French expression

Seven useful informal French expressions you don’t learn at school

These words will add colour to your spoken French

More French words and phrases with no real equivalent in English

Do you know anyone who is insortable or un bon vivant ?

10 common French expressions involving ‘coup’

From sunburns to parties, we ‘donne un coup de main’ to help you with these common expressions

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How to use ‘alors’ like a French native speaker

Using this word can help boost your proficiency in the language and make you sound like a true Francophone

The French are not negative - it is just a (body) language thing

Interpreting the Gallic shrug and negative-as-positive phrases will make communicating a pleasure

Ways to say ‘sticking your nose into others’ business’ in French

If you are a busybody in France you may end up being compared to a certain woodland creature

Broaden your Christmas vocabulary with these festive French phrases

If you are ready to move on from the basic ‘Joyeux Noël!’ take a look at these yuletide expressions

French phrases that feature dogs (and some cats)

We take a look at expressions featuring our four-legged friends

Watch out for the many French verbs ‘to walk’ - they can trip you up

Walking, hiking and strolling in France can stretch your vocabulary and your legs, explains columnist Annaliza Davis

Seven of the most annoying Anglicisms used ‘in French’

Anglicisms - words that the French language borrows from English - are more widespread than many French people might think… some may say ‘ c’est insane ’

Seven words you will often hear in spoken French

Many have multiple uses and you will frequently hear them in everyday conversations

C'est la sardine qui a bouché le port de Marseille

Marseille - a ship, a very big sardine - and a stereotype

Six idioms to spice up your French conversations

And why learning common French sayings can save embarrassment according to language expert

There is no irony in the French language - apart from the word ‘bref’

In our writer's experience those who say they will be brief are anything but

French language tip - making things sound mini, dinky or cute

Listen out for how French speakers change words and names to give an air of daintiness or affection

The word ‘commode’ has many uses in the French language

Here are three ways to use this ‘accommodating’ word to describe furniture and, more surprisingly, people. Justin Postlethwaite explains

Expressions you may hear in the lead up to final French election vote

‘Vote utile’ and ’faire barrage’ are often used by politicians and commentators

‘Arrête tes bêtises!’ - Nine ways to scold someone in French

From the silly to the vulgar, how to call someone stupid (or know when you are being insulted)

Five historical French quotes (or mis-quotes) and their origins

From Marie-Antoinette to Emile Zola, English speakers love to quote French figures from history, but have we been getting them wrong all these years?

The history and uses of the fun French phrase ‘à gogo’

We go back to 15th century France, the first disco venue and then wartime Scotland to find stories ‘à gogo’

Ça me gonfle!: How to express your irritation (or love) in French

It is no secret that the French love using slang in everyday conversations. We look at one multi-purpose verb that helps them to express irritation, exaggeration and even love

Seven ways to say ‘I’m tired’ in French and their unusual origins

Show off your French language skills with some interesting phrases, from past and present, to express how tired you are

Courir sur le haricot and more French sport expressions

Getting back into sport is the top New Year’s resolution for many as a survey in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region confirms. We look at three expressions related to sport

Envoyer quelqu'un sur les roses and more French flower expressions

Two luminous water lily decorations have been stolen from a village in the south west. We look at five French expressions related to flowers

Mise à pied: French expressions using ‘pied’ you may hear

The Grenoble football coach has been ‘put on foot’. We explain what it means and look at four other expressions with the word pied

La chair de poule and more French hen expressions

An association in Brittany is offering 20,000 hens for adoption. We look at French expressions related to the animal

Aux petits oignons and more French phrases with the word ‘petit’

With the manuscript of Le Petit Prince coming to France next year, we look at three French expressions with the word petit

La nuit des temps and more French expressions about the night

With new coronavirus restrictions restricting nightlife in France, we look at three French expressions with the word ‘night’

Se fendre la poire and more French fruit and vegetable phrases

Three in four French people are ready to eat less meat and fish, a recent report states. We look at French phrases inspired by fruit and vegetables

Avoir un poil dans la main and more French hand phrases

With the French women’s handball team beating Angola and Slovenia this weekend at the World Championships games, we look at three French expressions related to hands

