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.”
I. Meanings of “Suivre” 1. To Follow:The most common usage of “suivre” is to indicate following someone or something. For example: 2. To Follow a Course:“Suivre” can also be used to describe tracking or taking a course of action, such as following a recipe or a study program: 3. To Keep Up With:In contexts involving…
The French idiom “montrer patte blanche” translates literally as “to show white paw.” What it really means is “to prove your identity,” “to present authorisation to enter a place,” or “to be recommendable.” This saying dates back to the time of Jean de La Fontaine. He was a poet and a writer of fables who…
The article with the list of important irregular verbs in French has just been updated. New information has been added. Errors have been corrected. If you haven’t already read it, it’s worth checking out. I suggest you memorise at least the first nine (9) verbs on the list. These are être, avoir, faire, aller, venir,…
The French verb “parer” means “to ward off,” “to parry,” or “to fend off.” It can also mean “to protect,” “to attribute” or “to adorn.” So many meanings for one verb!
In French, one of the most important verbs is “aller,” which means “to go.” Let’s look at how it works in different situations. Present Tense: In the present tense, “aller” (to go) is conjugated as follows: Example: Je vais au cinéma ce soir. (I am going to the cinema tonight.) Imperfect Tense: When describing ongoing…
The French verb “provenir” means “to come from.” So don’t be tempted to say “venir de” which means “to have just (done something).” Instead, you should use “provenir.” Etymology of provenir Latin Origin: Meaning: Evolution into French: Present Tense (Présent) Passé Composé In the passé composé, “provenir” is conjugated with the auxiliary verb “être” and…