Learning French: expressions featuring the number 36
Did you know about the mysterious origins behind France’s equivalent to umpteen?
Find out the meaning of the French phrase: voir 36 chandelles (to see 36 candles)
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You might be wondering why the number 36 pops up in different French sayings.
It is generally used to represent a high, undefined value and could be replaced with terms such as: very many, umpteen or a lot of.
The precise origins behind the idiomatic use of this number are unclear.
One of the most common theories, however, dates back to ancient Egypt and the 36 decans. This group of small constellations split the Earth's 360-degree orbit into equal parts of 10 degrees, used for divine magic and astronomical tracking.
Use of the number 36 might therefore reflect the idea of a whole range or maximum amount of things. You may even hear variations replacing ‘trente-six’ with ‘trente-six mille’ to further emphasise the intensity of a situation.
We take a look at the different meanings behind some popular French expressions featuring this mysterious number.
Read also: Why learning numbers in a foreign language is challenging: insights and tips
Avoir 36,000 à faire
This idiom literally translates as: to have 36,000 things to get done. You might use it to suggest that your to-do list is overflowing.
Some English alternatives include:
It can also be changed slightly to describe the idea of multitasking: faire 36,000 choses à la fois (to do 36,000 things at the same time).
Il n'y a pas 36 solutions
It literally translates as: there are not 36 solutions.
This phrase once again uses 36 to refer to a large, undefined value. It suggests that only a limited number of possibilities exist and that you should not waste time hesitating or looking for alternatives.
A similar English expression is: there is only one thing for it.
Tous les 36 du mois
The direct translation is: the 36th of each month.
Just as there are never 36 days in a month, tous les 36 du mois implies that something is highly unlikely to happen.
It is similar to the English saying: once on a blue moon.
Read also: Spotting a rare 'blue' supermoon in France
Voir 36 chandelles
While this phrase literally translates as, ‘to see 36 candles,’ it actually refers to being knocked out.
It is similar to the English expression: to see stars. In this instance, a connection could be made between the flickering of a flame and the twinkling of stars.
This alludes to the flashes of light that might be seen following a hard blow to the head.
Être au 36ème dessous
Literally, ‘to be in the 36th below,’ this 19th-Century saying describes someone who is very worried or depressed.
It can also refer to someone whose moral standards have fallen.
It evokes images of a deep, dark, hellish underworld, while ‘low’ and ‘down’ are adjectives that typically describe sadness.
The origins of this phrase are thought to come from the theatre. Dessous is a word to describe the levels beneath a stage, where sets would be stored and where some actors would enter or exit. If a play was considered a failure, critics might say it had tombée au troisième dessous (fallen to the third level).
Similar sayings include:
Au 36 / Dans le 36
Remember that le 36 might not always be used in a figurative sense.
If you hear someone saying this, they might actually be referring to the number of a French department. In this case, it would be Indre in the Centre-Val de Loire region.
It can also refer to the building that houses the seat of Paris’ police prefecture, that is found at 36, Quai des Orfèvres in the centre of Paris.
Read also: Understanding 'un de ces quatre': origins and usage of the French expression
