Avoir un coup de foudre - /ku də fudʁ/

Meaning: Falling in love instantly.

Translation in English: Love at first sight.

Example: Lorsqu'ils se sont rencontrés, ce fut un véritable coup de foudre. (When they met, it was truly love at first sight.)

 

Poser un lapin - /poze œ̃ lapɛ̃/

Meaning: Not showing up for a date.

Translation in English: To stand someone up.

Example: Il m'a posé un lapin hier soir ; je l'ai attendu pendant deux heures. (He stood me up last night; I waited for him for two hours.)

 

Mettre son grain de sel - /mɛtʁ sɔ̃ ɡʁɛ̃ də sɛl/

Meaning: To give unsolicited advice.

Translation in English: To put in one's two cents.

Example: Il faut toujours qu'il mette son grain de sel dans nos conversations. (He always has to put his two cents into our conversations.)

 

Passer une nuit blanche - /pase yn nɥi blɑ̃ʃ/

Meaning: To not sleep all night.

Translation in English: To have a sleepless night.

Example: J'ai passé une nuit blanche à réfléchir à ce problème. (I had a sleepless night thinking about that problem.)

 

Avoir le cafard - /avwaʁ lə kafaʁ/

Meaning: To be depressed.

Translation in English: To feel blue.

Example: Depuis son départ, elle a le cafard. (Since he left, she has been feeling blue.)

 

Faire la grasse matinée - /fɛʁ la ɡʁas matine/

Meaning: To sleep late in the morning.

Translation in English: To sleep in.

Example: Ce dimanche, je vais faire la grasse matinée. (This Sunday, I'm going to sleep in.)

 

Tirer le diable par la queue - /tiʁe lə djabl paʁ la kœ/

Meaning: To have financial difficulties.

Translation in English: To live hand to mouth.

Example: Avec tous ces paiements, nous tirons le diable par la queue. (With all these payments, we are living hand to mouth.)

 

Mettre les pieds dans le plat - /mɛtʁ le pje dɑ̃ lə pla/

Meaning: To make a blunder, to speak about something that should not have been mentioned.

Translation in English: To put one's foot in it.

Example: Il met toujours les pieds dans le plat lors des réunions de famille. (He always puts his foot in it at family gatherings.)

 

Se prendre la tête - /pʁɑ̃dʁ la tɛt/

Meaning: To annoy or deeply bother someone.

Translation in English: To annoy someone greatly.

Example: Arrête de me prendre la tête avec tes questions ! (Stop nagging me with your questions!)

 

Se mettre sur son 31 - /sə mɛtʁ syʁ sɔ̃ tʁɑ̃t‿œ̃/

Meaning: To dress very elegantly.

Translation in English: To dress to the nines.

Example: Pour la soirée de gala, tout le monde s'est mis sur son 31. (For the gala evening, everyone dressed up very elegantly.)

 

Jeter de l'huile sur le feu - /ʒəte də l‿ɥil syʁ lə fø/

Meaning: To worsen a conflictual situation.

Translation in English: To add fuel to the fire.

Example: En criant ainsi, tu ne fais que jeter de l'huile sur le feu. (By shouting like that, you're just making things worse.)

 

Couper la poire en deux - /kupe la pwaʁ ɑ̃ dø/

Meaning: To find a compromise.

Translation in English: To meet halfway.

Example: Plutôt que de continuer à se disputer, ils ont décidé de couper la poire en deux. (Instead of continuing to argue, they decided to compromise.)

 

Avoir un chat dans la gorge - /avwaʁ œ̃ ʃa dɑ̃ la ɡɔʁʒ/

Meaning: To have difficulty speaking clearly, often due to irritation.

Translation in English: To have a frog in one's throat.

Example: Excuse-moi, j'ai un chat dans la gorge ce matin. (Excuse me, I have a frog in my throat this morning.)

 

Appeler un chat un chat - /aple œ̃ ʃa œ̃ ʃa/

Meaning: To speak openly and directly, to say things as they are.

Translation in English: To call a spade a spade.

Example: Je vais appeler un chat un chat : ce projet est un échec. (I'm going to call a spade a spade: this project is a failure.)

 

Mettre la main à la pâte - /mɛtʁ la mɛ̃ a la pat/

Meaning: To actively participate in work.

