mint Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 Had a woman on the phone today, asking for the OH. I smiled as I said, non, il n'est pas là. It's so illogical, don't you think? He's not here, that's the natural thing to say, isn't it? So, why do we say he is not "là", there?Yes, I know, him being a man, he isn't always all "there". but, even so........[:D]Next one is:Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle.......see, I did look at the original French lyrics kindly provided by someone here when I mentioned the song "Autumn Leaves".That, too, made me smile because I can't see the leaves ramassent-ing themselves. Surely it's YOU who ramassez them?Can anyone think of other French expressions (or indeed English ones) that make us smile?Look, the evenings are long and could be boring unless we try to entertain each other?([:D] smile of encouragement). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renaud Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 Liberté, égalité, fraternité. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubbles Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 Tout est possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maricopa Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 [:D][:D][:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cendrillon Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 bubbles wrote the following post at 05/11/2009 15:04:"Tout est possible."I was going to put the same though would have written "tout est possible, madame" (at a price [Www]) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-element Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 [quote user="Renaud"]Liberté, égalité, fraternité.[/quote]Let's not forget "Laicité", which comes as number 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-element Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 "Impossible n'est pas francais". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maricopa Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 I don't think this thread is quite going in the direction S17 expected, but I hope she is enjoying the "crack" as much as I am![:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 Satisfait ou remboursé Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renaud Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 Veuillez agréer, Monsieur, l’expression de mes sentiments distingués Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 (Ce magasin) ouvert tous les jours:sauf jeudi, samedi après-midi, dimanchePriceless!!Sue - [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maricopa Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 Ferméture exceptionellement, for days or even weeks on end! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 facile a ouvrir (which of course means precisely the opposite.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 Ooh, you've hit on one of my pet peeves there coops, no matter what language the lie is written in!You find the tab, you pull ... nothing. You try again, using the damp end of the tea-towel ... still nothing. You resort to a pointy knife... and stab the beast to death [6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 ça va? ça va.Also, a man replying to his wife's complaint about a product in a shop "quel 'orreur!" (sarcastically.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 Normallement = sometimes yes, sometimes noDemain = perhaps by the end of the weekSemaine prochaine = perhaps by the end of the month (unless that happens to be next week)Quinze jours a peu pres = see you at the Fete Votive next summer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 [quote user="Cat"]Ooh, you've hit on one of my pet peeves there coops, no matter what language the lie is written in!You find the tab, you pull ... nothing. You try again, using the damp end of the tea-towel ... still nothing. You resort to a pointy knife... and stab the beast to death [6][/quote]There was a wonderful episode of Curb Your Ethusiasm a couple of weeks ago when Larry cut himself trying to open something. In the end he went to a shop and bought a Swiss Army type of knife so he'd be able to tackle the packaging properly next time. On the way home he spots a road accident and finds he needs the knife to cut a seatbelt to let one of the victims out. Of course, the knife itself is wrapped an un-openable plastic package.[:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 That'd be this episode coops http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BCT4Ql7yww Back on topic, péter les plombs. Although I now know that this means to blow a fuse, I still always imagine someone farting shotgun pellets (sorry) [:$] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRoss Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 Huit à Huit open at 8.15 and closed at 7.15!................................JR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 [quote user="JohnRoss"]Huit à Huit open at 8.15 and closed at 7.15!................................JR[/quote]Oh yes, 8 à 8 are brilliant for super signs. The one down the road from our Appart'Hotel in the Bay of Arcachon area in June 2002 opened at 8h15 - 8h45 for bread, opened again at 9h15 then shut for lunch at 12h15 and opened again in the afternoon 14h15 til 19h15. Except for some (quiet) days when they got fed-up and closed early. Mind you the World Cup was on TV - but I don't know whether that had anything to do with it.Happy Days.Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 The expression that always gets my back up is another use of "la", the one I call the "you must be a mind-reader.It usually follows someone describing someone or something that they dont like and they leave the sentence unended by saying "mais la!..........., la euhh............................. and often with an interrogative "heh"? or "Hein"! thrown in for good measure to amke sure that you agree. I even hear it frequently on the telly, perhaps it is a perceived form of politeness but being someone that likes to call a spade a spade whenever anyone starts the 'la euhh" nonsence with me I reply "shais pas comment lire les pensées des autres donc il faut m'expliquer -boubourse"! [6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-element Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 "C'est pas logique!" as well as "C'est normal!"[:P]and"Oh, moi, le sucré-salé, non merci!"[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted November 9, 2009 Author Share Posted November 9, 2009 Yes, 5-e. What about mi figue mi raisin??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 "Service apres vente" and "service relation clientèle".They seem to have missed the negation out of these terms [6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 "Attention Bouchons" I have a vision of a load of French chaps hiding behind a hedge, opening champagne bottles and firing the corks at passing motorists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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