Espressioni francesiParlare e tacere
Espressioni fisse che non si capiscono parola per parola: il senso, l’immagine e un esempio.
Dire le cose in faccia
Quello che si pensa, detto senza giri di parole, anche se dà fastidio.
8 espressioni
appeler un chat un chat
to call a spade a spade
Alla lettera: 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
Alla lettera: 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
Alla lettera: 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
Alla lettera: 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
Alla lettera: 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
Alla lettera: 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
Alla lettera: 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
colloquialeto get it all off your chest
Alla lettera: 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.
Evitare l’argomento, mentire
Quando qualcuno non viene al punto, o racconta storie.
4 espressioni
tourner autour du pot
to beat around the bush
Alla lettera: 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
Alla lettera: 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
colloquialeto make things up
Alla lettera: 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
colloquialeto take someone for a ride
Alla lettera: 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.
Tacere, restare senza parole
Un segreto custodito o svelato, e i momenti in cui non esce una parola.
8 espressioni
motus et bouche cousue
mum’s the word
Alla lettera: 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
Alla lettera: 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
Alla lettera: 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
Alla lettera: 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
Alla lettera: 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
Alla lettera: 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.
Chiacchierare
Chi parla tanto, e quello che succede nel mezzo di una conversazione.
5 espressioni
avoir la langue bien pendue
to have the gift of gab
Alla lettera: 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
Alla lettera: 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
Alla lettera: 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
Alla lettera: 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
Alla lettera: 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.
Modi di dire inglesi che non passano tali e quali
Ogni lingua ha le sue immagini: tradotte alla lettera, queste in francese non vogliono dire niente, o un’altra cosa.
to dot the i’s and cross the t’s
soigner les détails
Non
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 ?
Non
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
Non
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
Non
longue histoire courteBref, on a raté le train.
Long story short, we missed the train.
I’m all ears
je suis tout ouïe
Non
je suis toutes oreillesRaconte, je suis tout ouïe.
Go ahead, I’m all ears.
a white lie
un pieux mensonge
Non
un mensonge blancJe lui ai dit que j’adorais son gâteau : un pieux mensonge.
I told her I loved her cake: a white lie.