Do you want to deepen your knowledge of French, speak it like a real native? There’s nothing like knowing a few small, typically French expressions! Here are 8 expressions, in pictures and with examples of use in sentences to help you remember them better:

•  “To have a heart of artichoke”: to fall in love easily and often.

Example: “This girl smiled at him on the street and he is in love again. It’s a real artichoke heart! “

• “Change your mind as well as your shirt”: change your mind all the time.

Example: “Yesterday she told me she wanted to go to the movies, this morning she preferred to go to the restaurant, this afternoon she talked to me about going bowling but probably tonight she will want something else, who knows? She changes her mind as well as her shirt!”

• “Rowing”: having a lot of difficulties, going too slow.

Example: “My daughter is in the middle of a teenage crisis and very insolent, my office colleagues are on edge and very aggressive, my sister-in-law is causing trouble in the family, my husband is never at home: I can tell you that I am rowing right now! I’m doing what I can to hold on, but I can’t take it anymore.”

• “Put your feet in the dish”: tackling a delicate subject without precaution, making a mistake.

Example: “We were all sitting quietly around a family meal when my father made a big mistake. He asked his daughter-in-law when he would finally have grandchildren, when she had just learned that she was sterile, the poor thing… The situation was really embarrassing and it really made the atmosphere worse. You could say he really put his feet into the dish.”

• ” Making a person walk”: lying, making a joke to someone.

Example: “I made him walk for days without him noticing! I made him believe that I had really forgotten his birthday when I was planning a big surprise party for him! “

• “Taking the bull by the horns”: tackling a challenge with determination.

Example: “My brother failed his exams, he didn’t get his driver’s license, his girlfriend left him. He went through a period of great depression, but now he’s feeling better, he’s decided to take the bull by the horns and solve all his problems one by one. “

• “Sending someone on the roses”: pushing someone away, getting rid of them quickly.

Example: “I invited Maria to the cinema tonight. Well, she sent me to the roses! She immediately claimed another unavoidable appointment and left without even giving me time to suggest another date.”

• “Putting water in your wine”: be more moderate in your actions, your ambitions.

Example: “Tonight we have a family meal. There will be my brother-in-law who hates my mother, and it’s mutual… I hope everyone will be able to put water in their wine so that we can still have a pleasant evening. “

Written by Ingrid, Coliglote

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Consulté sur Pinterest, Le français avec Pierre. https://www.pinterest.fr/francaisavecpierre/