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French Idioms
Idiomatic expressions
201
Language - French
Undergraduate 4
03/10/2010
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Cards

Term
en avoir par-dessus la tête
 Definition
to be fed up
Term
en avoir ras le bol
 Definition
to be fed up (slang)
Term
en avoir plein le dos
 Definition
to be fed up (slang)
Term
avoir maille à partir avec qqn
 Definition
to have a bone to pick with someone
Term
avoir le cafard
 Definition
to have the blues, be depressed
Term
avoir du toupet
 Definition
to have a lot of nerve
Term
avoir le coeur sur la main
 Definition
to be generous
Term
avoir toujours le mot pour rire
 Definition
to be a real joker, to have a good sense of humor
Term
n'avoir ni queue ni tête
 Definition
to make no sense
Term
avoir bonne/mauvaise mine
 Definition
to look good/bad (usually refers to health)
Term
avoir des complexes
 Definition
to have hang-ups
Term
avoir le fou rire
 Definition
to have the giggles, to laugh uncontrollably
Term
avoir la langue bien pendue
 Definition
to be a good talker, have the gift of gab
Term
avoir le mal du pays
 Definition
to be homesick
Term
avoir le mal de mer
 Definition
to be seasick
Term
avoir de l'oreille
 Definition
to have an ear for music
Term
en avoir pour cinq minutes
 Definition
to take someone five minutes to do sthg
Term
j'ai le coeur qui bat
 Definition
my heart is beating (with excitement, nervousness)
Term
j'ai la tête qui tourne
 Definition
I'm dizzy
Term
Il n'y a pas de quoi
 Definition
Don't mention it/You're welcome
Term
Il y a un froid entre eux
 Definition
They're on bad terms, they're angry with each other
Term
Ce gosse n'a pas froid aux yeux
 Definition
That kid is gutsy!
Term
j'y suis!
 Definition
I've got it! now i understand!
Term
être en nage
 Definition
to be in a sweat
Term
être sur la même longueur d'ondes
 Definition
to be on the same wavelength
Term
être dans la lune
 Definition
to be off in the clouds somewhere
Term
comme si de rien n'était
 Definition
as if nothing had happened
Term
être des nôtres
 Definition
to join us (for an activity)
Term
être de mèche avec
 Definition
to be in cahoots with
Term
être reçu à un examen
 Definition
to pass a test
Term
être de trop
 Definition
to be in the way, out of place
Term
être en vue
 Definition
to be the object of public attention, to be in the public eye
Term
Il y est pour beaucoup
 Definition
He's largely responsible
Term
Je n'y suis pour rien
 Definition
I'm not at all at fault, I'm not to blame
Term
On en est là
 Definition
We've come to that
Term
Où en sommes-nous?
 Definition
Where are we up to?
Term
Nous sommes quittes
 Definition
We're even
Term
J'en suis à ma dernière année au lycée
 Definition
I'm in my last year at school
Term
J'en suis à me demander si...
 Definition
I'm beginning to wonder if...
Term
J'en suis pour mes frais/pour ma peine!
 Definition
I've gotten nothing for my money/pain!
Term
faire à sa tête
 Definition
to act impulsively, do whatever one wants
Term
faire acte de présence
 Definition
to put in an appearance
Term
faire de la peine à qqn
 Definition
to hurt someone's feelings
Term
faire des bêtises
 Definition
to get into mischief
Term
faire du bricolage
 Definition
to do odd jobs, to putter around
Term
faire du théâtre
 Definition
to be an actor (professional); to do some acting (amateur)
Term
faire l'école buissonnière
 Definition
to play hooky
Term
faire l'enfant, l'idiot
 Definition
to act like a child, act the fool
Term
faire l'Europe
 Definition
to travel to Europe, visit Europe
Term
faire la moue
 Definition
to pout
Term
faire la queue
 Definition
to stand in line
Term
faire le singe
 Definition
to play the fool
Term
faire peau neuve
 Definition
to turn over a new leaf
Term
faire preuve de
 Definition
to show, display a quality of virtue
Term
faire savoir
 Definition
to let someone know
Term
faire semblant de faire qqch
 Definition
to pretend to
Term
faire ses bagages, ses valises
 Definition
to pack
Term
faire ses quatre cents coups
 Definition
to sow one's wild oats, to get into a lot of trouble
Term
faire son bac, son droit
 Definition
to study for one's baccalaureate, one's law degree
Term
faire son marché
 Definition
to go grocery shopping
Term
faire toute une histoire de qqch
 Definition
to make a federal case out of something
Term
faire un beau gâchis de qqch
 Definition
to make a real mess of something
Term
faire un clin d'oeil à qqn
 Definition
to wink at someone
Term
faire une croix dessus
 Definition
to give up on something, kiss something goodbye
Term
faire une drôle de tête
 Definition
to make a strange, funny face
Term
faire une fugue
 Definition
to run away from home
Term
faire une gaffe
 Definition
to blunder, to make a mistake (in conduct)
Term
Se cela ne vous fait rien
 Definition
If you don't mind
Term
Ça me fait froid dans le dos
 Definition
That gives me the shivers
Term
Ça ne me fait rien
 Definition
That's OK, that doesn't matter
Term
Qu'est-ce que cela peut bien te faire?
