Condiments and emotion meet in a phrase for getting cross, a couple with facial connotations, and a very ordinary definition for a technical-sounding term
Every day The Local publishes a French word or phrase of the day, focusing on colloquialisms, slang, sayings (and a bit of swearing) – you know, the type of French you might not learn in the classroom, but will hear all the time in the street.
This daily habit means we have a very extensive back catalogue – find it here – and we’ve picked out eight of our recent favourites.
Jeter un oeil – Don’t worry, no-one’s really throwing actual eyes around. This French phrase has an entirely innocent meaning, as we explain here.
La moutarde me monte au nez – French is a gastronomic language, so it should come as no surprise that the process of getting cross comes with a foodie metaphor, like this.
Balles – As with all languages, context matters in French, never more so than when you’re asked if you have some of these, which could mean two things, neither of which are likely to be what you’re thinking right now. Find out more, here.
Dinguerie – From breathtaking landscapes to unbelievable sporting events, the French love describing anything extraordinary as ‘une dinguerie’. We explain here.
Rédhibitoire – Whether you're talking about a job interview, a relationship or buying something, this is the perfect French word to know. So, we tell you all about it, here.
Piquer du nez – It seems that US President Donald Trump does it during press conferences that last longer than 10 minutes. Here’s what you need to know about the French phrase for drifting off to sleep.
Tous azimuts – This French expression may sound technical at first, but it's actually a common idiom used in a wide range of everyday situations. Find out more.
Pète-sec – A phrase that looks like it should be a bit rude, and is a bit rude, but not necessarily in the way you may think.
