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.
“Mettre les pouces” is a French idiom that literally means “to put the thumbs.” What it really means is to stop resisting, to give in, to admit defeat or to abandon something. It dates from the end of the 18th century. In that same era, a similar expression “coucher les pouces” (to put the thumbs to…
“Mode” is a French noun that can either be masculine or feminine. Its meaning changes depending on whether it is the masculine version of the noun or the feminine version. In its masculine form, it means “mode” or “way.” In the feminine, it means “fashion.” So you can remember the difference by remembering that women…
Expressions of Quantity in French and the Use of “de” In French, most expressions of quantity are followed by “de” before the noun. This rule is consistent in many cases, but there are notable exceptions, such as words like “plusieurs” and some idiomatic expressions. When to Use “de” After Expressions of Quantity Many expressions of…
The French saying “faites chauffer la colle !” means literally “have the glue heated up!” or “heat up the glue!” It is used in an often joking way when something has just been broken, or you see or hear something being broken. Unless modern glue, which usually comes prepackaged in a tube, old fashioned glue…
Colours in French are adjectives. They are placed after the noun they describe. So a blue sky is “un ciel bleu.” They must also agree in number and gender with the noun they describe. So “purple flowers” would be “des fleurs violettes.” Colour Masculine Feminine black noir noire white blanc blanche red rouge rouge blue…
In French, one of the most important verbs is “aller,” which means “to go.” Let’s look at how it works in different situations. Present Tense: In the present tense, “aller” (to go) is conjugated as follows: Example: Je vais au cinéma ce soir. (I am going to the cinema tonight.) Imperfect Tense: When describing ongoing…