pour des prunes

ByFast French

“Pour des prunes” is a French expression that literally means “for plums.” Its closest English equivalent is “for nothing.” The saying dates from the start of the 16th century.

However, the association of plums with a complete lack of value dates back to the end of the Second Crusade, which finished around 1150 AD and was generally a failure. The Crusaders brought back some plum trees from Damascus and showed them to the King, who was angered that the Crusaders had achieved nothing more of value than acquiring a few plum trees, which were something they could have had easily in Europe, without having to go on a Crusade to the Holy Land. Since then, the plum has been associated with something of little or no value, however delicious they might be.

Don’t miss out on new posts – subscribe now!

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

  • payer au lance-pierres

    ByFast French

    The French expression “payer au lance-pierres” translates literally as “to pay with a slingshot,” but it means “to underpay.” The saying dates to the end of the 19th century, when slingshots made from rubber become more popular, thanks to improvements in rubber chemistry. The expression originally came from another saying “avec un lance-pierres,” which translated…

  • fois, foi and foie

    ByFast French

    What are the differences between the three French homonyms (words that sound the same, in this case) la fois, la foi and le foie? These three words are pronounced identically, but have quite different meanings. La fois La fois means “the time.” It always ends in the letter “s,” even when it is singular. Despite…

  • save

    ByFast French

    How do you translate “to save” into French? It depends on what you’re saving. If you’re saving someone in the sense of rescuing them, use “sauver.” If you’re saving money by spending less, use “économiser.” If you’re saving money by putting money aside, then use “épargner.” If you’re saving time, use “gagner.” If you’re saving…

  • think

    ByFast French

    There are a few different ways to say “to think” in French. You can use verbs like “penser,” “songer,” “réfléchir,” “croire,” or “considérer.” penser Penser means “to think.” It is related to the English word “pensive,” someone who is thoughtful or in deep thought. It can be used with “à” to mean “to have in…

  • verb: se plaindre

    ByFast French

    “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: