French idomatic expressions
French idomatic expressions
When learning French you will learn a vocabulary of words before you begin to use them in sentence structure. This is a very simple but effective way to learn a new language, as you progress through your understanding of French you will come across some sentences that will not make any sense when you translate them word for word. This is called an idiom, it is useful to learn the most common French Idiomatic expressions so that when you encounter them you will understand their meaning. In English we have many Idioms like "See eye to eye" and "Costs an arm and a leg". If you translated these phrases literally into French, a French speaker would struggle to understand their meaning. It is of course very useful to learn the more common French expressions when learning French.
Here is a sample of some of the most common French Idiomatic Expressions:
Idiom appeler un chat un chat
Real meaning to call a spade a spade
Literal Meaning to call a cat a cat
Idiom comme un poisson dans l'eau
Real meaning At ease
Literal Meaning Like a fish in water
Idiom les doigts dans le nez
Real meaning Very easy
Literal Meaning Fingers in the nose
Idiom Avoir le melon
Real meaning To be sure of oneself
Literal Meaning To have the melon
Idiom Être aux anges
Real meaning To be over the moon
Literal Meaning To be at the level of the angels
Idiom Faire un tabac
Real meaning To have a huge success
Literal Meaning To make a tobacco
Idiom Manger sur le pouce
Real meaning To eat very hastily
Literal Meaning Eat on the thumb
Idiom Ce ne sont pas vos oignons
Real meaning It is none of your business
Literal Meaning Those are not your onions
Idiom Pleuvoir comme une vache qui pisse
Real meaning To rain cats and dogs
Literal Meaning To rain like a peeing cow