The French expression “faire une frite” literally means “to make a fry” or “to make a French fry.” However it has nothing to do with cooking. Instead it means to use the backs of your fingers to whip someone’s bottom in a downwards direction. This action, often done by kids teasing each other, will leave temporary marks that resemble French fries on the recipient’s backside.
The English expressions “none of your business” and “none of my business” can be translated into French in several ways depending on the level of formality and the tone. French offers both direct, informal equivalents and more polite or neutral alternatives. None of your business The most common informal way to say “none of your…
This expression means “for your information,” “for information,” “in order to teach you how to conduct yourself in a situation,” “to inform you,” or “for information.” The word “gouverne” is related to governing and government. It dates back to the 12th century, but in the 18th century took the meaning of “serving as a rule…
“Un beau brin de fille” means a pretty, young girl, or a beautiful, seductive woman, or a good looking girl. “Un brin” can mean a blade (of grass), a piece, a sprig (of plant), a little, a tad, a touch of or a bit of. So the idiom literally means something like “a beautiful bit…
This expression means “that’s it,” “that’s enough” or “we’re all squared up.” It refers to payment and is based on the street “rue Michel le Comte” in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris. This street received its name in 1270. The expression comes from the drivers of horse drawn hackney cabs who were originally based in the…
The French expression on dirait is widely used in spoken and written language. It comes from the verb dire (to say), conjugated in the conditional third person singular (on dirait = one would say / it would seem). The subject on is impersonal, and the phrase often introduces an impression, resemblance, assumption, or hypothetical situation….
French can be tricky, especially when it comes to homophones – words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Two common examples are “en fait” and “on fête.” En fait “En fait” is a very common French phrase that means “in fact” or “actually.” It’s used to clarify or correct a statement,…