Une bête de somme means a workhorse or a beast of burden. Back in the 12th century, “une somme” meant the load that a horse or a mule could carry. Then, in the 16th century, the term “bête de somme” arrived. These days, the more common word for burden is “un fardeau,” but the term “bête de somme” survives in its original form.
In modern French, “être dans son assiette” literally means “to be in one’s plate.” However, this expression has nothing to do with food in its original sense. Figurative Meaning The expression is mostly used in the negative:“Ne pas être dans son assiette” means to not feel well—physically, mentally, or emotionally. It’s similar to the English…
The French word “rigolo” can be either an adjective (meaning “funny”) or a noun (meaning “a funny person”). The Adjective “Rigolo”: Masculine and Feminine Forms: The masculine singular adjective “rigolo” becomes “rigolote” in the feminine singular in French. Etymology: The word “rigolo” comes from the verb “rigoler,” which means “to laugh” or “to have a…
The phrase “il vaut mieux” can be translated as “it is better” or “it is preferable.” It is employed to express a preference or recommendation, suggesting that one option is superior or more desirable than another. It uses an impersonal construction of the verb “valoir,” which means “to be worth.” An impersonal construction means that…
The French verb “prendre” means “to take,” but a bit confusingly it can also mean “to bring.” Its conjugation in the present tense is irregular, so it must be memorised. However, “prendre” forms the basis for compound verbs such as “comprendre” (to understand), “apprendre” (to learn), “reprendre” (to take back), “surprendre” (to surprise) and many…
“Faire grève” or “faire la grève” is a French idiom that means “to strike,” or “to go on strike.” This is when workers purposely stop working in their attempt to achieve higher wages and/or better conditions from their employers. The word “grève” in the expression comes from the word for gravel (gravier) which in turn came…
The letter “g” can be pronounced in two different ways in French. It can be hard, like the first “g” in the word “garage,” which is both a French word and an English word. Or it can be soft, like the last “g” in “garage.” How do you know whether a “g” will be hard…