Translation in English: To lend a hand.

Example: Il est temps que tout le monde mette la main à la pâte pour finir à temps. (It's time for everyone to lend a hand to finish on time.)

 

Manger sur le pouce - /mɑ̃ʒe syʁ lə pus/

Meaning: To eat quickly, often while standing or walking.

Translation in English: To grab a bite.

Example: Avec seulement dix minutes de pause, j'ai dû manger sur le pouce. (With only ten minutes for a break, I had to grab a bite.)

 

Rire jaune - /ʁiʁ ʒon/

Meaning: To laugh in a forced way, often because one is embarrassed or uncomfortable.

Translation in English: To give a forced laugh.

Example: Il a fait une blague de mauvais goût et tout le monde a ri jaune. (He made a tasteless joke and everyone gave a forced laugh.)

 

Faire boule de neige - /fɛʁ bul də nɛʒ/

Meaning: To gradually gain momentum or escalate.

Translation in English: To snowball.

Example: Le problème a commencé petit, mais il a fait boule de neige très vite. (The problem started small, but it snowballed very quickly.)

 

Avoir les yeux plus gros que le ventre - /avwaʁ le z‿jø ply ɡʁo kə lə vɑ̃tʁ/

Meaning: To take more food than one can eat.

Translation in English: To bite off more than you can chew.

Example: Il a commandé trois plats, mais il avait les yeux plus gros que le ventre. (He ordered three dishes, but his eyes were bigger than his stomach.)

 

En faire tout un fromage - /ɑ̃ fɛʁ tu œ̃ fʁɔmaʒ/

Meaning: To exaggerate the importance of something.

Translation in English: To make a mountain out of a molehill.

Example: Il en fait toujours tout un fromage pour des petites erreurs. (He always makes a mountain out of a molehill for small mistakes.)

 

Avoir la gueule de bois - /avwaʁ la ɡœl də bwa/

Meaning: To be sick after drinking alcohol.

Translation in English: To have a hangover.

Example: Après la fête d'hier, j'ai vraiment la gueule de bois. (After yesterday's party, I really have a hangover.)

 

Se mettre le doigt dans l'œil - /sə mɛtʁ lə dwa dan lœj/

Meaning: To be completely mistaken.

Translation in English: To be completely wrong.

Example: Si tu penses qu'il va s'excuser, tu te mets le doigt dans l'œil. (If you think he's going to apologize, you're barking up the wrong tree.)

 

Pleuvoir des cordes - /plœvʁ de kɔʁd/

Meaning: To rain very heavily.

Translation in English: To rain cats and dogs.

Example: Je ne sortirai pas, il pleut des cordes dehors. (I'm not going out, it's raining cats and dogs outside.)

 

Donner sa langue au chat - /dɔne sa lɑ̃ɡ o ʃa/

Meaning: To not know the answer, to give up on a riddle.

Translation in English: To give up guessing.

Example: Je donne ma langue au chat, quel est la réponse à l'énigme ? (I give up, what's the answer to the riddle?)

 

Se serrer la ceinture - /sə sɛʁe la sɛ̃tyʁ/

Meaning: To reduce spending.

Translation in English: To tighten one's belt.

Example: Après avoir perdu son emploi, il a dû se serrer la ceinture. (After losing his job, he had to tighten his belt.)

 

Avoir un coup de barre - /avwaʁ œ̃ ku də baʁ/

Meaning: To suddenly feel very tired.

Translation in English: To feel suddenly tired.

Example: Après le déjeuner, j'ai eu un coup de barre impressionnant. (After lunch, I was suddenly very tired.)

 

Mettre du beurre dans les épinards - /mɛtʁ dy bœʁ dɑ̃ lez‿epinaʁ/

Meaning: To improve one's financial situation.

Translation in English: To make things better financially.

Example: Ce travail supplémentaire me permet de mettre un peu de beurre dans les épinards. (This extra work allows me to make ends meet a bit more comfortably.)

 

Être au bout du rouleau - /ɛtʁ o bu dy ʁulɔ/

Meaning: To be extremely tired or at the end of one's resources.

Translation in English: To be at the end of one's tether.

