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.
The literal translation of “beau comme un camion” is “beautiful as a truck.” On the surface, this phrase appears to be an ironic or humorous comparison. After all, trucks are not typically associated with beauty. Instead, they are functional vehicles designed for transporting goods. This expression is used to describe a person, typically a woman,…
“Tout baigne” is a French saying that literally means “everything bathes.” This conjures up visions of a perfect summer beach setting, where some people lay in the sun and others splash about in the water. The meaning of the saying seems to confirm this, because it means “everything is going well, it’s happening for the best,…
“Un beau brin de fille” means a pretty, young girl, or a beautiful, seductive woman, or a good looking girl. “Un brin” can mean a blade (of grass), a piece, a sprig (of plant), a little, a tad, a touch of or a bit of. So the idiom literally means something like “a beautiful bit…
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,…
“L’arbre qui cache la forêt” – what does this French expression mean? Literally it translates as “the tree that hides the forest.” In English, you would refer to someone who “can’t see the forest for the trees” or who “can’t see the wood for the trees.” Someone who gets caught up in details that prevent…
“Il vaut mieux que” means “It is better that.” It is derived from the phrase “il vaut mieux,” meaning “it is better.” The phrase it is derived from, “il vaut mieux,” is used in a general way to say that “it is better that something be done.” But “il vaut mieux” does not specify who…