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.
“Lâcher la proie pour l’ombre” is a French idiom that literally means “to let go of the prey for the shadow.” It comes from a fable by the Ancient Greek author Aesop, which was then elaborated upon by the French writer of fables Jean de la Fontaine. In de la Fontaine’s version, a dog sees…
“Se souvenir de” is the French verb meaning “to remember.” It is a reflexive verb and is always followed by “de,” or preceded by its equivalent “en.” Usage examples of “se souvenir de”: Using “En” to Replace “It” or “Them”: In French, the pronoun “en” is often employed with “se souvenir de” to replace previously…
Even if you don’t know any French, you may already be familiar with the French words “voici” and “voilà.” “Voici” means “here is,” “here are,” “this is,” or “these are.” “Voilà” has a slightly different meaning, translating to “there is,” “there are,” “that is,” or “those are.” “Voici” comes from the Middle French “voicy,” which…
Sometimes you meet a friend, an acquaintance or a coworker by pure chance, rather than because you had arranged to meet them in advance. There are a few different ways to translate the English phrases “to bump into” or “to come across” in French. rencontrer The French verb “rencontrer” mainly means “to meet” or “to…
In French, there is no direct equivalent to the English present continuous (“I am eating”) or past continuous (“I was eating”). Instead, French speakers use the construction “être en train de” + infinitive to emphasize that an action is (or was) in progress. This guide will cover how to use it in both the present…
The french tell time in two ways. The common way for everyday speech. And the official way for timetables, tv guides, and train schedules. the 12-hour clock For ordinary life, the french use the 12-hour clock like english speakers do. But they say things a little differently. To ask the time, you say: To answer,…