les chiens aboient et la caravane passe

The French saying “les chiens aboient et la caravane passe” translates literally as “the dogs bark and the caravan passes.” What it really means is “your insults don’t reach me,” or “I am sure of myself and you cannot prove otherwise.”

The saying is originally of Arabic origin. In the Middle East and in North Africa, nomadic camps had large dog populations whose job it was to bark loudly, to warn the nomads of approaching strangers. When a caravan, which was a large group of people travelling across the desert, often on camels, approached the nomadic camp, the dogs would bark. The camels, however, being much larger than the dogs, would just ignore them.

Equivalent English expressions include “like water off a duck’s back,” “sticks and stones may break my bones,” and “there is always a critic.”

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • verb: toucher

    The French verb “toucher” has a few different meanings. Not all of them are obvious. It can mean “to touch,” “to hit,” “to affect,” “to be next to,” “to get,” “to receive,” or “to win.” “Le toucher” is also a masculine noun meaning “the touch” or “the sense of touch.” to touch to hit to…

  • verb: se plaindre

    “Se plaindre” means “to complain,” “to whinge” or “to moan.” Conjugations in Present Tense and Passé Composé: Present tense: Passé composé tense: Etymology: The origin of “se plaindre” can be traced back to Latin, where the root “plangere” meant “to lament” or “to beat one’s chest.” Idiomatic Expressions and Usage:

  • le pouvoir

    The French masculine noun “le pouvoir” translates to “power” or “authority” in English. It comes from the French verb “pouvoir,” meaning “to be able,” or “can.” “Le pouvoir” has its roots in the Latin word “potere,” which means “to be able” or “to have the right.” This Latin term evolved into the Old French “povoir” before…

  • soulager

    In French, the noun “un soulagement” and the verb “soulager” are important words that convey the concept of relief. These words are used in everyday language to express the alleviation of pain, stress, or discomfort. Un Soulagement “Un soulagement” is a masculine noun that means “a relief” or “an alleviation.” It is used to describe…

  • pouvoir

    The French verb “pouvoir” means “to be able to” or “can” in English. It is an irregular verb that is commonly used in everyday communication. Here is its conjugation in the present tense: “Pouvoir” is used to express ability, permission, or possibility in various contexts. Its conjugations may change depending on the subject pronoun and…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *