Language/French/Vocabulary/Bird
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The birds: les oiseaux
- hummingbird: colibri
- blackbird: merle
- rooster: coq
- crane: grue
- dove: colombe
- eagle: aigle
- falcon: faucon
- nightingale: rossignol
- ostrich: autruche
- owl: hibou
- partridge: perdrix
- peacock: paon
- penguin: pingouin
- pigeon: pigeon
- raven: corbeau
- robin: rouge-gorge
- sparrow: moineau
- stork: cigogne
- swallow: hirondelle
- swan: cygne
- turkey: dindon
- vulture: vautour
- canard: duck
- poule: chicken
Expressions
Une hirondelle ne fait pas le printemps
- Literally: One swallow doesn't make spring
- Meaning: One swallow doesn't make a summer
The proverb has two possible meanings:
- Do not draw conclusions from a single fact or a single element.
- And, more generally: one must not rely too quickly on appearances; One person is not enough to achieve a major goal.
Politique de l'autruche
- Litterally: the ostrich policy
- Meaning: Refusal to accept danger.
- Origin: This expression recalls the legend that ostriches burrow their heads in the sand when they are afraid, which prevents them from seeing what threatens them.
- Example: "Appliquer la politique de l'autriche" means that one refuses to see the danger where it is.
Un froid de canard
- Litterally: cold of a duck
- Meaning: A big cold
être un vautour
- Litterally: "be a vulture"
- Meaning: "be ruthless"
- Synonymous: être un requin (be a shark)
Vivre comme un coq en pâte
- Litterally: Live as a rooster in paste
- Meaning: Lead a comfortable and cozy existence.
Etre le dindon de la farce
- Litterally: "Being the stuffing turkey"
- Meaning: Getting caught up in a case.
Etre une poule mouillée
- Litterally: Be a wet hen
- Meaning: be a coward
- Closest English expression: Be a chicken!