Can you tell me any common French idiomatic expressions?

Question

Definition of an idiom (dictionary.com): an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements, as kick the bucket or hang one's head...

Answer 1

Here are just a few:

Faire tout un fromage=make a big fuss
Parler français comme une vache espagnole=speak poor French
A tout bout de champ=all the time
Voir trente six chandelles= to be knocked out
Avoir mal au coeur=to feel sick
Une grosse légume=an important person
Faire gaffe= to be careful
La barbe!=It's boring!
Tu me fais suer=you get on my nerves
J'en ai marre = I have had enough of this
Mon petit chou= my sweet/ my darling
Casse pieds= annoying
Le coup de foudre= love at first sight
Chercher midi à quatorze heures= to make things complicated/ nitpick
Je suis fauché= I am skint
Mettre de l'eau dans son vin= to compromise or attenuate
Comme les cheveux dans la soupe=unwelcome
Faire du lèche-vitrine= go window shopping
Se faire de la bile= to worry
Battre le pavé = to walk up and down the street
Mettre la charrue avant les boeufs= to do things in the wrong order
Se saigner les quatre veines=to bleed oneself white
Tenir une dent=to hold a grudge
Faire le poireau= to be kept waiting
Devoir une fameuse chandelle=to be greatly indebted to somebody
Rendre sa langue au chat=to give up when unable to guess from clues
Manger de la vache enragée= to have a very tough time
Tirer le diable par la queue= to lead a precarious existence
En avoir plein le dos (or) En avoir ras de bol= to have reached the end of your patience
Suer sang et eau= to carry out a task painfully
Donner carte blanche= to leave somebody free to use their initiative
Se rendre compte= to realise
Donner un coup de main= to help
Se faire du mauvais sang= to be very anxious
Avoir le nez qui coule comme une chandelle= to have a runny nose
Tomber dans la gueule du loup= to fall in a trap
Se faire prendre= to be tricked
Tirer les vers du nez=make someone admit wrong doing
Pleurer comme une madeleine= cry very hard
Vendre la peau de l'ours= to count your chickens before they are hatched
Montrer patte blanche= show your credentials before being admitted
Prendre la poudre d'escampette= to run away
Passer en coup de vent= to call on someone very briefly
Le champ est libre!= the coast is clear!
Se faire sonner les cloches= to be told off
Vivre aux crochets de...=to sponge off someone
Etre tiré à quatre épingles= to be impeccably dressed and groomed
Ne te mèle pas du chapeau de la gamine!= mind your own business!
Lacher le morceau= to confess
Avoir du culot=To have nerve/ to be cheeky
Il/elle tourne du chapeau=he /she is insane
Mettre la main à la pâte= lend a hand
Faire la grasse matinée= to stay in bed late
Tomber dans les pommes= to faint/ pass out
Tirer à soi la couverture= to be selfish
Se créper le chignon=to pull each other's hair out/to fight
Prendre la clef des champs=take French leave

I heard all these as a child and have really enjoyed trying to recall them. I started with "a few" and they flooded back! I will continue adding those that come to mind as I think it is such an interesting memory test. Obviously I am not including those given by other contributors, and I have tried to include really colourful ones.
Many thanks for such an interesting question.

Answer 2

French Idiomatic Expressions

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Can you tell me any common French idiomatic expressions?
Definition of an idiom (dictionary.com): an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements, as kick the bucket or hang one's head...

Answer 4

The c'est bon thing I suppose however think bien is better in the situation. Also "tu es d'accord?" You agree or just "d'accord?" ok? D'accord is VERY useful in day to day french. Je m'en fiche is I don't care if you mean that sense or you could use "Bof" which is slang for whatever (I think that's the spelling). I would say bien. Bon is more 'yum' or agreement. I've never heard anyone say Ca a été? though. Not very sure on that :S but I suppose yeah that's how you would answer it. Bonne chance avec tout! J'espère que je t'ai aidé :)

Answer 5

Sacre Bleu!

Answer 6

1. Mettre les pieds dans le plat.
2. Chercher midi à 14h00.

Answer 7

I like "pierre qui roule n'amasse pas mousse". The meaning is the same as English, "a rolling stone gathers no moss", but it sounds so nice!

Errol

Answer 8

Couper les cheveux en quatre.

Answer 9

"avaler des couleuvres" " To swallow grass snakes "
(To undergo affronts, nuisances without being able to protest)

"jongler avec les mots"
"il pleut des cordes"
"Il fait un froid de canard"
"tourner autour du pot"