“Faire d’une pierre deux coups” is a French idiom that literally translates as “to make two strikes with one stone.” It means to reach several objectives with a single action, or to achieve two things at the same time with a single action.
The English equivalent of this French saying is “to kill two birds with one stone.”
The French expression is attributed to Montaigne in the 16th century, but may well date back earlier.
The French saying “travailler pour le roi de Prusse” translates literally as “to work for the King of Prussia.” What it really means is “to work for nothing,” or “to not be paid for your efforts.” The idiom first appeared around the middle of the 19th century. Its origin remains unclear, however. There are a…
The French verbs “alentir” and “ralentir” are related to the adjective “lent,” which means “slow.” The two verbs both mean “to slow down.” “Alentir” is only used in literature (or in Québec) these days, while “ralentir” is in common usage. Meanings and Usage: Conjugation in the Present Tense: Conjugation in the Passé Composé: Etymology: Both…
The French verb “se passer” means “to happen” or “to take place.” Conjugation in the Present Tense: “Se passer” is a reflexive verb, used impersonally with “il,” “ça” or “ils.” It is not used with other subjects such as je, tu, elle, etc. Conjugation in the Passé Composé: “Se passer” is a reflexive verb, used…
How do you talk about singing in French? There are a few words – some verbs, some nouns. The verb “to sing,” which is “chanter.” The noun “a song,” which is “une chanson.” And the noun “the singing,” which is “le chant.” There is another verb “entonner,” which means “to start singing,” or “to launch…
“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…
The French adjective “maint” means “many,” “many a,” “numerous” or “manifold.” It is a little archaic and is most commonly used in a literary way, although some still use it in everyday speech. People tend to prefer more modern words such as “beaucoup,” “nombreux,” “plusieurs,” or more familiarly, “plein de.” As an adjective, “maint” must…