Intelligent Idioms

INTELLIGENT IDIOMS

Mettre son grain de sel

“To put one’s grain of salt”.

This expression comes from the latin “cum grano salis“. It’s used to complain about people who join a conversation or do something without being invited to do so.

How to use mettre son grain de sel?

Il faut toujours qu’il mette son grain de sel dans nos conversation, ça m’énerve !

He always has to put his two cents in our conversations, it irritates me!

Avoir les yeux plus gros que le ventre

You “have eyes bigger than your belly” when you want to eat more than you can. The English counterpart would be “Your eyes are bigger than your stomach“.

How to use avoir les yeux plus gros que le ventre?

Je n’ai pas pu finir, j’ai eu les yeux plus gros que le ventre.

I couldn’t finish, my eyes were bigger than my stomach.

Faire la tête

“You make the head” when you are not happy about something and decide to sulk as a result.

How to use the expression “faire la tête“?

Il fait la tête car il n’a pas eu ce qu’il voulait.

He is sulking because he didn’t get what he wanted.

Être bien dans sa peau

To feel good in one’s skin.

if you feel good in your skin, it means you are comfortable with your body and who you are. You are not afraid of other people’s judgement.

How to use “être bien dans sa peau“?

Elle est bien dans sa peau.

She is at ease with herself.

Beaucoup de jeunes ne se sentent pas bien dans leur peau.

Many teenagers don’t feel comfortable with themselves.

Avoir une peur bleue

Literal translation : to have a blue fear.

Meaning : to be terrified.

If you consider blue a scary color, you can consider that a blue fear is an intense fear, closer to terror than actual fear.

How to use the French expression “avoir une peur bleue“?

Il a une peur bleue des araignées.

He is extremely afraid of spiders

Tu m’as fait une peur bleue.

Il y a quelque chose qui cloche

French idiom something wrongLiteral translation : there is something ringing.

Meaning : there is something wrong.

Usually when something rings, there is a problem. And that’s exactly what this French expression means. You can use it to talk about something or someone.

How to use “il y a quelque chose qui cloche” ?

Il n’est toujours pas arrivé, il y a quelque chose qui cloche.

He is still not here, there is something wrong.

Chercher la petite bête

Literal translation : to look for the little beast/insect.

Meaning : to always look for something to complain about/ splitting hairs.

We all know someone who always finds something to complain about and pays attention to the most insignificant details. In French we say that this person “cherche la petite bête”.

How to use the French expression “chercher la petite bête” ?

Il cherche toujours la petite bête, c’est énervant.

He is always splitting hairs, it’s irritating.

Some other idioms:

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