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.
“Compter les étoiles” is a French saying that means “to count the stars,” literally. But what does it really mean? It means to undertake an impossible action, or to try to accomplish something that is virtually impossible to achieve. The idiom in French dates back to the year 1531, but it comes originally from the Bible,…
The French expression “mordre la poussière” translates literally to “to bite the dust” in English and carries similar connotations. It is used to refer to defeat, failure, or death. Meaning “Mordre la poussière” typically conveys: Origins The expression has ancient roots dating back to Homer’s Iliad, where fallen warriors were described as “biting the earth”…
“Acheter chat en poche” means to buy something without having seen it first and thereby risk disappointment. It means the same as the English saying “to buy a pig in a poke.” Literally it means “to buy a cat in a pocket,” but “poche” in this case means “bag,” not pocket. The expression dates back…
The French verb “prendre” means “to take,” but a bit confusingly it can also mean “to bring.” Its conjugation in the present tense is irregular, so it must be memorised. However, “prendre” forms the basis for compound verbs such as “comprendre” (to understand), “apprendre” (to learn), “reprendre” (to take back), “surprendre” (to surprise) and many…
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…
“gagner ses éperons” is a French saying meaning “to gain one’s spurs.” It means to get a promotion, to rise in rank, or to accede to a higher social status. Similar English expressions include “to earn one’s stripes” or “to win one’s spurs.” The French idiom only appeared in the 19th century, but makes a…
