Language/French/Vocabulary/Tongue-Twisters|Tongue Twisters]] | ||
* | * [[Language/French/Vocabulary/To-Know|To Know]] | ||
* | * [[Language/French/Vocabulary/Difference-between-Ancre-and-Encre|Difference between Ancre and Encre]] | ||
* [[Language/French/Vocabulary/Animals|Animals]] | |||
* [[Language/French/Vocabulary/Time|Time]] | |||
* [[Language/French/Vocabulary/French-Cheeses-List|French Cheeses List]] | |||
* [[Language/French/Vocabulary/Foreign-loanwords|Foreign loanwords]] | |||
* [[Language/French/Vocabulary/Common-spelling-errors|Common spelling errors]] | |||
* [[Language/French/Vocabulary/Trouver-son-chemin|Trouver son chemin]] | |||
* [[Language/French/Vocabulary/Weather|Weather]] | |||
Latest revision as of 17:15, 26 February 2023
Useful French Idioms
Expressions idiomatiques utiles en français
être à la bourre (to be late)[edit | edit source]
signifie " être en retard" Example: Now wil lbe late or I am going go to be rush to go work
In this lesson, you will learn a few interesting French idiomatic expressions. Those expressions are very useful in everyday conversations. Have fun! :)
Se tirer la bourre (jostle for first place)[edit | edit source]
se faire concurrence, disputer âprement la victoire (to fight hard for victory)
- Example : At 200 meters from the finish, the two riders were fighting for a victory in spectacular sprint
Manger son pain noir[edit | edit source]
"Manger son pain noir" literally means "to eat one's black bread, bad bread". It means that one is going through a rough patch.
Manger son pain blanc[edit | edit source]
The opposite of "manger son pain noir" is "manger son pain blanc" (to eat one's white bread). It means to have a good time.
Ne pas être né (tombé) de la dernière pluie / Ne pas être né d'hier[edit | edit source]
- Literally: "To be not born with the last rain"; "To be not born yesterday"
- Meaning: Having experience, being smart, knowing the things of life
- Example: Pourquoi me dis-tu cela ? je ne suis pas né d'hier / je ne suis pas tombé de la dernière pluie !
- Why are you telling me that? I was not born yesterday! I didn't come in the last shower!
Cela m'a ouvert les yeux[edit | edit source]
- Literally: "It opened my eyes"
- Meaning: It was an eye-opener
- Example: Ce que m'a dit ma femme m'a vraiment ouvert les yeux.
- What my wife said was a real eye-opener.
Jeter de l'huile sur le feu / Remuer le couteau dans la plaie[edit | edit source]
- Literally: "To throw oil on the fire", "to shake the knife in one's wound"
- Meaning: To add fuel to the fire, to make things worse.
- Example: Ce qu'il a répondu n'a fait que jeter de l'huile sur le feu / n'a fait que remuer le couteau dans la plaie.
- What he answered only added fuel to the fire.
Ce n'est pas à un vieux singe qu'on apprend à faire des grimaces[edit | edit source]
- Literally: "You don't teach an old monkey how to make funny faces"
- Meaning: You can't teach an old dog new tricks. Younger ones shouldn't try to tell more experienced people (and usually older people) how to do things.
- Example: J'ai été jeune avant toi. Ce n'est pas à un vieux singe qu'on apprend à faire des grimaces.
- I was young before your time. Don't teach your granny to suck eggs.
Ventre affamé n’a pas d’oreilles[edit | edit source]
- Literally : Hungry belly has no ears
- USA: Words are wasted on a staring man
- Meaning:The hungry don't listen. Someone who's hungry is ready for anything
- History :The expression dates from the 2nd century before J-C (Caton)