Example: Après cette semaine de travail, je suis vraiment au bout du rouleau. (After this week of work, I am really at the end of my tether.)

 

Tirer les vers du nez de quelqu'un - /tiʁe le vɛʁ dy ne də kɛlkœ̃/

Meaning: To get information from someone by asking many questions.

Translation in English: To worm information out of someone.

Example: Il a fallu que je tire les vers du nez pour qu'il me raconte sa soirée. (I had to pry the information out of him to get him to tell me about his evening.)

 

Faire l’autruche - /fɛʁ lotʁyʃ/

Meaning: To deliberately ignore problems or difficult situations.

Translation in English: To bury one's head in the sand.

Example: Face aux problèmes financiers, il ne peut pas continuer à faire l’autruche. (Faced with financial problems, he can't continue to bury his head in the sand.)

 

Avoir les dents longues - /avwaʁ le dɑ̃ lɔ̃ɡ/

Meaning: To be very ambitious.

Translation in English: To be very ambitious.

Example: Il a les dents longues et vise toujours les postes les plus élevés. (He is very ambitious and always aims for the highest positions.)

 

Tirer son chapeau - /tiʁe sɔ̃ ʃapo/

Meaning: To admire or congratulate someone for an achievement.

Translation in English: To take one's hat off to someone.

Example: Il a réussi seul ce projet complexe, je tire mon chapeau. (He successfully completed this complex project on his own, I take my hat off to him.)

 

Avoir un poil dans la main - /avwaʁ œ̃ pwal dɑ̃ la mɛ̃/

Meaning: To be lazy.

Translation in English: To be lazy.

Example: Il ne veut jamais aider aux tâches ménagères, il a vraiment un poil dans la main. (He never wants to help with household chores, he is really lazy.)

 

Tourner autour du pot - /tuʁne otuʁ dy po/

Meaning: To avoid talking directly about a subject, often out of embarrassment or hesitation.

Translation in English: To beat around the bush.

Example: Arrête de tourner autour du pot et dis-moi ce qui s'est vraiment passé. (Stop beating around the bush and tell me what really happened.)

 

Mettre de l’eau dans son vin - /mɛtʁ də lo dɑ̃ sɔ̃ vɛ̃/

Meaning: To moderate one's claims or opinions, to make compromises.

Translation in English: To tone down one's stance.

Example: Il a dû mettre de l'eau dans son vin pour parvenir à un accord. (He had to tone down his stance to reach an agreement.)

 

Prendre le taureau par les cornes - /pʁɑ̃dʁ lə to paʁ le kɔʁn/

Meaning: To directly and courageously confront a problem.

Translation in English: To take the bull by the horns.

Example: Face à la crise, il a pris le taureau par les cornes et a proposé des solutions efficaces. (Faced with the crisis, he took the bull by the horns and proposed effective solutions.)

 

Ne pas y aller par quatre chemins - /nə pa i ale paʁ katʁ ʃəmɛ̃/

Meaning: To speak or act directly, without beating around the bush.

Translation in English: To not beat around the bush.

Example: Il ne va pas par quatre chemins quand il a quelque chose à dire. (He doesn't beat around the bush when he has something to say.)

 

Avoir l’estomac dans les talons - /avwaʁ lɛstoma dɑ̃ le talɔ̃/

Meaning: To be very hungry.

Translation in English: To be famished.

Example: Après cette longue randonnée, j'avais l'estomac dans les talons. (After this long hike, I was famished.)

 

Tourner autour du pot - /tuʁne otuʁ dy po/

Meaning: To avoid talking directly about a subject, often out of embarrassment or hesitation.

Translation in English: To beat around the bush.

Example: Arrête de tourner autour du pot et dis-moi ce qui s'est vraiment passé. (Stop beating around the bush and tell me what really happened.)

 

Mettre de l’eau dans son vin - /mɛtʁ də lo dɑ̃ sɔ̃ vɛ̃/

Meaning: To moderate one's claims or opinions, to make compromises.

Translation in English: To tone down one's stance.

Example: Il a dû mettre de l'eau dans son vin pour parvenir à un accord. (He had to tone down his stance to reach an agreement.)

 

Prendre le taureau par les cornes - /pʁɑ̃dʁ lə to paʁ le kɔʁn/

Meaning: To directly and courageously confront a problem.

