Le mot du jour : Un froid de canard “Un froid de canard” (literally a duck’s cold) describes the kind of weather we had this morning, with frost all over the garden. It seems this turn of phrase comes from the hunters. Duck hunting season is in winter, and the hunters having to wait patiently …
Category archives: Non classé
Tomber dans les pommes
Le mot du jour : tomber dans les pommes Tomber dans les pommes (litterally “to fall in the apples”) actually means “to faint”. I was reminded of that common expression the other day when my kids were reminiscing an old joke that all French primary school students know. Here goes : “Quel est le sport …
La galette des Rois
Le mot du jour : La galette des Rois La galette des Rois (the Wise Men cake) is more than a cake, it’s a tradition. The 6th of January is the day where the Catholic Church celebrates the three Wise Men offering gifts to the infant Jesus. From this day and all of January, French …
Sapin de Noël
Le mot du jour : sapin de Noël Un sapin de Noël is a Christmas tree, “Noël” being the word for Christmas, and “sapin” being a pine tree. The tradition to hang decorations in a tree is said to come from the emperor Charlemagne hanging pagans in the forests between France and Germany at the …
Se casser les dents sur…
Le mot du jour : se casser les dents sur… Se casser les dents sur quelque chose (to break your own teeth on something) is used when you meet an obstacle that you fail to overcome. The English equivalent could be “to be brought up short by something” You would say for example : “Je …
La grève
Le mot du jour : la grève “La grève” is the strike, a true staple of the French way of life. The word comes from the name of a square in Paris called Place de la Grève, where unemployed people in the 17th and 18th century would gather to look for jobs opportunities, so at …
La baguette
Le mot du jour : baguette “Une baguette” is a well known type of bread, but it is so much more! First of all, “une baguette” is a stick, the kind you can find in the woods (it gave its name to the bread). When it is “une baguette magique” then it’s a wand and …
Faire du lèche-vitrine
Le mot du jour : Faire du lèche-vitrine “Faire du lèche-vitrine” means to go window shopping. It’s a very common expression and everybody uses it without really thinking about it. When you look closely at the French words though, they literally mean “to lick the windows”, which is gross when you think about it 😝 …
Jour férié
Le mot du jour : Jour férié Un jour férié is a public holiday. There are quite a few in France, for various reasons but mostly to celebrate an historic or religious event. So today in France, like every 11th of November, people won’t go to work, most of the shops will be closed, and …
Feu d’artifice
Le mot du jour : Feu d’artifice Un feu d’artifice is a firework (literally “artificial fire). Unlike in the UK, a firework in France is a summer affair. Each town would organise a firework on the night of the 14th of July (Bastille day), to celebrate the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789. Bigger …