Colloquial or ‘local’ expressions can be a bit bizarre (to say the least) and thus hard to explain. Il pleut des cordes! (it’s raining cords/ropes) Chaleur d’aout c’est du bien partout! (in the heat of August, everything is fine).. And yet, despite their trickiness, colloquialisms add colour and humour to any language.
Here’s a selection of French expressions to get to know;
“Occupe-toi de tes oignons”
Literally: mind your onions
English expression: mind your own business
“Avoir le cafard”
Literally: to have the cockroach
English expression: to feel blue
“Faire un froid de canard”
Literally: to make a cold duck
English expression: to be freezing cold
“Il me court sur le haricot”
Literally: he’s running on the bean
English expression: he’s getting on my nerves
“En faire tout un fromage”
Literally: to make cheese out of it
English expression: to make a fuss
“Les doigts dans le nez”
Literally: fingers in the nose
English expression: a piece of cake