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.
French is full of colorful expressions that don’t always have obvious meanings at first glance. One such expression is “avoir la dent dure”, which literally translates to “to have a hard tooth.” Its figurative meaning, however, is quite different. Meaning and Origin of the Expression The expression “avoir la dent dure” is used to describe…
In French, adjectives can be positioned either before or after the noun they describe. Each placement has a different meaning. While most adjectives come after the noun, certain adjectives are usually placed before it. Adjectives Placed Before the Noun French has several categories of adjectives that are commonly placed before the noun. These include: 1….
The French verb “écrire” means “to write.” Conjugation Homologues The French language has several verbs that share the same suffix “-crire,” making them homologues of “écrire.” These verbs are also irregular and conjugated similarly to “écrire.” They often revolve around the concept of writing or describing. Etymology The word “écrire” comes from the Latin word “scribere.”…
“Avoir d’autres chats à fouetter” means literally “to have other cats to whip.” But in English, this would translate to “to have other fish to fry” or “to have better/more important things to do.” The origin of this expression is unknown. However other expressions involving whipped cats do exist: “éveillée comme un chat qu’on fouette”…
In French, the construction “ou…ou” is commonly used to present alternatives or choices. It translates to “either…or” in English. Examples: Read more: See the post about the “soit…soit” construction in French.
What does the French idiom “Revenons à nos moutons !” mean? It means, “Let’s get back to the topic,” or “let’s get back on track.” It dates back to 1464, when it was first found in a comedy of the Late Middle Ages. Literally, however, it means, “Let’s come back to our sheep.” Learn more…
