FRENCH IDIOM MASTERPOST

revisionandtea:

spanish idiom masterpost here !!

useful for bumping up your assessments from a’s to a*’s !!! i’m at gcse level and these are the most useful ones for me. i’m sure these look good at any level as they show you have a deeper understanding of the language !!

Appeler un chat un chat
translation: to call a cat a cat
used as: to say it how it is
example: ‘j’appelle un chat un chat’ (i say it how it is)

Avoir un poil dans la main
translation: to have a hair in the hand
used as: to be very lazy
example: ‘je n’ai pas un poil dans la main, mais…’(i’m not very lazy, but…)

Chercher la petite bête
translation: to look for the little beast
used as: to look for something to complain about
example: ‘tu cherches toujours la petite bête!’ (you always look for something to complain about!)

Coup de foudre
translation: a strike of lightning
used as: love at first sight
example: ‘c’était le coup de foudre’ (it was love at first sight).

Coûter les yeux de la tête
translation: costs the eyes in the head
used as: costs an arm and a leg (a lot)
example: ’…pourtant, je sais que ça coûte les yeux de la tête’ (…however, i know that it costs an arm and a leg)

Donner sa langue au chat
translation: to give one’s tongue to the cat
used as: to have no idea
example: ‘désolée, je donne ma langue au chat’ (sorry, i have no idea)

Donner un coup de main
translation: to give a knock of hand
used as: to give a helping hand
example: ‘je l’aime, parce qu’elle donnes toujours coup de main’ (i like her, because she always gives a helping hand)

Étre à l’ouest
translation: to be in the west
used as: to be out of it
example: ‘aujourd’hui, je suis à l’ouest’ (today, i’m out of it)

Faire la grasse matinée
translation: to have a fat morning
used as: to have a lie in
example: ‘le weekend prochain, je vais faire la grasse matinée’ (next weekend, i am going to have a lie in)

Faire un froid de canard
translation: to do a cold duck
used as: to be very cold
example: ‘j’ai fais un froid de canard’ (i was very cold)

Il y a quelque chose qui cloche
translation: there is something ringing
used as: there is something wrong
example: ‘j’ai pensé, ‘il y a quelque chose qui cloche’…’ (i thought, ‘there is something wrong’)

Mettre son grain de sel
translation: to put in one’s grain of salt
used as: to give an unwanted opinion
example: ‘il va mettre son grain de sel’ (he is going to give an unwanted opinion)

Poser un lapin à quelqu’en
translation: to put a rabbit on somebody
used as: to stand somebody up
example: ‘sacré bleu! je s’ai posé un lapin!’ (oh no! i stood him up!)

i will add more when i can !! i do spanish as well so i might make one for that. enjoy !!