MAGAZINE

Device converter



Weather

 

Classified ads

Put an ad on this website

Recently added

articles > Culture events

Culture

New Franglish idioms to hit the road

By Manon Variol
22/07/2016

When a tourist butchers the language of Molière, he was said to speak French like a Spanish Basque. Later, this Basque was somehow transformed into a cow! The link between a foreigner and a bovid is not quite clear. However, French people use it a lot. The holiday season has already started, so be careful not to translate the following expressions word for word. Otherwise, you might be the cow.

It is hard working under a “sun of lead” (“un soleil de plomb”). After an iced tea, you wander around, thinking about white sand and coconut trees. In summary, you “bubble” (“buller”) and you are not really effective. Well, it is now time “to take the key to the fields” (“prendre la clé des champs”)! You might want to “roll your lump” (“rouler leur bosse”) to the beautiful English countryside, or maybe “leave on the hats of the wheels” (“partir sur les chapeaux de roues”) to nice beaches eating seafood.

Are you ready? Alright “Simone, get in the car!” (“en voiture, Simone!”) At “potron-kitty” (“dès potron-minet”), travellers are already driving to their destination to be the first to “brown the pill” (“se faire dorer la pilule”). There is unfortunately a massive amount of traffic already. Your children are getting bored. You are “not out of the hostel” (“ne pas être sorti de l’auberge”)…

However, instead of blaming these damned cars on your way to the seaside - what are all these tourists doing here, anyway? - you are “in the moon” (“être dans la lune”) and wonder when you will have a rest.

Several hours later, you are finally “arriving in a good port” (“arriver à bon port”). Your little ones go to the swimming pool and you warn them not to “drink the cup” (“boire la tasse”).  When the children are in bed, it is time for you to go to the hotel bar. The  traditional Saturday night “party already beats its full” (“la fête bat son plein”). Your table companions have drunk their mojito “dry bottom” (“cul sec”). You chose a fruit cocktail with an exotic name. “To yours” (“à la vôtre”), you deserved it!

You could not understand a thing ? Do not worry, here is the real translation:

It is hard working under a blazing sun. After an iced tea, you wander around, thinking about white sand and coconut trees. In summary, you are daydreaming and are not really effective. Well, it is now time to head for the hills! You might want to go around the beautiful English countryside or get off to a flying start to nice beaches and eat seafood.

Are you ready? Alright, let’s go! At the crack of dawn, travellers are already driving to their destination to be the first to tan on their sunbed. There is unfortunately a massive amount of traffic already. Your children are getting bored. You are not out of the woods yet… However, instead of blaming these damned cars on your way to the seaside - what are all these tourists doing here, anyway? - you have your head in the clouds and wonder when you will be allowed have a rest.

Several hours later, you finally arrive safe and sound. Your little ones run to the swimming pool and you warn them not to swallow any water. When the children are in bed, it is time for you to go to the hotel bar. The traditional Saturday night party is already in full swing. You hear your table companions shout “bottoms up!” while they drink their mojito. You choose a fruit cocktail with an exotic name. Cheers! You deserved it!

 
French idioms Wrong translation English idioms
Un soleil de plomb A sun of lead Blazing sun
Buller To bubble To daydream
Prendre la clé des champs To take the keys to the fields To head for the hills
Rouler sa bosse To roll one's lump

To go around

Partir sur les chapeaux de roues To leave on the hats of the wheels To get off a flying start
En voiture, Simone ! Simone, get in the car! Let's go!
Dès potron-minet At potron-kitty At the crack of dawn
Se faire dorer la pilule To brown the pill To tan
Ne pas être sorti de l'auberge Not to be out of the hostel Not to be out of the woods
Etre dans la lune To be in the moon To have one's head in the clouds
Arriver à bon port To arrive in a good port To arrive safe and sound
Boire la tasse To drink the cup To swallow water
La fête bat son plein The party beats its full The party is in full swing
Cul sec Dry bottom Bottoms up
A la vôtre To yours Cheers

You can also read: 

Holy cow! We let the cat out of the bag!

If you are head over heels for someone
and want to get all lovey-dovey!

We'll be there to take you on cloud nine

Do not get your knickers in a twist!

These idioms are a piece of cake

COMMENTS:

23/07/2016 - pauljeeee said :

"When the children are in bed, it is time for you to go to the hotel bar."
What?!?
Who is taking care of the children?

LEAVE A COMMENT

Comments are moderated. They are displayed after an administrator validation.

:

You can reload the captcha by clicking on it