This French idiom means literally, “the English have disembarked.” From 1815 to 1820, the English Army, wearing their traditional red uniforms, occupied France in their war against Napoléon. After they left, Parisians started using this phrase to mean, “to have her period,” since the flow of unwelcome English invaders wearing red coats resembled red menstrual blood.
Expressions of Quantity in French and the Use of “de” In French, most expressions of quantity are followed by “de” before the noun. This rule is consistent in many cases, but there are notable exceptions, such as words like “plusieurs” and some idiomatic expressions. When to Use “de” After Expressions of Quantity Many expressions of…
“Donner un coup de pouce” is a French saying that literally means “to give a push of the thumb.” It really means a rapid and audacious attack, a smart way to proceed, some momentary help, or just help in general. The origin of this idiom is unknown. Its first date of use is also unknown….
“Faire tintin” means to be frustrated or deprived, to receive nothing when you were expecting something. Despite the illustration above, this saying has nothing to do with the comic book character Tintin. He was created in 1929, but the word “tintin” dates back to the 13th century. It originally referred to the noise of objects…
“Avoir la frite” or “avoir la patate” means to be in very good shape, to have energy and dynamism, or to be full of beans. Literally, “avoir la frite” means to have the (French) fry and “avoir la patate” means to have the potato. At the start of the 20th century, the round shape of…
“Avoir les jambes en coton” means literally “to have legs of cotton” or “to have cotton legs.” It means to have no strength left in your legs, to have weak legs or to have unsteady legs. In English, you would probably say that you had “legs like jelly,” “jelly legs,” “rubber legs” or “shaky legs.”…
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”…
