FRENCH IDIOMS

A beautiful French town - Lourdes

Learning French idioms is an interesting way to master your French and become better French speakers. Given the high number of French idioms used in every day lives, one cannot deny the fact that they are an important aspect of the French language and vocabulary. We have to learn French idioms in context because they cannot be understood from the individual words alone. Learning French idioms and expressions enables us to communicate on a deeper level with the French people because of their high frequency in discourse. In this article, I would like to share 20 French idioms (with their translations and meanings) with my readers.

1.  Avoir des lettres.
Translation:  To have letters.

Meaning:  To be well read

2.  Casser du sucre sur le dos de quelqu'un.
Translation:  Breaking sugar on someone's back.

Meaning:  Talking about someone behind his / her back.

3.  Casser la baraque.
Translation:  To break the shack.

Meaning:  To spoil something that someone else has built up.

4.  C'est un travail de Romain.
Translation:  It's a Roman's job.

Meaning:  It's a long and difficult task / A Herculean task.

5.  Couper l'herbe sous le pied de quelqu'un.
Translation:  To cut the grass under someone's foot.

Meaning:  To pull the rug out from under somebody's feet / To cut the ground from under somebody's feet.

6.  Cracher dans la soupe.
Translation:  Spit in the soup.

Meaning:  To spoil something so that it can only be enjoyed by you.

7.  Faire cavalier seul.
Translation:  To go it alone.

Meaning:  To act alone / To go solo.

8.  Faire le mur.
Translation:  To do the wall.

Meaning:  To go over the wall / To escape / To sneak out.

9.  Faire le pont.
Translation:  To make the bridge.

Meaning:  To take a long weekend.

10.  Jeter de l'huile sur le feu.
Translation:  To throw oil on the fire.

Meaning:  Say or do somethig to make a bad situation worse, to add fuel to the fire / Fan the flame.

11.  Il tombe des hallebardes.
Translation:  Halberds are falling.

Meaning:  It's raining cats and dogs.

12.  Mettre la clef sous la porte.
Translation:  To put the key under the door.

Meaning:  To stop an activity / To quit doing something / To close down a business or shop.

13.  Prendre un bain de foule.
Translation:  To have a crowd bath..

Meaning:  To go on a walkabout, to mingle with the crowd.

14.  Raser les murs.
Translate:  To shave the walls.

Meaning:  To keep a low profile.

15.  Saisir la balle au bond.
Translation:  To grab the ball on the rebound.

Meaning:  To seize the opportunity, to jump at the opportunity.

16.  Sauter au plafond.
Translation:  To jump to the ceiling.

Meaning:  To get very angry, to hit the ceiling.

17.  Tomber des nues.
Translation:  To fall from the clouds.

Meaning:  To be taken aback.

18.  Tomber les quatre fers en l'air.
Translation:  To fall down with four horseshoes up in the air.

Meaning:  To fall flat on one's back.

19.  Tourner autour du pot.
Translation: To turn around the pot.

Meaning:  To beat about the bush.

20.  Voir le monde par le petit bout de la lorgnette.
Translation:  To see the world through the small end of a telescope.

Meaning:  To exaggerate about oneself / To see things disproportionately.

You may also like to read FRENCH PROVERBS and HOW TO LEARN FRENCH EFFICIENTLY ON YOUR OWN. To view the content page of this blog, please click here.