French expressionsEating and drinking

Fixed expressions you can’t work out word for word: what each one means, the image behind it, and an example.

Hunger

From a little hollow to a wolf’s hunger.

6 expressions

avoir une faim de loup
to be starving
Word for word: to have a wolf’s hunger
Je n’ai rien mangé depuis ce matin, j’ai une faim de loup.
I haven’t eaten since this morning, I’m starving.
avoir la dalle
informal
to be starving
On mange quand ? J’ai la dalle !
When are we eating? I’m starving!
avoir un petit creux
to feel a little hungry
Word for word: to have a little hollow
Vers quatre heures, j’ai toujours un petit creux.
Around four, I always feel a little hungry.
avoir l’eau à la bouche
to have your mouth watering
Word for word: to have water in your mouth
Rien qu’à sentir ce gâteau, j’ai l’eau à la bouche.
Just smelling that cake makes my mouth water.
avoir les yeux plus gros que le ventre
to have eyes bigger than your stomach
Tu ne finis pas ton assiette ? Tu as eu les yeux plus gros que le ventre.
You’re not finishing your plate? Your eyes were bigger than your stomach.
avoir un appétit d’oiseau
to eat like a bird
Word for word: to have a bird’s appetite
Ma grand-mère a un appétit d’oiseau : trois bouchées et elle a fini.
My grandmother eats like a bird: three bites and she’s done.

Fast, a lot, or only what is sweet.

6 expressions

manger sur le pouce
to grab a quick bite
Word for word: to eat on your thumb
Je n’ai que vingt minutes, on va manger sur le pouce.
I only have twenty minutes, so let’s grab a quick bite.
casser la croûte
informal
to have a bite to eat
Word for word: to break the crust
À midi, les ouvriers s’arrêtent pour casser la croûte.
At noon, the workers stop to have a bite to eat.
manger comme quatre
to eat like a horse
Word for word: to eat like four people
Depuis qu’il fait du sport, mon fils mange comme quatre.
Since he started working out, my son eats like a horse.
avoir un bon coup de fourchette
to be a hearty eater
Word for word: to have a good stroke of the fork
Prévois large : tes cousins ont un bon coup de fourchette.
Make plenty: your cousins are hearty eaters.
être un bec sucré
to have a sweet tooth
Word for word: to be a sweet beak
Elle ne résiste jamais au dessert : c’est un bec sucré.
She can never resist dessert: she has a sweet tooth.
faire la fine bouche
to turn up your nose
Word for word: to make the delicate mouth
C’est tout ce qu’il reste, ne fais pas la fine bouche.
It’s all that’s left, so don’t turn up your nose.

A simple meal among friends, or the best dishes out.

3 expressions

à la bonne franquette
casually, no fuss
Venez dîner samedi, ce sera à la bonne franquette.
Come for dinner Saturday; it’ll be casual, no fuss.
mettre les petits plats dans les grands
to pull out all the stops
Word for word: to put the small dishes inside the big ones
Pour ses beaux-parents, il a mis les petits plats dans les grands.
For his in-laws, he pulled out all the stops.
mettre le couvert
to set the table
Word for word: to put out the place settings
Les enfants, venez mettre le couvert !
Kids, come set the table!

The toast, the glass too many, and the morning after.

6 expressions

à la vôtre !
cheers!
Word for word: to yours!
Tout le monde est servi ? Alors, à la vôtre !
Does everyone have a drink? Then cheers!
cul sec
informal
in one gulp
Word for word: dry bottom
Il a bu son verre cul sec.
He downed his drink in one gulp.
lever le coude
informal
to hit the bottle
Word for word: to raise your elbow
Son oncle lève un peu trop le coude.
His uncle hits the bottle a little too much.
boire comme un trou
informal
to drink like a fish
Word for word: to drink like a hole
À la fête, il a bu comme un trou.
At the party, he drank like a fish.
avoir un verre dans le nez
informal
to have had one too many
Word for word: to have a glass in your nose
Ne le laisse pas conduire, il a un verre dans le nez.
Don’t let him drive, he’s had one too many.
avoir la gueule de bois
informal
to be hungover
Word for word: to have a wooden mouth
Le lendemain du mariage, tout le monde avait la gueule de bois.
The day after the wedding, everyone was hungover.

At a French table, an entrée is the appetizer, and « je suis plein » says you had too much to drink, not to eat.

I’m full
je n’ai plus faim
Not ~~je suis plein~~
Non merci, pas de dessert : je n’ai plus faim.
No thanks, no dessert: I’m full.
the entrée
le plat principal
Not ~~l’entrée~~
Comme plat principal, je vous conseille le poisson.
For the entrée, I recommend the fish.
I’ll have the fish
je vais prendre le poisson
Not ~~j’aurai le poisson~~
Je vais prendre le poisson, s’il vous plaît.
I’ll have the fish, please.
the check, please
l’addition, s’il vous plaît
Not ~~le chèque, s’il vous plaît~~
Monsieur, l’addition, s’il vous plaît !
Excuse me, the check, please!
it tastes good
c’est bon
Not ~~ça goûte bon~~
Goûte cette sauce : c’est bon, non ?
Try this sauce: it tastes good, doesn’t it?
to eat like a horse
manger comme quatre
Not ~~manger comme un cheval~~
Après la randonnée, on a mangé comme quatre.
After the hike, we ate like horses.
to drink like a fish
boire comme un trou
Not ~~boire comme un poisson~~
Il ne mange rien, mais il boit comme un trou.
He doesn’t eat a thing, but he drinks like a fish.