Expressions idiomatiques

avoir un chat dans la gorge

to have a frog in your throat (lit: to have a cat in your throat)

pleuvoir des cordes

to rain cats and dogs (lit: to rain ropes)

ça marche

it functions/got it/okay (lit: it walks)

Être dans la lune

to daydream (lit: to be in the moon)

Ça coûte un bras

it's super expensive (lit: it costs and arm)

Faire la grasse matinée

stay in bed until late in the morning (lit: to do a fat morning)

Coupe de foudre

to fall in love at first sight (lit: a lightning strike)

Poser un lapin à quelqu'un

to stand someone up (lit: to put a rabbit on someone) note: used in a romantic/dating scene

Il fait un froid de canard

it's super cold (lit: it's duck-cold)

On n'a pas élevé les cochons ensemble

you need to respect me more (lit: we didn't grow pigs together)

Appeler un chat un chat

to say it as it is (lit: to call a cat a cat)

Revenons à nos moutons

let's go back to the topic at hand (lit: let's get back to out sheep)

Être une poule mouillée

(lit: to be a wet chicken) to be a coward

La moutarde monte au nez

to get really angry (lit: the mustard goes up the nose)

Tomber dans les pommes

to faint, lose consciousness (lit: to fall in the apples)

Se vendre comme des petits pains

to be in high demand/sold very easily (lit: to be sold like small bread)

Recevoir une note salée

to receive a huge surprise bill (lit: to receive a salty bill)

Ce n'est pas tes oignons

it doesn't concern you (lit: these are not your onions)

Gagner des cacahuètes

to receive a very small wage (lit: to make peanuts)

Poser un lapin à quelqu'un

to stand someone up (lit: to put a rabbit on somebody)

Battre le fer pendant qu'il est chaud

take advantage of favorable situations (lit: strike the iron while it is hot)

Ce n'est pas la mer à boire

it's not that difficult/it's not a big deal (lit: it's not as if you have to drink the sea)

La nuit porte conseil

sleep on it/take your time before making the decision (lit: the night brings advice)

Vouloir, c'est pouvoi

where there's a will, there's a way (lit: to want to is to be able to)

Impossible n'est pas français

nothing is impossible (lit: impossible isn't French)

Il ne faut rien laisser au hasard

leave nothing to chance/plan ahead (lit: nothing should be left to chance)

L'habit ne fait pas le moine

don't judge a book by its cover (lit: the outfit doesn't make the monk)

Mieux vaut tard que jamais

better late than never (lit: late is worth more than never)

Aux innocents les mains pleines

beginner's luck/ fortune favors fools (lit: full hands for the innocents)

Mieux vaut être seul que mal accompagné

it is better to be alone than around bad company/a bad person (lit: better alone than in bad company)

Après la pluie, le beau temps

encouraging someone to "hang in there", even if things are bad they will get better (lit: after the rain, good weather)

Les murs ont des oreilles

pay attention to what you say because there is a chance you could be overheard (lit: the walls have ears)

À bon chat, bon rat

to describe two competitors that improve as they fight against one another (lit: to a good cat, a good rat)

Les chiens ne font pas des chats

the apple doesn't fall far from the tree (lit: dogs don't make cats)

Il n'y a pas de quoi fouetter un chat

it's not big deal/it doesn't matter (lit: there's no reason to whip the cat)

Se prendre un râteau

when the person you are interested in rejects you (lit: to hit a rake)

Avoir le cafard

feeling down (lit: to have the cockroach)

Avoir la pêche

feeling happy and full of energy (lit: to have the peach)

Prendre la tête

it's irritating/gives you a headache/can't wait to be done with (lit: to take the head)

En avoir marre

you've had enough of something or someone (lit: to have enough of it)

Avoir du pain sur la planche

you have a lot to do (lit: to have bread on the board)

Être à l'ouest

use it to describe that someone is off (lit: to be in the west)

Être rouge comme une tomate

the face of someone who is embarrassed or ashamed of something (lit: to be like a tomato)

Avoir une peur bleu de

a fear closer to terror than to the actual fear, like someone afraid of flying or spiders (lit: to have a blue fear)

Ne pas être dans son assiette

not feel very well, either emotionally or physically (lit: no to be in one's plate)

Avoir la moutarde qui monte au nez

lose your temper (lit: to have the mustard going up your nose)

Avoir un chat dans la gorge

the feeling you have something in your throat and therefore need to cough to clear it (lit: to have a cat in the throat)

Être bien dans sa peau

comfortable with who you are (lit: to be good in one's skin)

Avoir un QI d'huître

informal way of calling someone stupid (lit: to have the IQ of an oyster)

Avoir les yeux plus gros que le ventre

want to eat more than you can/bite off more than you can chew (lit: to have the eyes bigger than your belly)