 Definition
What can that possibly matter to you?
Term
C'est bien fait pour toi!
 Definition
It serves you right!
Term
Que faites-vous dans la vie? Quel métier faites-vous?
 Definition
What do you do for a living?
Term
Qu'est-ce que j'ai fait de mes gants?
 Definition
What have I done with my gloves?
Term
Rien à faire
 Definition
No use insisting
Term
Il n'y a rien à faire
 Definition
It's hopeless
Term
L'accident a fait huit victimes
 Definition
Eight people were killed in the accident
Term
se faire fort de + infinitive
 Definition
to be confident, claim that one can do something
Term
se faire du mauvais sang
 Definition
to worry
Term
se faire du souci/des soucis
 Definition
to worry
Term
s'en faire
 Definition
to worry
Term
se faire une raison
 Definition
to resign oneself to something
Term
se faire tout(e) petit(e)
 Definition
to make oneself inconspicuous, try not to be noticed
Term
se faire à qqch
 Definition
to get used to something
Term
se faire des idées, des illusions
 Definition
to be fooling oneself
Term
se faire une montagne de qqch
 Definition
to exaggerate the importance of something
Term
se faire passer pour
 Definition
to pass oneself off as
Term
se faire mal
 Definition
to hurt oneself
Term
passer prendre qqn
 Definition
to go pick someone up
Term
prendre à gauche/à droite
 Definition
to turn left/right
Term
prendre au pied de la lettre
 Definition
to take literally
Term
prendre au sérieux
 Definition
to take seriously
Term
prendre des risques
 Definition
to take chances
Term
prendre du poids
 Definition
to gain weight
Term
prendre feu
 Definition
to catch fire
Term
prendre fin
 Definition
to come to an end
Term
prendre froid, prendre un rhume
 Definition
to catch cold
Term
prendre garde
 Definition
to be careful, watch out
Term
prendre goût à qqch
 Definition
to take a liking to something, to begin to like something
Term
prendre l'air, prendre le frais
 Definition
to get a breath of fresh air
Term
prendre qqn en grippe
 Definition
to take a dislike to someone
Term
prendre qqn la main dans le sac
 Definition
to catch someone red-handed
Term
prendre qqn par son point faible
 Definition
to take advantage of someone's weak spot
Term
prendre rendez-vous avec
 Definition
to make an appointment with
Term
prendre sa retraite
 Definition
to retire (from one's career)
Term
prendre ses jambes à son cou
 Definition
to run off, flee
Term
prendre son courage à deux mains
 Definition
to get up one's courage
Term
être pris
 Definition
to have previous engagements, be tied up
Term
être pris de vertige/remords/panique
 Definition
to get dizzy/be stricken by remorse/be panic-stricken
Term
un parti pris
 Definition
prejudice, preconceived notion
Term
Pourriez-vous me prendre un journal?
 Definition
Could you get me a newspaper?
Term
Je t'y prends!
 Definition
I've got you! I've csught you!
Term
On m'a pris pour un Allemand.
 Definition
I was taken for a German.
Term
Il a bien/mal pris la chose
 Definition
He took it well/badly
Term
Qu'est-ce qui t'a pris?
 Definition
What's gotten into you?
Term
On ne sait jamais par quel bout le prendre
 Definition
You never know how to take him
Term
s'en prendre à qqn
 Definition
to attack someone, pick on someone
Term
s'y prendre
 Definition
to go about doing something
Term
s'y prendre bien/mal
 Definition
to do a good/bad job
Term
se faire prendre
 Definition
to get caught
Term
Pour qui te prends-tu?
 Definition
Who do you think you are?
Term
mettre à jour
 Definition
to bring up-to-date
Term
mettre le feu à qqch
 Definition
to set fire to something
Term
mettre qqn à la porte
 Definition
to throw someone out; to fire someone
Term
mettre le couvert, mettre la table
 Definition
to set the table
Term
mettre du soin à faire qqch
 Definition
to take care in doing something
Term
mettre les bouts, mettre les voiles
 Definition
to leave, scram (slang)
Term
mettre en cause
 Definition
to call into question, to implicate
Term
mettre en contact
 Definition
to put in touch
Term
mettre en garde contre
 Definition
to warn someone against
Term
mettre qqch en lumière
 Definition
to bring something to light, to bring something out into the open
Term
mettre en marche
 Definition
to get something going, start up
Term
mettre en oeuvre
 Definition
to implement, make use of
Term
mettre qqn en quarantaine
 Definition
to give someone the silent treatment
Term
mettre au point
 Definition
to fine-tune, adjust, perfect
Term
mettre en relief
 Definition
to emphasize
Term
mettre en service
 Definition
to bring into service, put into operation
Term
mettre en train
 Definition
to get something under way
Term
mettre en valeur
 Definition
to develop (property)
Term
mettre fin à qqch
 Definition
to put an end to something
Term
mettre sens dessus dessous
 Definition
to turn things upside down
Term
mettre qqn sur la voie
 Definition
to put someone on the right track
Term
J'ai mis une heure à le faire
 Definition
I took an hour to do it
Term
J'en mettrais ma main au feu!
