Learning French: when and why do we say être dans de beaux draps?

Nothing beats getting into a bed with crisp fresh sheets… or so you would think. This French expression might change your mind.

Être dans de beaux draps actually refers to finding yourself in a seriously bad or shameful situation.

We look at the surprising origins behind this saying and give helpful tips on how to integrate it into casual conversations.

What does être dans de beaux draps mean?

It literally translates as: to be in beautiful sheets.

This phrase surprisingly has nothing to do with bed linen and actually describes being stuck in a bad situation.

Similar sayings include:

● Être dans le pétrin - To be up a creek without a paddle

● Être dans la mouise - To be in a sticky situation

● Être foutu - To be screwed

Read also: Understanding 'c'est la galère': French slang for challenging situations

What are the origins of être dans de beaux draps?

This well-known expression can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when it was originally: être dans de beaux draps blancs.

It described people who committed shameful acts and who were therefore subject to scorn and mockery.

Draps used to refer to clothes instead of sheets.

The original phrase stems from an old tradition in which sinners were dressed in white and forced to walk through the streets or attend mass. 

This colour was typically associated with innocent purity and was therefore meant to highlight people’s contrastingly dark actions.

The word white has since disappeared from the expression, however, the meaning stays the same.

Read also: Hotel bed linen gets a second life in novel French recycling company

When do you say être dans de beaux draps?

Note that when pronouncing the word draps in French, the letters P and S are silent.

You can say this to describe being in a seriously difficult situation:

● Je me suis retrouvé dans de beaux draps après avoir perdu beaucoup d'argent au jeu. - I got myself in trouble when I lost a lot of money to gambling.

Read also: Péter dans la soie and its lavish connotations

To whom do you say être dans de beaux draps?

It is informal, colloquial language and can be used with friends and family.