Popular French Sayings

From LoveToKnow French

Popular French sayings may encompass famous French sayings, French love phrases, or simply phrases the English speaking countries have borrowed from the French. Once the international language and the language of the royal courts throughout Europe, there’s a long history of French words and phrases filtering into other languages. Throughout history, knowing a few popular French sayings made a person seem important, cultured and educated. Today, popular French sayings are used not in royal courts but in common places – like the kitchen.

Popular French Sayings at Home and Dining

While you can pepper your conversations with French sayings or phrases, some have chosen a different way to express their love of French culture: signs in French. As French-style decorating, from the light colors of Provence to French country chic becomes popular, many people are choosing signs and wall art that expresses their love of all things French.

Welcome Home

The French have several popular phrases to welcome guests to their home. These include Bienvenue à la Maison or simply Bienvenue, which means welcome to our home (or welcome.) Such a sign may hang in an entry hallway or kitchen to welcome guests and company to the home.

In the Kitchen

Many popular sayings relate to the kitchen or to cooking. In fact, you can even purchase wall art featuring French phrases related to the kitchen or cooking! Wise Décor features dozens of signs with French sayings.

  • If you love the saying "Live well, love much, laugh often", you may wish to have the sign Mangez bien, riez souvent, aimez beaucoup in your kitchen.
  • Instead of "live well", the French say "Eat well." You will, of course, wish to add:
  • La vie est trop courte pour boire du mauvais vin- in English, "Life is too short to drink bad wine". This is a typical French saying, and the French do enjoy consuming moderate amounts of good wine with their meals.

Cooking and Dining Sayings

Nothing is more popular than dining out at a French restaurant, or while in France sampling their fine regional cuisines. Order like a pro by choosing the appropriate sayings and phrases.

  • If the waiter asks you, "Qu'est-ce que je vous sers?" he is asking what he can get for you. Respond with Je voudrais, which means "I would like", and then the proper word for the food or drink you wish to order.
  • Verbs related to cooking are important to help you understand how food items on the menu are prepared. Some more common cooking verbs and phrases related to cooking methods include:
    • faire cuire au four, to bake. The phrase used to relate that a food is baked is Cuit au four
    • faire cuire sur le gril, to grill or cook on a grill. The phrase to describe food cooked on a grill is Grillé.
    • faire frire, to deep fry. The phrase to describe fried food is frit.

Modern French Slang

Other French sayings may take the form of idioms, or slang. These are expressions that have grown into popular use, but cannot be translated literally. In fact, literal translations often sound ridiculous and meaningless. Often these expressions have transformed over time into new and different meanings. If you enjoy modern French rock music, rap or film, you may want to learn some modern popular French sayings.

As with all slang, idioms, and edgy sayings, use with caution. Use depends upon context, and you may need a native speaker to help you understand when and how to use these and other edgy expressions. Otherwise you may accidentally hurl an insult at someone unintentionally!

  • à cran: Edgy, nervous. Used to describe furtive behavior.
  • à la côte: On the rocks. A saying that is sometimes used to connote a person is living on the edge or close to the edge.
  • à la fin: All right already – enough. Implies the speaker is out of patience.
  • elle est bonne: She’s hot. Watch how you use this expression, as it has a strong sexual connotation.
  • engueuler: To tell someone off.
  • regarder en chiens de faïence: Glare at each other like you’re going to face off and fight.
  • rouler une pelle: To French kiss
  • ta gueule: Shut up. This is a rude way of saying be quiet, so use with caution.
  • téloche: Television, but in a derogatory way – in English we would say ‘the boob tube’ or something else to imply mindless television programs.
  • texto: To text message someone, send a text message.

A comprehensive dictionary of modern French sayings, idioms and slang may be found at Language Realm.

Other Ways to Learn Popular French Sayings

There are more ways to learn popular French sayings than reading about them. Rent modern French films on DVD, or catch programs as they air on television. Listen to French music online, including modern bands and singers who include idioms and sayings in their songs. Read modern French literature, including short stories, novels and poetry. The best way to learn language is to immerse yourself in it and the culture.

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Comments

La bonne vie is definitely a popular French saying! Thanks for visiting our site.

-- Contributed by: Valorie Delp

the good life

-- Contributed by: b. richards

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