 Definition
I'd swear to it!
Term
Mettons que...
 Definition
Let's say that...
Term
se mettre en quatre pour qqn
 Definition
to go all out, make a superhuman effort for someone
Term
se mettre en colère
 Definition
to get angry
Term
se mettre d'accord
 Definition
to agree, come to an agreement
Term
se mettre à genoux
 Definition
to kneel, get on one's knees
Term
se mettre au lit
 Definition
to go to bed
Term
se mettre au travail
 Definition
to get to work
Term
se mettre en route
 Definition
to set out on a trip
Term
se mettre au francais
 Definition
to begin the study of French
Term
se mettre à faire qqch
 Definition
to begin to do something
Term
se mettre à l'abri
 Definition
to take shelter
Term
se mettre à table
 Definition
to sit down to eat
Term
n'avoir rien à se mettre
 Definition
to have nothing to wear
Term
Le temps se met au beau
 Definition
It's clearing up
Term
voir trente-six chandelles
 Definition
to see stars
Term
voir la vie en rose
 Definition
to see life through rose-colored glasses
Term
se voir en cachette
 Definition
to meet secretly
Term
n'y voir goutte
 Definition
not to be able to see a thing (because of the dark, etc.)
Term
n'y voir que du feu
 Definition
to be completely fooled, taken in
Term
en faire voir de dures/de toutes les couleurs/des vertes et des pas mûres
 Definition
to give someone a hard time
Term
ne voir aucun mal à qqch
 Definition
not to see any harm in something
Term
Fais voir!
 Definition
Show me!
Term
faire voir trente-six chandelles à qqn
 Definition
to knock the living daylights out of someone
Term
vous voyez d'ici le tableau!
 Definition
Just picture it!
Term
On aura tout vu
 Definition
That would be too much
Term
Cela n'a rien à voir avec...
 Definition
That has nothing to do with...
Term
Je ne peux pas les voir (en peinture)!
 Definition
I can't stand them!
Term
Ils ne peuvent pas se voir
 Definition
They can't stand each other
Term
C'est quelque chose qui ne se voit pas tous les jours
 Definition
It's a rare thing
Term
Je te vois venir!
 Definition
I know what you're up to
Term
Je l'ai vu de mes propres yeux
 Definition
I saw it with my own eyes
Term
On verra bien!
 Definition
We'll see
Term
Je voudrais vous y voir
 Definition
I'd like to see how well you'd do in that situation!
Term
On n'en voit pas la fin
 Definition
The end is nowhere in sight
Term
Je n'y vois pas d'inconvénient
 Definition
I don't see any problem, I have no objection
Term
C'est mal vu
 Definition
People don't like that, don't look favorably on that
Term
dire à qqn ses quatre vérités, dire à qqn son fait
 Definition
to tell someone off
Term
dire que...
 Definition
to think that
Term
dire ce qu'on a sur le coeur
 Definition
to get something off one's chest
Term
dire des sottises
 Definition
to talk nonsense
Term
dire toujours amen
 Definition
to be a yes-man
Term
à vrai dire
 Definition
to tell the truth
Term
à ce qu'il dit
 Definition
according to him
Term
ou pour mieux dire
 Definition
to put it in another way
Term
comme on dit
 Definition
so to speak
Term
on dirait que...
 Definition
you'd think that...
Term
ne pas se le faire dire deux fois
 Definition
not to have to be told twice
Term
C'est moi qui vous le dis
 Definition
Just take my word for it
Term
Ça te dit?
 Definition
Does that appeal to you? Do you feel like doing that?
Term
C'est peu dire
 Definition
That's an understatement
Term
C'est beaucoup dire
 Definition
That's saying a lot
Term
C'est trop dire
 Definition
That's saying too much
Term
C'est plus facile à dire qu'à faire
 Definition
That's easier said than done
Term
Je ne vous le fais pas dire!
 Definition
I'm not putting words into your mouth
Term
Il n'y a pas à dire
 Definition
There's no doubt about it
Term
Vous dites?
 Definition
I beg your pardon
Term
On se dirait en France
 Definition
You'd think you were in France
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