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Clair, are you paying attention? Useful expressions!


mint
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Thanks for pm, mint!

Hmm, can't guess what that expression means...

Hooray for this thread! Was dining with a group of French friends last night, and "cassoss" came up! Was very proud that I knew it.

On the other hand, I also learnt a new expression from them: "pêter sur une toile cirée". I think it's a bit "familier" for polite company though.

Angela
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[quote user="mint"]PM alert for loisseau.

And a new expression for those interested:  mettre quelqu'un sur les dents.
[/quote]

Hi Sweet/mint or whatever you now call yourself (I liked sweet17....!) You can definitely "etre sur les dents" as in being on high alert for something to happen but I somewhat don't think you can turn someone in this state. I might be wrong but ......

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[quote user="ericd"]

[quote user="mint"]PM alert for loisseau.

And a new expression for those interested:  mettre quelqu'un sur les dents.

[/quote]

Hi Sweet/mint or whatever you now call yourself (I liked sweet17....!) You can definitely "etre sur les dents" as in being on high alert for something to happen but I somewhat don't think you can turn someone in this state. I might be wrong but ......

[/quote]

Hi, Eric, I don't mind what you call me as long as you help me with my French!

For on high alert for something to happen, I would say en branle-bas de combat.

I understood that mettre quelqu'un sur les dents is to annoy them.  Is that not correct?

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[quote user="mint"][quote user="ericd"]

[quote user="mint"]PM alert for loisseau.

And a new expression for those interested:  mettre quelqu'un sur les dents.
[/quote]

Hi Sweet/mint or whatever you now call yourself (I liked sweet17....!) You can definitely "etre sur les dents" as in being on high alert for something to happen but I somewhat don't think you can turn someone in this state. I might be wrong but ......

[/quote]

Hi, Eric, I don't mind what you call me as long as you help me with my French!

For on high alert for something to happen, I would say en branle-bas de combat.

I understood that mettre quelqu'un sur les dents is to annoy them.  Is that not correct?
[/quote]

Hi Susie  ;-)

I must admit never ever used this expression as a meaning of annoying someone. I would rather say " l'embeter (embeter cette personne)" or other expressions a tad more rude.

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[quote user="ericd"]

Hi Susie  ;-)

I must admit never ever used this expression as a meaning of annoying someone. I would rather say " l'embeter (embeter cette personne)" or other expressions a tad more rude.

[/quote]

Hi Eric

I must have got it wrong and I think it must be closer to what you and Cinders have explained.  I read it in a detective story where there were murderers "out there" and it is the murders that have alarmed the police and put them on alert for more murders!

LOL, I try to read a range of books to get used to different vocabulary and style of writing.

bonne journée

Susie

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[quote user="Cendrillon"]I have just found th efollowing explanations in the dictionary.

Mettre son  personnel sur les dents = to work one's staff to death

etre sur les dents = to be worn out

[/quote]

Hey, Cinders, it truly wasn't a story about modern day slavery...............................[:-))]

Anyway, seeing that I now no longer have the chateau or indeed slaves, I don't know when I'd be able to try out the expression.

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Now that Loiseau has let rip with the p-word, I can admit that phrase I particularly enjoy is :

Il pète plus haut que son cul.

Describing a tedious, overreaching, self-referential windbag, all of whose geese are inevitably swans.

Not only is it an expression hallowed by some four hundred years of literary currency, but it has gain even further dignity by a recent employment in connection with the President of the USA.

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[quote user="Gengulphus"]Now that Loiseau has let rip with the p-word, I can admit that phrase I particularly enjoy is :

Il pète plus haut que son cul.

Describing a tedious, overreaching, self-referential windbag, all of whose geese are inevitably swans.

Not only is it an expression hallowed by some four hundred years of literary currency, but it has gain even further dignity by a recent employment in connection with the President of the USA.

[/quote]

Huh?  I would have thought that is somewhat of an impossible physical feat?[:D]

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mint, if I have not actually said this, I have thought this expression on many an occasion. It is really in current usage, or maybe I mix with slightly vulgar people[Www].

Gengulphus said: all of whose geese are inevitably swans.

Now that I don't get. I would have rather thought all of those 'swans' are inevitably geese. Not that there is much wrong with geese, sounds like me, tend to be noisy and like geese, me having me  bad knees, I do tend to waddle these days, such is life[:-))]

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  • 1 month later...
I have a new word AND a new phrase this week, so riches indeed[:)]

The new word is "gringoler" and it was used in reference to President Hollande who would surely be gringolé come the general election in 2016.

The phrase is this and they are talking about the tennis final in Toronto yesterday played by Tsonga and Federer:

C'est Federer qui a mordu la poussière

I use that phrase fairly frequently in English and hadn't realised that there was a French equivalent so I was very pleased to discover it.

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  • 2 weeks later...
You might like

'Vous aurez beau faire'  in this quotation, which has the slightly old fashioned feel of 'Try as you might'

[URL=http://s253.photobucket.com/user/bfb_album/media/10405466_317818741726222_7894928584361387335_n_zps9995af74.jpg.html][IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh80/bfb_album/10405466_317818741726222_7894928584361387335_n_zps9995af74.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

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  • 2 weeks later...
My newly acquired useful phrase - last night at the village fete I went off to the loo (I know, too much information) and the very strong water pressure in the very small sink resulted in me going back into the salle des fetes looking as if I'd been out in the rain.

'T'es pas sortable!' declared my friend.

I can't take you anywhere? I like it.
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[quote user="NormanH"]You might like
'Vous aurez beau faire'  in this quotation, which has the slightly old fashioned feel of 'Try as you might'

[URL=http://s253.photobucket.com/user/bfb_album/media/10405466_317818741726222_7894928584361387335_n_zps9995af74.jpg.html][IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh80/bfb_album/10405466_317818741726222_7894928584361387335_n_zps9995af74.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[/quote]


Goes to prove that women are so shallow..... and men are to the point ! I love it !

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