Ne pas avoir un radis

Why do I need to know ne pas avoir un radis?

This French expression is good to know if you’re in a financial pickle.

What does it mean?

The expression ne pas avoir un radis, roughly pronounced nuh pah-zah-vwar uhn rah-dee (listen here), translates literally as “to not have one radish” but in reality it means to have no money or to be broke.  It’s similar to the English ‘I don’t have a bean’ to describe having no money.

When someone has no money left, you might hear them say je n’ai pas un radis (I don’t have a penny to my name).

The expression dates back to the 19th century, when radishes were extremely cheap and could be bought for just a tiny amount of money. In fact, some cafés and taverns even gave them away for free. Traditionally served with a pinch of salt, radishes encouraged customers to become thirstier…and therefore order more drinks. 

Another reason for the expression’s popularity is that the small, round shape of a radish was said to resemble a sou, a low-value coin used at the time. As a result, radis (radish) gradually became a slang term for a very small amount of money.

Over time, the expression ne pas avoir un radis entered everyday French and is still commonly used today to describe someone who is completely broke.

You might also hear people say je n’ai plus un radis. Here, the word plus (no longer) implies that you used to have money, but you’ve spent it or lost it.

In everyday conversation, je n’ai plus un radis is probably the version you’ll hear more often, because people are often talking about having run out of money after paying for something, travelling, or towards the end of the month.

Use it like this

À la fin du mois, je n’ai plus un radis. – By the end of the month, I don’t have a bean.

Quand j’étais étudiant, je n’avais pas un radis. – When I was a student, I didn’t have a penny.

J’aimerais bien venir, mais je n’ai pas un radis. – I’d love to come, but I’m broke.