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.”
“Bavard comme une pie” is a French idiom that means literally “as talkative as a magpie.” It is used to refer to someone as being very talkative or very chatty. In the 17th century, “une pie” meant, as it does now, a magpie. But in those days, it also meant a talkative woman. Since that…
In French, the word “pile” can function either as an adverb or as a feminine noun. Each has its own meaning (or meanings) and usage. Both are pronounced like PEEL. 1. The Adverb “Pile” As an adverb, “pile” conveys precision and exactness, often used to denote specific moments in time or precise measurements. Usage Examples:…
The French verb “venir” means “to come.” It is one of the most frequently used verbs in the French language. Present Tense (Présent) Future Tense (Futur Simple) Passé Composé In the passé composé, the verb “venir” uses “être” as the auxiliary verb, and the past participle “venu” agrees in gender and number with the subject.
“Haut comme trois pommes” is a French expression meaning “Knee high to a grasshopper,” ie very small, tiny or very young. Literally it means “as tall as three apples.” Its origin is unknown but its meaning is quite clear. Don’t miss out on new posts – subscribe now!
The French saying “trempé comme une soupe” means literally “soaked like a soup.” It means “soaked,” “wet” or “completely wet.” This is a very old idiom whose exact origins are unknown. It sounds like it is stating the obvious, since a soup is, by definition, wet. But “soupe” originally meant the slice of bread that…
“Faire en sorte que” is a versatile French expression that often challenges language learners because it doesn’t have a direct word-for-word translation in English. Literal Translation The expression breaks down as: So literally, it means “to make in such a way that” or “to do in such a manner that.” Figurative Translations In practical usage,…