Just don’t forget that you can use it for both positive and negative comments. This saying is also very popular in English so you probably already know in what contexts you can safely include it. Literal translation: “The outfit doesn’t make the monk.”Īctual meaning: “Don’t judge a book by its cover” or “don’t judge a person by their appearance”. But nothing should be left to chance.”) 8. It doesn’t look like something mister Dubois will include in the final exam.”) Ce ne ressemble pas à quelque chose que monsieur Dubois inclura dans l’examen final. – Je pense que je vais passer ce chapitre. Literal translation: “Nothing should be left to chance.”Īctual meaning: “Leave nothing to chance” or, in other words, plan ahead. – Je ne peux pas le faire, c’est impossible ! (“I can’t do it, it’s impossible!) – Impossible n’est pas français. While it may seem very patriotic, français here doesn’t refer to the French people, but rather to the French language. Literal translation: “Impossible isn’t French.”Īctual meaning: Famously attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte, impossible n’est pas français is the French equivalent of “nothing is impossible”. (“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”) 6. – Je pense que je n e parviendrai jamais à parler français comme un natif. (“I don’t think I will ever manage to speak French like a native.”)
Literal translation: “To want to is to be able to.”Īctual meaning: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” You can use this saying to encourage someone who doubts themselves. (“You’ve made your bed, now lie on it.”) 5. (“I fell asleep and burned the pork chops.”) – Je me suis endormi et j’ai brûlé les côtelettes de porc. On the other hand, the opposite is also possible! Make a nice bed and you shall sleep soundly. The same as the biblical version “you reap what you sow”, this French saying warns that you suffer the consequences of your actions or that you must accept the unpleasant results of something you’ve done. Isn’t fascinating how different cultures approach a similar situation? There’s a very funny Italian expression that says Hai voluto la bicicletta? E adesso pedala! (“Did you want the bicycle? Now ride it.”) and it has the exact same meaning as Comme on fait son lit, on se couche. – Je ne sais pas si je dois accepter ou pas. (“I don’t know if I should accept or not.”) Or, in other words, take your time before making a decision. Literal translation: “The night brings advice.”Īctual meaning: This is the equivalent of “sleep on it”. – Oh là là, ce n’est pas la mer à boire ! (“Come on, it’s not the end of the world!”) “The French way” by Alex D’Alessio© 3. – Je dois faire quatre rapports cette semaine. You can use it when someone complains about doing something. Literal translation: “It’s not as if you have to drink the sea.”Īctual meaning: “It’s not that difficult” or “it’s not a big deal”. – Qu’est-ce que tu attends ? Il faut battre le fer pendant qu’il est chaud ! (“What are you waiting for? Strike the iron while it’s hot!”) 2. It’s called Mondly and its price for one year is very good.”) (“I found a very good app to practice my French. Ça s’appelle Mondly et son prix pour une année est très raisonable.
– J’ai trouvé une très bonne application pour pratiquer mon français. This means you have to take advantage of favorable situations. When the blacksmith is forging the iron, the metal must be red-hot so its shape can be changed. Literal translation: “Strike the iron while it is hot.”Īctual meaning: Since we have the same saying in English, this one’s easy. Let’s look at some of the most common them.
#Just translate french full#
Well, this is the perfect example of what we could call a saying.Īnd French, like any other language, is full of such witty insights. You probably heard the English expression “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” meaning that a child has similar qualities to his parents. So what is a French saying? A saying is a short, pithy, and commonly known expression that offers wisdom or a piece of advice. After all, this is your main goal when learning French, isn’t it? So let’s dive in and see what French sayings, expressions, and idioms you can use to sound as if you were French-born.
Add a bit of joie de vivre to that and people will think you were born and raised in Paris.Īdditionally, French sayings will provide insight into French history and culture and they will also make you sound more natural, more authentic. These can add substance and even humor to your discourse and can make you sound like you have been living in France your whole life. But what uses is that if you can’t actually speak French fluently? This is why you should always work on expanding your vocabulary with practical notions such as French phrases and expressions. Sure, the correct pronunciation of the notorious French “r” can make you sound more like a native.
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