French Expressions
A handful of everyday French expressions you won't find in a textbook — the kind that make you sound like you actually live here.
Avoir le cafard
Literally: "to have the cockroach"
To feel down, a bit blue — used casually about a passing low mood.
"J'ai un peu le cafard aujourd'hui" — I'm feeling a bit down today.
Poser un lapin
Literally: "to place a rabbit"
To stand someone up — miss an appointment without warning.
"Il m'a posé un lapin hier soir" — He stood me up last night.
Coûter les yeux de la tête
Literally: "to cost the eyes of the head"
To be extremely expensive.
"Ce restaurant coûte les yeux de la tête" — That restaurant is crazy expensive.
Avoir un chat dans la gorge
Literally: "to have a cat in the throat"
To have a frog in your throat — a raspy voice.
"Désolé, j'ai un chat dans la gorge" — Sorry, I've got a frog in my throat.
Il pleut des cordes
Literally: "it's raining ropes"
It's pouring rain.
"Prends un parapluie, il pleut des cordes" — Take an umbrella, it's pouring.
Être dans la lune
Literally: "to be in the moon"
To be daydreaming, distracted.
"Excuse-moi, j'étais dans la lune" — Sorry, I was daydreaming.
Ça marche !
Literally: "it walks!"
Sounds good! / Deal!
"On se voit à 18h ? — Ça marche !" — See you at 6pm? — Sounds good!
Avoir la pêche
Literally: "to have the peach"
To be full of energy, in great shape.
"Tu as la pêche ce matin !" — You're full of energy this morning!
Ça me gonfle
Literally: "it inflates me [like a balloon]"
It annoys me, it bugs me.
"Ce bruit me gonfle" — This noise is really bugging me.
Tomber dans les pommes
Literally: "to fall into the apples"
To faint, pass out.
"Elle est tombée dans les pommes" — She fainted.
Avoir un poil dans la main
Literally: "to have a hair in the hand"
To be extremely lazy.
"Il a un poil dans la main, celui-là" — That guy is so lazy.
Casser les pieds (à quelqu'un)
Literally: "to break someone's feet"
To annoy or bother someone.
"Tu me casses les pieds avec tes questions" — You're bugging me with your questions.
Le coup de foudre
Literally: "the bolt of lightning"
Love at first sight.
"Ça a été le coup de foudre" — It was love at first sight.
Mettre son grain de sel
Literally: "to put in one's grain of salt"
To give an unsolicited opinion.
"Il faut toujours qu'il mette son grain de sel" — He always has to put his two cents in.
Faire la grasse matinée
Literally: "to make the fat morning"
To sleep in, stay in bed late.
"Dimanche, je fais la grasse matinée" — On Sunday, I sleep in.
Chercher midi à quatorze heures
Literally: "to look for noon at two p.m."
To overcomplicate something that's actually simple.
"Ne cherche pas midi à quatorze heures" — Don't overthink it.
Donner sa langue au chat
Literally: "to give one's tongue to the cat"
To give up guessing, admit you don't know the answer.
"Je donne ma langue au chat" — I give up, tell me the answer.
Filer à l'anglaise
Literally: "to sneak off English-style"
To leave quietly without saying goodbye to anyone.
"Il a filé à l'anglaise avant la fin de la fête" — He slipped away before the party ended.
Ne pas être dans son assiette
Literally: "to not be in one's plate"
To not feel well, physically or emotionally.
"Je ne suis pas dans mon assiette aujourd'hui" — I'm not feeling quite myself today.
Avoir d'autres chats à fouetter
Literally: "to have other cats to whip"
To have more important, more pressing things to deal with.
"J'ai d'autres chats à fouetter" — I've got bigger fish to fry.