Translation in English: To take the bull by the horns.

Example: Face à la crise, il a pris le taureau par les cornes et a proposé des solutions efficaces. (Faced with the crisis, he took the bull by the horns and proposed effective solutions.)

 

Ne pas y aller par quatre chemins - /nə pa i ale paʁ katʁ ʃəmɛ̃/

Meaning: To speak or act directly, without beating around the bush.

Translation in English: To not beat around the bush.

Example: Il ne va pas par quatre chemins quand il a quelque chose à dire. (He doesn't beat around the bush when he has something to say.)

 

Avoir l’estomac dans les talons - /avwaʁ lɛstoma dɑ̃ le talɔ̃/

Meaning: To be very hungry.

Translation in English: To be famished.

Example: Après cette longue randonnée, j'avais l'estomac dans les talons. (After this long hike, I was famished.)

 

Jeter l’éponge - /ʒəte lepɔ̃ʒ/

Meaning: To give up, to quit something.

Translation in English: To throw in the towel.

Example: Après plusieurs tentatives infructueuses, il a décidé de jeter l'éponge. (After several unsuccessful attempts, he decided to throw in the towel.)

 

Avoir du pain sur la planche - /avwaʁ dy pɛ̃ syʁ la plɑ̃ʃ/

Meaning: To have a lot of work to do.

Translation in English: To have a lot on one's plate.

Example: Avec tous ces projets, nous avons du pain sur la planche. (With all these projects, we have a lot on our plate.)

 

Mettre les points sur les i - /mɛtʁ le pwɛ̃ syʁ le i/

Meaning: To clarify things in a very precise manner.

Translation in English: To dot the i's and cross the t's.

Example: Avant de signer le contrat, il a tenu à mettre les points sur les i. (Before signing the contract, he made sure to dot the i's and cross the t's.)

 

Faire d’une pierre deux coups - /fɛʁ dyn pjɛʁ dø ku/

Meaning: To achieve two objectives with a single action.

Translation in English: To kill two birds with one stone.

Example: En allant à cette conférence, je vais faire d’une pierre deux coups : apprendre quelque chose de nouveau et rencontrer des clients potentiels. (By attending this conference, I will kill two birds with one stone: learn something new and meet potential clients.)

 

Monter sur ses grands chevaux - /mɔ̃te syʁ se ɡʁɑ̃ ʃəvo/

Meaning: To get angry, to take a haughty attitude.

Translation in English: To get on one's high horse.

Example: Dès qu'on critique son travail, il monte sur ses grands chevaux. (As soon as his work is criticized, he gets on his high horse.)

 

Passer du coq à l’âne - /pase dy kɔk a lan/

Meaning: To abruptly change the subject in a conversation.

Translation in English: To jump from one thing to another.

Example: Il est difficile de suivre sa conversation, il passe constamment du coq à l’âne. (It's hard to follow his conversation; he constantly jumps from one topic to another.)

 

Vendre la peau de l'ours avant de l'avoir tué - /vɑ̃dʁ la po də luʁs avɑ̃ də lavwaʁ tɥe/

Meaning: To count on success before it is certain.

Translation in English: To count one's chickens before they hatch.

Example: Ne planifie pas tes vacances avec cet argent avant d'avoir obtenu le bonus, tu risques de vendre la peau de l'ours avant de l'avoir tué. (Don't plan your vacation with that money before getting the bonus, you might be counting your chickens before they hatch.)

 

Rouler quelqu'un dans la farine - /ʁule kɛlkœ̃ dɑ̃ la faʁin/

Meaning: To deceive or trick someone.

Translation in English: To pull the wool over someone's eyes.

Example: Il s'est rendu compte trop tard qu'elle l'avait roulé dans la farine. (He realized too late that she had pulled the wool over his eyes.)

 

Avoir une faim de loup - /avwaʁ yn fɛ̃ də lu/

Meaning: To be very hungry.

Translation in English: To be starving.

Example: Après cette longue marche, j'ai une faim de loup. (After that long walk, I'm starving.)

 

Mettre son nez partout - /mɛtʁ sɔ̃ ne paʁtu/

Meaning: To be nosy, to snoop around in other people's affairs.

