French expressionsSpeaking up and keeping quiet
Fixed expressions you can’t work out word for word: what each one means, the image behind it, and an example.
Saying it straight
What you think, said plainly, even when it stings.
8 expressions
appeler un chat un chat
to call a spade a spade
Word for word: to call a cat a cat
Il faut appeler un chat un chat : ce projet est un échec.
Let’s call a spade a spade: this project is a failure.
ne pas mâcher ses mots
not to mince words
Word for word: not to chew your words
Le journaliste n’a pas mâché ses mots : pour lui, le film est raté.
The journalist didn’t mince words: to him, the movie is a flop.
ne pas avoir sa langue dans sa poche
to be outspoken
Word for word: not to keep your tongue in your pocket
Ma grand-mère n’a pas sa langue dans sa poche : elle dit ce qu’elle pense à tout le monde.
My grandmother is outspoken: she tells everyone what she thinks.
mettre les points sur les i
to spell things out
Word for word: to put the dots on the i’s
Le professeur a mis les points sur les i : pas de téléphone en classe.
The teacher spelled things out: no phones in class.
remettre l’église au milieu du village
to set things straight
Word for word: to put the church back in the middle of the village
Trop de rumeurs circulent : la directrice veut remettre l’église au milieu du village.
Too many rumors are going around: the director wants to set things straight.
dire ses quatre vérités à quelqu’un
to give someone a piece of your mind
Word for word: to tell someone their four truths
Un jour, je vais lui dire ses quatre vérités.
One day, I’m going to give him a piece of my mind.
mettre les pieds dans le plat
to put your foot in your mouth
Word for word: to put your feet in the dish
Il a mis les pieds dans le plat en parlant du divorce devant toute la famille.
He put his foot in his mouth by bringing up the divorce in front of the whole family.
vider son sac
informalto get it all off your chest
Word for word: to empty your bag
Elle a fini par vider son sac : elle n’en pouvait plus de ce travail.
She finally got it all off her chest: she couldn’t take that job anymore.
Dodging and making things up
When someone won’t get to the point, or makes things up.
4 expressions
tourner autour du pot
to beat around the bush
Word for word: to circle around the pot
Arrête de tourner autour du pot : qu’est-ce que tu veux ?
Stop beating around the bush: what do you want?
noyer le poisson
to dodge the question
Word for word: to drown the fish
Le ministre a noyé le poisson pendant toute l’interview.
The minister dodged the question for the whole interview.
raconter des salades
informalto make things up
Word for word: to tell salads
Ne l’écoute pas, il raconte des salades.
Don’t listen to him, he’s making things up.
mener quelqu’un en bateau
informalto take someone for a ride
Word for word: to take someone out on a boat
Le vendeur nous a menés en bateau : la voiture n’était pas neuve.
The salesman took us for a ride: the car wasn’t new.
Keeping quiet, lost for words
A secret kept or let out, and the moments when no words come.
8 expressions
motus et bouche cousue
mum’s the word
Word for word: hush, and lips sewn shut
C’est une surprise pour maman : motus et bouche cousue !
It’s a surprise for Mom: mum’s the word!
tenir sa langue
to hold your tongue
Elle sait tout, mais elle sait tenir sa langue.
She knows everything, but she knows how to hold her tongue.
vendre la mèche
to spill the beans
Word for word: to sell the fuse
On préparait une fête, mais Léo a vendu la mèche.
We were planning a party, but Léo spilled the beans.
mon petit doigt m’a dit
a little bird told me
Word for word: my little finger told me
Mon petit doigt m’a dit que c’était ton anniversaire.
A little bird told me it was your birthday.
donner sa langue au chat
to give up guessing
Word for word: to give your tongue to the cat
Je ne trouve pas : je donne ma langue au chat. C’est quoi, la réponse ?
I can’t figure it out: I give up. What’s the answer?
rester bouche bée
to be left speechless
Word for word: to stay with your mouth wide open
Devant le prix, je suis resté bouche bée.
When I saw the price, I was left speechless.
avoir un mot sur le bout de la langue
to have a word on the tip of your tongue
Attends, j’ai son nom sur le bout de la langue.
Hold on, his name is on the tip of my tongue.
avoir un chat dans la gorge
to have a frog in your throat
Word for word: to have a cat in your throat
Excusez-moi, j’ai un chat dans la gorge ce matin.
Excuse me, I have a frog in my throat this morning.
Chatting away
People who talk a lot, and what happens in the middle of a conversation.
5 expressions
avoir la langue bien pendue
to have the gift of gab
Word for word: to have a tongue that hangs loose
Ta fille a la langue bien pendue : elle m’a raconté toutes ses vacances.
Your daughter has the gift of gab: she told me all about her vacation.
être un moulin à paroles
to be a chatterbox
Word for word: to be a word mill
Mon voisin est un vrai moulin à paroles : impossible de partir.
My neighbor is a real chatterbox: there’s no getting away.
passer du coq à l’âne
to jump from topic to topic
Word for word: to go from the rooster to the donkey
Il passe du coq à l’âne : on parlait du travail, et le voilà sur le foot.
He jumps from topic to topic: we were talking about work, and now he’s on to soccer.
quand on parle du loup
speak of the devil
Word for word: when you speak of the wolf
Quand on parle du loup ! On disait justement du bien de toi.
Speak of the devil! We were just saying nice things about you.
revenons à nos moutons
let’s get back to the subject
Word for word: let’s get back to our sheep
On s’éloigne du sujet : revenons à nos moutons.
We’re getting off topic: let’s get back to the subject.
English sayings that don’t carry over
Every language has its own images: translated word for word, these mean nothing in French, or something else.
to dot the i’s and cross the t’s
soigner les détails
Not
mettre les points sur les iAvant d’envoyer le dossier, elle soigne les détails.
Before sending the file, she dots the i’s and crosses the t’s.
cat got your tongue?
tu as perdu ta langue ?
Not
le chat a pris ta langue ?Tu ne dis rien : tu as perdu ta langue ?
You’re not saying anything: cat got your tongue?
to talk someone’s ear off
tenir la jambe à quelqu’un
Not
parler l’oreille de quelqu’unMon voisin m’a tenu la jambe pendant une heure.
My neighbor talked my ear off for an hour.
long story short
bref
Not
longue histoire courteBref, on a raté le train.
Long story short, we missed the train.
I’m all ears
je suis tout ouïe
Not
je suis toutes oreillesRaconte, je suis tout ouïe.
Go ahead, I’m all ears.
a white lie
un pieux mensonge
Not
un mensonge blancJe lui ai dit que j’adorais son gâteau : un pieux mensonge.
I told her I loved her cake: a white lie.