Haut comme trois pommes
“Haut comme trois pommes” is a French expression meaning “Knee high to a grasshopper,” ie very small, tiny or very young. Literally it means “as tall as three apples.” Its origin is unknown but its meaning is quite clear.
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que dalle
“que dalle” is a French saying that means “nothing” or “nothing at all.” In modern French, “une dalle” is a paving stone, but this has nothing to do with “que dalle.” The origins of this expression are unclear, with a few theories in existence. One is that it comes from the word for a five franc…
être dans les choux
“être dans les choux” is a French saying that literally means “to be in the cabbages.” What it means really, however, is “to fail, to be in a bad situation, to be ranked last or to lose.” An equivalent English expression is “to be up the creek without a paddle.” It comes from the paronymy (the…
payer au lance-pierres
The French expression “payer au lance-pierres” translates literally as “to pay with a slingshot,” but it means “to underpay.” The saying dates to the end of the 19th century, when slingshots made from rubber become more popular, thanks to improvements in rubber chemistry. The expression originally came from another saying “avec un lance-pierres,” which translated…
manger de la vache enragée
The French idiom “manger de la vache enragée” literally translates as “to eat of the enraged cow.” No, it doesn’t have anything to do with Mad Cow disease. In fact it means “to live in misery, to have a difficult material life, or to lead a life of deprivation.” The saying dates from the 17th century….
mouche expressions
The word “la mouche” means “the fly” in French. Here is a summary of French idiomatic expressions that use “mouche.” Faire mouche Literal meaning: To hit the flyFigurative meaning: To hit the target exactly; to be spot onOrigin: From archery or shooting. La mouche was the black center of the target.Example: Son commentaire a fait…
verb: râler
Meaning The primary meaning of the French verb “râler” is “to grumble” or “to complain.” It is used to express dissatisfaction, annoyance, or frustration, often in a vocal or audible manner. However, “râler” can take on several additional meanings depending on the context: Conjugation “Râler” belongs to the group of regular “-er” verbs, and its…
