Le mot du jour : “Broyer du noir” Broyer du noir (to crush some black shades) is an expression that comes from the XVI° century and it means to have dark thoughts, to feel blue. Apparently it comes from the painters when they used to crush their pigments to make some paint. So to all …
Author archives: Anne
La rentrée
Le mot du jour : “La rentrée”This week, in France as in the UK, children are going back to school. This is a huge event called “la rentrée” (returning, going back in). Schools in France are free (except if you opt for a private school, of course) and children don’t have to wear a uniform, …
Pour des prunes
Le mot du jour : “Pour des prunes” “Pour des prunes” (for plums) means “for nothing” or “in vain”. You could say for example : “J’ai travaillé toute la journée, pour des prunes” (I worked all day, all for nothing). But why would lovely plums be considered so worthless? Well, it turns out that in …
Quelque chose qui cloche
Le mot du jour : “Quelque chose qui cloche”When something is not working well, you say in French : “Hmm, il y a quelque chose qui cloche”. It has nothing to do with “les cloches” (bells) but with the old French “clocher” (to limp). So “il y a quelque chose qui cloche” could be translated …
Le Franglais
Le mot du jour : Le Franglais Le Franglais is used to describe this weird mix of French and English words commonly used in France. Each time I go back to my country, I discover new ways for French people to use English words in their everyday life.🙂For example, we heard sentences like : “Plus …
Une escapade
Le mot du jour : “une escapade”When you go for an “escapade”, it means you go away to escape (of course!) everyday’s life 😊 I am now in an “escapade” in my home town (or rather village) and won’t be online in the next couple of weeks.I wish you all a lovely summer!
Le Quatorze Juillet/ La Fête Nationale
Le mot du jour : “Le Quatorze Juillet/La Fête Nationale”Remember two weeks ago when I talked about “faire le pont” to join your weekend with the next holiday? Well this week in France is going to be the perfect example. Tomorrow is “Le Quatorze Juillet” also officially called “La Fête Nationale” and known in the …
La croix et la bannière
Le mot du jour : “La croix et la bannière”This expression (“the cross and the banner”) is used to talk about something difficult to do. Ex : “Les taches de framboises, c’est la croix et la bannière à laver” (“Raspberries stains are very hard to take out” – you can see where my inspiration came …
Faire le pont
Le mot du jour : “Faire le pont”“Faire le pont” (translation : “to make the bridge”) is, I think, a typically French concept about how to make good use of your bank holidays. Let me explain. In France there is a fair number of public holidays, particularly in May, where you have : 1st of …
La Fête de la Musique
Le mot du jour : La Fête de la MusiqueToday I am not going to explain an expression but I will talk about a festival. “La fête de la musique” (Music Festival or Make Music Day) happens everywhere in France on the 21st of June, since 1981. On that day, anyone can go outside in …