Patf Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 I came across a french idiom today which is very close to our english version:"tempete dans un verre d'eau"So which came first, the french or the english?Another one is "vent en poupe".Have you any more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Gosh, Pat, I have been collecting these expressions for as long as I have lived in France! Could spend hours talking about them so I will just tell you my most recent.donner la langue au chatI don't have a true translation but I have my own idea about it which may or may not be correct. I use it in the sense of "it's in the lap of the gods" which I am sure would not mean anything to a French person! To put it another way, it's expressing an inability to explain something and so "I have given up trying to find a solution to the problem".Perhaps someone can explain it better, svp? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 I would have said 'throw in the towel' in the sense of "I give up" rather than struggle on.This site is quite useful http://www.expressio.fr/expressions/donner-sa-langue-au-chat.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted August 1, 2018 Author Share Posted August 1, 2018 I like that one [:)]I'm also interested in the idioms that have a similar meaning in french and english.Like storm in a teacup. And wind in his sails. In my 2 examples above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 OK then, what about mordre la poussière? To bite the dust..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroTrash Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 hors des sentiers battus = off the beaten path(s) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Tiré à quatre épingles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted August 3, 2018 Author Share Posted August 3, 2018 That's a hard one, Oiseau! Had to look it up.Those that have an english equivalent interest me because I believe a nation's language, and especially their idioms, reflects their mentality. and there are quite a few which are similar in english and french.One difference between the two (imo) is words for fear. I think french has more than english. And pain (not bread) has more in english than french. What do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 “On peut pas faire une omelette sans casser des oeufs”. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 OK, Patf, I see what you mean.I haven’t continued your "pain and fear" trials, but with a bit of help from this excellent website https://dictionary.reverso.net/english-french/I can come up with a few more:A bird in the hand is worth two in the bushUn "tiens" vaut deux "tu l'auras"The cobbler's children are the worst shodLes cordonniers sont les plus mal chaussésA little bird told meMon petit doigt m'a ditAbsence makes the heart grow fonderLoin des yeux, près du cœurHis Achilles' heelSon talon d'AchilleDon’t look a gift horse in the mouth À cheval donné on ne regarde pas les dentsDon’t put all your eggs in one basketIl ne faut pas mettre tous ses œufs dans le même panierEvery cloud has a silver liningAprès la pluie, le beau tempsKill two birds with one stoneFaisant d'une pierre deux coupsTo let sleeping dogs lieNe pas réveiller le chat qui dortLet the cat out of the bagCracher le morceauWhen pigs flyQuand les poules auront des dentsRaining cats and dogsPleut des cordesSomething smells fishyIl y a quelquechose qui clocheSpitting imageLe portrait tout craché Ressembler comme deux gouttes d'eauThe last strawLa goutte qui fait déborder le vaseTo cut a long story shortEn brefHer hobbySon violon d'Ingres Can’t teach an old dog new tricksOn n'apprend pas au vieux singes à faire des grimacesAnd this quite funny one, that I have occasionally heard said ironically, but which of course comes from traditional fairy tales:They all lived happily ever afterIls vécurent heureux et eurent beaucoup d'enfants Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted August 3, 2018 Author Share Posted August 3, 2018 Gardian - I think I've heard that one too.And Loiseau - [:D] just what I meant!There's another one I got from a french neighbour whose garden always looked good. I said ( in french) you have green fingers, and she gave me the french equivalent. Can't remember it now, but it's very close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 Surely “doigts verts”?I’ve heard it said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted August 5, 2018 Author Share Posted August 5, 2018 I said "doigts verts" and she said something slightly different. Maybe "mains verts"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted August 5, 2018 Share Posted August 5, 2018 mains verts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted August 5, 2018 Share Posted August 5, 2018 "Avoir la main verte" i think is the expression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 28, 2018 Share Posted August 28, 2018 Pat, I tripped across this one whilst reading about Hulot's resignation this morning (and I thought about your thread) and how it is viewed in the Macron camp.Il ne joue pas carte sur table. Didn't put all his cards on the table? Would that be it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted August 28, 2018 Author Share Posted August 28, 2018 Yes that's a good example Mint.As I (think) I wrote earlier, I think language reflects a nation's essence. So I would like to think that we british have something in common with the french. Many of whom I became close to. In spite of earlier wars, and current Brexit differences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KO12 Posted August 28, 2018 Share Posted August 28, 2018 M. Google, il dit "annoncer clairement ses intentions" so - 'he does not clearly announce his intentions' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 28, 2018 Share Posted August 28, 2018 évidemment![:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Zoff Posted August 29, 2018 Share Posted August 29, 2018 I recently tried a couple of things which fell completely flat with my French audience. I will use English here to avoid mucking about with the French accents.On entering the local bar, I was asked by my good friend,Fred, the barman: "A beer?"I replied as I might in my UK local, but in French: "Is the Pope catholic?"Fred, confused, as were the other customers: "Yes, of course he is. Why do you ask? Would you like a beer?"Then to a lorry driver whose vehicle had broken down outside our house and was stuck for 7 hours until a mechanic got him going at 9pm. I had supplied them both with refreshments and offered the use of our "facilities" and said to them as they were finally leaving: "I hope your dinners are not in the dog."The driver's reply: "In the dog? We don't have a dog."Vive la difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted August 29, 2018 Author Share Posted August 29, 2018 Yes their sense of humour is different from ours.Did anyone see the tv series Excuse my French?https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excuse_My_French_(2006_TV_series)Marcus Brigstocke tried out one of his standup routines on a french audience, I think it was in Paris. It fell flat, so he made it more slapstick and they loved it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Zoff Posted August 29, 2018 Share Posted August 29, 2018 Slapstick, dirty postcard and lavatorial always seem to work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard51 Posted August 29, 2018 Share Posted August 29, 2018 Wow.Did they know that you were "les Anglais"."F u c k you" seems to get a good response too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted September 4, 2018 Share Posted September 4, 2018 Pat, I have found another one that you might like. Found in one of those waiting room magazines.....this time at my kiné's. The expression is les pièds à terre et la tete dans les étoiles. I think I prefer to have my head amongst the stars like the French instead of in the clouds like the Brits. France 1, GB 0 on this occasion[:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted September 4, 2018 Author Share Posted September 4, 2018 That's a good one Mint - so close.Richard - "F u c k you" seems to get a good response too."I know, it was printed on the dusty windscreen of an abandoned car next to our first house.Why do you think they sometimes resort to english? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.