“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.”
“Faire son miel de” is a French saying whose literal translation is “to make one’s honey from.” It means to make a profit from, or to take advantage of a situation to earn a lot of money. It comes from the activity of bees, who are known not only for their industriousness and hard work, but…
The French phrase “il faut que” means “it’s necessary that.” It is used to express obligation and necessity. Unlike the phrase “il faut” (which is used without “que” and with a verb in the infinitive), “il faut que” specifies exactly who should do something. “Il faut que” is always accompanied by a second verb in…
The verb “piger” is a colloquial term in French that means “to understand” or “to grasp.” It is often used in informal contexts, instead of the usual verb “comprendre,” meaning “to understand.” The verb “piger” is conjugated like a regular -er verb in French, with forms such as “je pige” (I understand), “tu piges” (you…
Regular vs. Irregular Verbs: A Brief Overview In French, as in many other languages, verbs are categorised as either regular or irregular based on their conjugation patterns. Conjugation refers to how a verb changes in form to match different subjects, tenses, and moods. Regular verbs follow predictable patterns, making them relatively easy to conjugate once…
The French saying “quand on parle du loup, on voit sa queue” literally means “when one speak of the wolf, one sees his tail.” What does this mean? It means that often when you talk about someone, they will suddenly and unexpectedly appear. A variation of this saying appeared in the 16th century. It referred…
“Sur les chapeaux de roues” is a French saying that literally translates as “on the hats of the wheels.” A better translation would be “on the hubcaps.” It is a way of saying “at high speed.” If a vehicle travels at high speed and goes around a curve or a corner, it will tend to…