Faire la danseuse and more French dance expressions

On International Samba Day, we look at three French expressions inspired by dance

Entre la poire et le fromage and more French cheese phrases

A French cheese factory won nine medals at this year’s World Cheese Awards. We look at expressions related to cheese

Enfant de la balle and more French expressions about children

With gynaecologists recommending pregnant women have a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, we look at three French expression relating to children

Verser un pot-de-vin and more French wine phrases

On Beaujolais Nouveau Day, we look explore three common expressions related to wine

Mettre sa main au feu and more French fire phrases

A man who accidentally started a huge fire when he threw a cigarette butt into shrubland in 2016 has just received a prison sentence. We look at three French expressions related to fire

Faire le pont and more French ‘bridge’ phrases

Many people in France today are ‘making the bridge’. We look at what this means and three other French ‘bridge’ expressions

Être fleur bleue and more French ‘blue’ phrases

The French are wearing blue cornflower pins today in remembrance of the soldiers of World War I. We look at three expressions with the colour blue

Des yeux de merlan frit and other French fish phrases

Fish are in the news following difficult talks between France and the UK regarding fishing licences. We look at three fish-related French expressions

Sous une chape de plomb and other lead-related French expressions

President Macron’s newly-announced €30billion investment plan includes the exploration of seabeds and the potential of accessing certain rare materials, including lead. We explore three expressions related to the metal...

S’emmêler les pinceaux and other French art phrases you may hear

To mark the start of the FIAC annual modern art fair in Paris today, we look at three expressions related to art

Entre chien et loup and other French animal expressions

French animal protection association SPA is advocating for the appointment of an Animal Rights’ Defender. We look at three French expressions related to dogs…

Manger de la vache enragée and more French cow phrases

Cows are in the news after the Minister for Agriculture ordered an investigation into the practices of a slaughterhouse in central-eastern France. We look at four well-known French expressions related to cows…

‘Être marqué au fer rouge’ and other French ‘red’ expressions

The SNCF is in the red (dans le rouge) again this year, having lost €780million in the first half of 2021. We look at three other French expressions related to the colour red

Les carottes sont cuites and other French culinary expressions

To mark International Chefs Day, we look at three expressions inspired by the profession

En vrac: a French phrase you will be seeing more of

A law change means that certain fruits and vegetables will only be sold ‘en vrac’ (loose) from next year. We look at the origin of the term which was imported from the Netherlands

‘La grève’: The origins of a word often associated with France

With recent protests by rubbish collectors, midwives – and a national strike having taken place on Tuesday this week – we look at the historical origins of the word

‘Une volée de bois vert’ and three other French phrases about trees

Trees are in the news due to plans to ‘greenify’ Paris. We explore French expressions related to trees and wood…

‘Nuit blanche’, and other expressions with the word ‘white’ in French

Paris’ famous Nuit Blanche festival takes place this Saturday. We explain the origins of the name and three other French expressions related to the colour white

‘Train de sénateur’ and other French expressions you may hear

To celebrate 40 years of the TGV, we explain some French idioms related to trains

Schéma, rétablissement: 30 Covid-related terms you may hear in France

From getting a test to showing your health pass, there are a whole host of words that have entered our vocabulary since the start of the pandemic

Faire feu de tout bois: A French expression you may hear today

Health Minister Olivier Véran set out to ‘faire feu de tout bois’ against French anti-vaxers in a press conference yesterday. What does the expression mean?

Tous azimuts: A French expression you may hear today

To find a path out of the Covid health crisis President Emmanuel Macron is – uncharacteristically – consulting ‘tous azimuts’. What does the expression mean?

Aller bon train: A French expression you may hear today

Covid booster vaccines are likely to be made available to most people in France, a senior doctor who leads a group advising the government on the virus said today. It comes as French media report that Israel’s third dose campaign continues to ‘aller bon train’ - but what does vaccination have to do with trains?

French expression

Seven useful informal French expressions you don’t learn at school

More French words and phrases with no real equivalent in English

10 common French expressions involving ‘coup’

How to use ‘alors’ like a French native speaker

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