“Appeler un chat un chat” is a French saying that literally means “to call a cat a cat.” It means to call things by their name, to be open and direct, to not mince one’s words, not to fear calling things by their names, to avoid euphemisms.
The origin of this expression is unknown. Its closest equivalent in English is “to call a spade a spade.”
There are a few different ways to say “to think” in French. You can use verbs like “penser,” “songer,” “réfléchir,” “croire,” or “considérer.” penser Penser means “to think.” It is related to the English word “pensive,” someone who is thoughtful or in deep thought. It can be used with “à” to mean “to have in…
This French idiom means literally, “the English have disembarked.” From 1815 to 1820, the English Army, wearing their traditional red uniforms, occupied France in their war against Napoléon. After they left, Parisians started using this phrase to mean, “to have her period,” since the flow of unwelcome English invaders wearing red coats resembled red menstrual…
“Boire en Suisse” means to drink alone, to eat alone, to do something without inviting friends or even to do something in Switzerland. Literally it means to drink in Switzerland, but “en Suisse” can either mean “in Switzerland” or “like a Swiss person.” It comes from an expression dating back to around 1800. This was…
“Mine de rien” is a popular French expression that is used in everyday conversations. Literally translated, it means “appearance of nothing,” “expression of nothing,” or “look of nothing,” but its true meaning goes beyond its literal interpretation. This expression is often used to describe someone’s behavior or attitude when they are doing something in a…
The letter “c” can be pronounced in two different ways in French. It can be hard, like the first “c” in the word “coriace,” meaning “tough,” “leathery,” or “hard-headed,” pronounced [KOH REE AHSS]. Or it can be soft, like the last “c” in “coriace.” How do you know whether a “c” will be hard or…
The French verb “voir” primarily means “to see.” It can be used in various contexts and expressions, such as: Present Tense Pronoun Conjugation Je vois Tu vois Il/Elle voit Nous voyons Vous voyez Ils/Elles voient Passé Composé Pronoun Conjugation J’ ai vu Tu as vu Il/Elle a vu Nous avons vu Vous avez vu Ils/Elles…