The French expression “Appuyez sur le champignon !” literally means “Step on the mushroom!” Why would you tell someone to step on the mushroom? Because the accelerator pedal on early motor vehicles was originally shaped like a hemisphere or a dome. Kind of like a mushroom. So “Appuyez sur le champignon !” means “step on the gas!”, “speed up!”, “hurry up!” or simply “accelerate!”
Translating “the day before,” “tomorrow,” and “the day after” into French You may already know the French words “hier” (yesterday) and “demain” (tomorrow). French offers several expressions to convey concepts like “the day before,” “tomorrow,” and “the day after.” Each has its unique nuances depending on the context. 1. “The day before” The English phrase…
The French phrase “faire le malin” translates literally as “to make the clever (person),” but it really means “to show off,” “to play it smart,” “to try to be clever,” “to get cute,” or “to boast.” It can also mean “to con” or “to cheat.” Examples Expression A saying that is derived from this phrase…
“Vogue la galère” means “what will be, will be,” “come what may,” or “whatever happens, happens.” Literally the expression means something like “let the galley sail.” But the word “voguer” (to sail) originally meant to be pushed over the water by strength of oars. Galleys were ships powered by oarsmen and were used from antiquity…
“Être en panne” is a French saying that means to be damaged, to be broken, to be defective, to have broken down, or to have stopped an activity. This expression dates back to the 16th century, to the world of sailing ships. “Mettre en panne” meant to adjust the sails in such a way that…
Homonyms are words that share the same spelling or pronunciation but have different meanings. In this article, we’ll delve into two French homonyms: “parti” and “partie.” Meaning and Usage 1. Le parti: 2. La partie: Etymology 1. Le Parti: Latin Origin: The word “parti” has its roots in the Latin word “partitus,” which is the…
Meanings of “Craindre”: The French verb “craindre” primarily translates to “to fear” or “to be afraid.” However, its meanings extend beyond mere fear, encompassing a spectrum of related emotions: Conjugation in Present and Passé Composé: “Craindre” belongs to the third group of French verbs, which are often irregular in their conjugations. Here is how “craindre”…