Translation in English: To poke one's nose into everything.

Example: Elle met son nez partout, elle ne peut pas s'empêcher de tout savoir. (She pokes her nose into everything, she can't help wanting to know it all.)

 

Marcher sur des œufs - /maʁʃe syʁ dez‿ø/

Meaning: To act with great caution.

Translation in English: To walk on eggshells.

Example: Avec lui, il faut toujours marcher sur des œufs, il est si sensible. (With him, you always have to walk on eggshells; he's so sensitive.)

 

Jeter l'argent par les fenêtres - /ʒəte laʁʒɑ̃ paʁ le fənɛtʁ/

Meaning: To spend money in a wasteful manner.

Translation in English: To throw money out the window.

Example: Il achète toujours des gadgets inutiles, il jette littéralement l'argent par les fenêtres. (He always buys useless gadgets; he literally throws money out the window.)

 

Avoir le cœur sur la main - /avwaʁ lə kœʁ syʁ la mɛ̃/

Meaning: To be very generous.

Translation in English: To be very generous.

Example: Elle a toujours le cœur sur la main, prête à aider les autres. (She is always very generous, ready to help others.)

 

Tirer la couverture à soi - /tiʁe la kuveʁtyʁ a swa/

Meaning: To act selfishly, to claim merits or advantages for oneself.

Translation in English: To hog the blanket.

Example: Dans chaque projet de groupe, il essaie de tirer la couverture à soi. (In every group project, he tries to hog the blanket.)

 

Être dans de beaux draps - /ɛtʁ dɑ̃ də bo dʁa/

Meaning: To be in a difficult or delicate situation.

Translation in English: To be in a fine mess.

Example: Après avoir perdu son emploi, il s'est retrouvé dans de beaux draps. (After losing his job, he found himself in a fine mess.)

 

Laisser tomber comme une vieille chaussette - /lɛse tɔ̃be kɔm yn vjɛj ʃosɛt/

Meaning: To abruptly and without consideration abandon someone.

Translation in English: To drop someone like a hot potato.

Example: Après des années d'amitié, il m'a laissé tomber comme une vieille chaussette. (After years of friendship, he dropped me like a hot potato.)

 

Ne pas mettre tous ses œufs dans le même panier - /nə pa mɛtʁ tus se ø dɑ̃ lə mɛm pɑnje/

Meaning: Not to concentrate all efforts or resources on one thing.

Translation in English: To not put all your eggs in one basket.

Example: Pour minimiser les risques, il ne faut pas mettre tous ses œufs dans le même panier. (To minimize risks, one should not put all eggs in one basket.)

 

Prendre quelqu'un la main dans le sac - /pʁɑ̃dʁ kɛlkœ̃ la mɛ̃ dɑ̃ lə sak/

Meaning: To catch someone in the act of doing something wrong.

Translation in English: To catch someone red-handed.

Example: Nous avons pris le voleur la main dans le sac. (We caught the thief red-handed.)

 

Courir sur le haricot - /kuʁiʁ syʁ lə aʁiko/

Meaning: To annoy or bother someone.

Translation in English: To get on someone's nerves.

Example: Arrête de me courir sur le haricot avec tes demandes incessantes ! (Stop getting on my nerves with your constant demands!)

 

Casser les pieds à quelqu'un - /kase le pje a kɛlkœ̃/

Meaning: To deeply annoy or bother someone.

Translation in English: To annoy someone greatly.

Example: Il ne fait que se plaindre toute la journée, ça me casse les pieds ! (He does nothing but complain all day, it's so annoying!)

 

Mettre la charrue avant les bœufs - /mɛtʁ la ʃaʁy avɑ̃ le bœf/

Meaning: To do things out of order or too hastily.

Translation in English: To put the cart before the horse.

Example: En voulant lancer le produit avant de le tester correctement, il a mis la charrue avant les bœufs. (By rushing to launch the product before properly testing it, he put the cart before the horse.)

 

Tomber dans les pommes - /tɔ̃.be dɑ̃ le pɔm/

Meaning: To faint, lose consciousness.

Translation in English: To faint.

Example: Après avoir couru le marathon sous le soleil brûlant, il est tombé dans les pommes. (After running the marathon in the scorching sun, he fainted.)