25 Bizarre French Idioms Used In The Common Language
Are you interested in learning French idioms to sound more like a native? Using French expressions and idioms are a great way to sound more natural and to better understand French language and French culture. But they can also be extremely confusing and sometimes funny if you translate them literally. They often carry certain cultural nuances that are relevant for native speakers. For the non-native speaker, French idioms and their meanings simply have to be memorized. Here is a selection of 25 bizarre French idioms used in the common language. Each idiom comes with its word- by-word translation in English and its meaning.
1 - L'habit ne fait pas le moine
L'habit ne fait pas le moine : the clothe doesn't make the monkbizarre french idioms used in the common language
Literal translation : the clothe doesn't make the monk
What it means : don't judge by the appearance
2 - J'ai un coup de foudre
Un coup de foudre : a lightning stroke - a bizarre french idioms used in the common language
Literal translation : I have a lightning stroke
What is means : i feel love at the first sight
3 - J'ai le cafard
Literal translation : I have the cockroach
What it means : I have the blues, I am down
4 - Je donne ma langue au chat
Literal translation : I give my tongue to the cat
What it means : I stop guessing
5 - Chapeau!
Literal translation : hat
What it means : congratulations !
6 - Il est dans le cirage
Literal translation : he is in the polish
What it means : he is out for the count
7 - Rien à cirer
Literal translation : nothing to polish
What it means : I don’t give a damn
8 - Tenez-moi au courant
Literal translation : keep me at the current
What it means : keep me informed
9 - Il a filé à l’anglaise
Filer à l'anglaise : to leave the French way a bizarre french idioms used in the common language
Literal translation : he took English leave
What it means : he took French leave
10 - Tu vas marcher à la baguette !
Literal translation : you will walk at the stick
What it means : you will be ruled with an iron hand !
11 - Elle a un nom à coucher dehors
Literal translation : she has a name to sleep outside
What it means : she has an impossible name
12 - Il est tombé dans les pommes
tomber dans les pommes : to faint bizarre french idiom used in the common language
Literal translation : he felt in the apples
What it means : he fainted
13 - Tu es une poule mouillée !
Literal translation : you are a wet hen !
What it means : you are a coward
14 - J’ai un rhume carabiné
Literal translation : I have a rifled cold
What it means : I have a bad cold
15 - On est serrés comme des sardines
Someone tight : Learn French with idiomatic expressions
Literal translation : we are as tight as sardines
What it means : we are extremly tight
16 - Vous arrivez comme un cheveu sur la soupe
Literal translation : You arrive like a hair on the soup
What it means : You turn up at the wrong moment
17 - C’est très chouette
Literal translation : It’s very owl
What it means : I’s great ( used for a place / moment / person ) fam
18 - Merci pour votre coup de fil
Literal translation : thank you for your blow of string
What it means : thank you for your call ( fam )
19 - Je me fais un sang d’encre
se faire un sang d'encre : bizarre french idioms used in the common language
Literal translation : I am making myself a blood of ink
What it means : I am very worried
20 - J’ai les nerfs à fleur de peau
Literal translation : I have the nerves very close to the skin
What it means : I am edgy
2 - Vous perdez la boule
Literal translation : you are loosing the bowl
What it means : you are going crazy
23 - Arrêtez de raconter des salades
raconter des salades : to tell liesbizarre french idioms used in the common language
Literal translation : stop telling salads
What it means : stop lying
24 - Ca va mettre du beurre dans les épinards
Literal translation : It’s going to put butter in the spinach
What it means : it going to help us financially
25 - J’ai la puce à l’oreille
Literal translation : I have the flea at the hear
What it means : I suspect something
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