Learning French: 8 handy French phrases using the word pouce

There are some words in French you may hear crop up more than you expect in general conversation. 

These words, which have a standalone meaning, can also often form the basis of phrases or expressions, which can leave you scratching your head if you only know the word on its own. 

Read more: Six French expressions around cats to use in everyday conversations

Pouce is such an example – on its own it can mean thumb, big toe, an inch or even that you are calling a truce with someone.

It is also often incorporated into phrases and sayings, however – here are a few to look out for that you can use. 

Manger sur le pouce - To eat on the go

This is perhaps more of an Anglophone phenomenon than it is in France, where taking time for meals is a serious business. 

Manger sur le pouce means to eat on the go, while déjeuner sur le pouce means to grab a quick lunch.

It gives the idea of not sitting down to eat, rather standing and eating the item quickly.

Les Anglophones mangent souvent volontiers sur le pouce (Anglophones often choose to eat on the go). 

Donner un coup de pouce - To help someone 

This phrase brings together pouce with coup, another word which appears in many expressions.

Read more: Learning French: the many flexible uses of the word 'coup'

It means to give someone help with something, in a small or quick way. 

Filer un coup de pouce à quelqu'un is similar; it means to give someone a hand or to lend someone a hand. 

For example, Le prof donne un coup de pouce à ses élèves en français (The teacher gives his students a little help in French). 

Se tourner les pouces - to twiddle your thumbs 

Literally, se tourner les pouces is a game played with the hands - two people weave their fingers together and circle their thumbs around the shared space. 

However, figuratively, this phrase is our equivalent to twiddling your thumbs, meaning you have nothing to do. 

A la fin de la semaine, je me tourne souvent les pouces au travail - c’est toujours très calme ! (At the end of the week I am often twiddling my thumbs at work, it is always very calm!)

Read also: 10 French phrases and words that are untranslatable in French 

Guerre des pouces - thumb wars 

If someone proposes a guerre des pouces, they are asking to play thumb wars, so proceed with caution. 

Similarly to English, where we can say “one, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war”, in French the thumb war is also declared with the expression “je déclare la guerre des pouces.”

Ne pas bouger d’un pouce - do not move/budge 

Ne pas bouger d’un pouce uses the word in the form of inch, as opposed to a thumb: it means do not move an inch, or do not budge.

This can be both in a literal sense, implying that you should stay where you are, but also in a figurative sense that you should stand strong on your opinions and position. 

Ne bouge pas d’un pouce, il faut que tu restes chez toi ! (Listen ! Do not budge, you must remain at your house)

Ne pas céder d’un pouce - to not give an inch 

Similarly, ne pas bouger d’un pouce, this phrase also incorporates pouce in its inch form. 

Ne pas céder d’un pouce means to not give an inch, suggesting you will stay firm on your point of view. 

Nous ne devons pas céder un pouce de terrain par rapport à nos exigences concernant les problèmes au travail (We must not give an inch on our demands concerning the problems at work).

Avoir les pouces verts - to have green fingers

This is the perfect phrase for all the gardeners out there - avoir les pouces verts, or avoir le pouce vert means to have green fingers.

Elle passe des heures dans le jardin, elle a vraiment les pouces verts (She spends hours in the garden, she really has green fingers). 

Pouce en haut- thumbs up 

Pouce en haut simply means thumbs up. It is often used by younger generations.