This week, we’re looking at one of my favourite French expressions: ‘une grosse légume’. Word of the Week: ‘Grosse légume’. How to pronounce it: Grow-ss lay-goom. What it means in English: Although it literally translates as ‘large vegetable’, it’s a French slang term that’s used to describe someone who’s very powerful or influential, a bit…
Word of the Week: ‘Enterrement de vie de jeune fille’
I first learned this phrase a few months ago, and have been trying (and failing) to shoehorn it in on the blog somehow ever since. And now, dear readers, after going along to my cousin’s hen weekend a couple of weeks ago, I’ve got the perfect excuse 😉 Word of the Week: Enterrement de vie…
Word of the Week: ‘potasser’
As students up and down the country prepare themselves for the final part of their exams, chances are that cramming will feature in their revision at some point along the way. So here we have our latest Word of the Week: potasser! Allez, on se met au boulot ! 📚📖 Word of the Week: Potasser. …
Word of the Week: ‘rhume des foins’
Ahh, summer… when we finally get to June, July and August, after the hard thankless slog of a British winter, most of us have visions of long, lazy days spent barbecuing, sunbathing and picnicking in searing 30-degree heat. Apart from the poor few, that is, who’ve been afflicted with hay fever. Or, as our French…
Word of the Week: ‘chuchoter’
To continue with our exam-related theme for Word of the Week, here we have ‘chuchoter’ (which, as a bonus, is possibly one of the nicest words to say and hear in French). Word of the Week: Chuchoter. How to pronounce it: Shoo-shot-ay. What it means in English: To whisper. Where does it come from? ‘Chuchoter’…
Word of the Week: ‘faire carton plein’
The 70th Cannes International Film Festival finished last night, with Swedish film The Square clinching the top prize, the Palme d’Or. In honour of Cannes, I’ve chosen a (vaguely) film-related mot de la semaine: ‘faire carton plein’. Word of the Week: Faire carton plein. How to pronounce it: Fair kahr-tohn plahn (the ‘n’ at the end…
Word of the Week: avoir le trac
Bonsoir mes amis! So once again, all too soon, summer exam season has crept up on us. We’ve all been there, scribbling away furiously, with one eye on the clock (which seems to be ticking away at twice its normal speed) and the other on our question papers, making sure we’ve answered everything as clearly…
Word of the Week: ‘quinquennat’
Now that Emmanuel Macron has been elected the new president of France (and moved into the Élysée Palace in Paris), time for yet another presidential-themed mot de la semaine! 🇫🇷 (In other news, have a watch of these hilarious parodies of Macron – and Le Pen – from the satirical TV show Les Guignols. It’s the…
Word of the Week: ‘flagada’
Word of the Week: Flagada. How to pronounce it: Flah-gah-dah. What it means in English: It’s an informal way of saying you’re really tired: ‘shattered’ would be a good translation in English. Where does it come from? According to the link here, ‘flagada’ was first used in 1936 to mean ‘tired’. How to use it…
Word of the Week: ‘appuyer sur le champignon’
First of all, for any British readers, I wish you a very happy May Bank holiday! 🙂 And in keeping with the spirit of the blog (or if you’re reading this from France), bonne fête du Travail! This week, I’ve chosen an expression that comes up among my all-time favourites (mainly because it sounds so…
Word of the Week: ‘isoloir’
Bonjour mes choux! As well as being St George’s Day, yesterday also saw the voting process get underway in mainland France for the first round of the country’s presidential election this year, after citizens of overseas French territories went to the polls on Saturday. Described by The Guardian as ‘unpredictable‘ and ‘an exceptionally tight race‘,…
Word of the Week: ‘une cloche’
Joyeuses Pâques à tous! 🔔 Happy Easter everyone!! 🐰 As it’s lundi de Pâques (Easter Monday) today, I thought it would be nice to have an Easter-related word this week 🙂 In English-speaking countries, the Easter bunny (or le lapin de Pâques, if you will) is in charge of making sure all of the chocolate…
French Affliction 