The French saying “mettre de l’eau dans son vin” means literally “to put some water in one’s wine.” It means to be less ambitious, to moderate one’s claims or to moderate one’s demands.
It comes from the practice of moderating the intensity of wine by adding water to it.
The expression dates back at least to the middle of the 16th century.
Equivalent English expressions include “to eat humble pie,” “to lower one’s sights,” and “to tone it down.”
The French phrase “ça me fait du bien” is used quite frequently in conversation. It translates as “it makes me feel good,” “it feels good,” “it does me good,” “it’s good for me,” “it makes me feel better,” “it feels so good,” “that does me good,” “this is good for me” and “I feel good,”…
The French phrase “être censé” means “to be supposed.” It is usually followed by a verb in the infinitive. There is no need to use the word “de” or “à” between “être” and “censé.” The “être” part is usually conjugated in either the present or the imperfect tense. Note also that “censé” must agree in…
“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,…
Both “humour” and “humeur” are French nouns. But they mean different things. “L’humour” (masculine) means “the humour” or “the comedy.” It corresponds fairly closely to the English word “humour” (or “humor,” in US English). In French culture, especially cultivated and sophisticated French culture, “wit” was seen as more important. The French idea of “wit” is…
The French idiom “aller à la selle” means literally “to go to the saddle.” But it doesn’t really have anything to do with horse riding. What it literally means is “to go to the toilet,” or “to have a bowel movement.” The saying is somewhat dated, so it is not used very frequently these days,…
Unraveling the Distinction: “Le Tour” vs. “La Tour” in French There are a few words (homonyms) in French where the same word with the same spelling exists, but there is one meaning for the masculine version and a completely different meaning for the feminine version. So when speaking or listening, it is important to distinguish…