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Post by luckyluc on Apr 10, 2008 20:20:51 GMT -5
Today during a chat Anne suggested starting a thread about French proverbs, locutions etc. So here is my first entry. When I find something boring and endless, I often say: C'était long comme un jour sans pain. Meaning it was long as a day without bread or a day without eating. I find this expression so so French. Do you have a favorite English expression? We could try to find the French equivalent.
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Apr 10, 2008 20:28:26 GMT -5
That's a good one!
Two English expressions I use: "He/she is as old as dirt" (i.e., someone who is really ancient), and "As plain as a mud fence" (to describe someone, inevitably female, who is homely although not necessarily ugly).
Another (there must be French equivalents): the various ways of describing someone who is not too smart - "not the sharpest knife in the drawer," "not the brightest bulb on the tree," "one sandwich short of a picnic" etc. Is there anything comparable in French?
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Post by GitteK on Apr 10, 2008 23:38:59 GMT -5
"ça coûte les yeux de la tête" - read it in Madame Figaro recently.
I am not sure about the English equivalent, but in DK we say that something really expensive costs "the white out of ones eyes" !
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Post by Anne on Apr 11, 2008 2:10:27 GMT -5
Another (there must be French equivalents): the various ways of describing someone who is not too smart - "not the sharpest knife in the drawer," "not the brightest bulb on the tree," "one sandwich short of a picnic" etc. Is there anything comparable in French? "il n'a pas inventé l'eau chaude" (he didn't invent warm water) ou "il n'a pas inventé la poudre" (he didn't invent gunpowder) or, a little more familiar, "ce n'est pas une flèche" (he is not an ace) . I was saying a few days ago that Sarko's son behaves very much like his father . We say "la pomme ne tombe jamais loin de l'arbre" (the apple never falls far away from the tree) or "les chiens ne font pas des chats" (dogs don't beget -breed ?- cats) . A few expressions for the ladies when shopping for clothes : "ça fait mémé" (it is old lady style) or, when trying the clothes on : "ça me boudinne" (it makes me look fat as a blood sausage) . I would really LOVE to hear one of you saying one of those familiar French expressions with a strong English accent to the salesperson ;D !
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Post by Shoesy on Apr 11, 2008 2:39:14 GMT -5
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Post by Anne on Apr 11, 2008 3:33:21 GMT -5
Chouchou, that's because such expressions are often ironic ! It is more difficult to be ironic about something nice and sweet . I'll think about it though, will try to find something nice . BTW Gitte, "ça coûte les yeux de la tête" is also said more familiarly "ça coute la peau des fesses" (it costs the skin of the Parisian popo ;D)
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Post by GitteK on Apr 11, 2008 3:48:26 GMT -5
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Post by Jody on Apr 11, 2008 4:22:49 GMT -5
If something's expensive , it costs an arm and a leg.
Dumb..2 cards short of a deck
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Post by luckyluc on Apr 11, 2008 7:29:43 GMT -5
Anne, in Canada we also said "Ce n'est pas une lumière" for someone not bright, but I don't know if it common in France. It is always when I used a proverbs, or locution that my French interlocutor will notice my "canadianism"
Often we have kept old ones (from the 17-18 centuries) and not more recent version. And of course we also translated some English expression since we are surrounded by an ocean of English speakers.
One expression that I remember my mother telling us around this time of year, when we were so anxious to change our heavy winter coat and tuque for our spring clothes was:
"En avril ne te découvre pas 'un fil" In April dont' take a simple thread out of your clothes.
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Post by Anne on Apr 11, 2008 9:55:47 GMT -5
Yes Luc, we also say "ce n'est pas une lumière", I had forgotten it . And "en avril, ne te découvre pas d'un fil" is usually being directly followed by "en mai, fais ce qui te plait" (in May do whathever you like - meaning, because the weather is great, if only !)
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Post by luckyluc on Apr 11, 2008 10:11:57 GMT -5
Ah Mother never used that second verse. Maybe she did not want us to do as we please, only give us the impression that we were!
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Post by phread on Apr 13, 2008 4:50:29 GMT -5
Lucky, Mother lived in Canada, where May was not too far from avril, and you had to keep your fil!!!!
"Oh ça, c'est chou!!!" means adorable. In reference to clothing, in any case. "Trop stylé" means just too chic!
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Post by phread on Apr 13, 2008 11:32:37 GMT -5
oh, and Chair de poule (chicken skin) = goose bumps
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Julie
New Member
Posts: 1
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Post by Julie on Apr 15, 2008 20:18:07 GMT -5
Hi! I love all these expressions... As a French-Canadian, I have so many, but as LuckyLuc wrote, they are probably all "Canadianised".
Ca sent les petits pieds (smell like little feet) = It smells! Etre dans le champ (Being lost in the field) = You're way out or you're lost Etre dans la lune (Being on the moon) = Daydreaming
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Apr 15, 2008 23:05:35 GMT -5
Hi, Julie - welcome to the forum! Great expressions, I hadn't heard most of them.
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Post by Anne on Apr 29, 2008 5:53:31 GMT -5
"faire des pieds et des mains" (to make - play ? - hands and feet) : to make every possible effort in order to reach whatever goal .
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Post by GitteK on Apr 29, 2008 7:02:42 GMT -5
anne266 - can't you also say "se mettre en quatre" for that ?
= putting/splitting yourself in 4 (~ directions/pieces)
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Post by Anne on Apr 29, 2008 8:42:37 GMT -5
Yes ! You can also say "se plier en quatre" . Bravo for your brilliant knowledge in French language
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Post by luckyluc on Apr 29, 2008 8:45:42 GMT -5
Or "remuer ciel et terre" would be similar to "faire des pieds et des mains"
In English "moving sky and earth?"
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Post by Sarastro on May 15, 2008 15:52:26 GMT -5
"Ce n'est pas terrible"
when indeed it is.
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