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French proverbs
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V
A
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A beau mentir qui vient de loin.
- Literal meaning: Whoever comes from afar may easily lie.
- Idiomatic translation: Long ways, long lies.
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À bon chat, bon rat.
- Literal meaning: A fine rat ( to match ) a fine cat.
- Idiomatic translation: Two knaves well met.
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Abondance de biens ne nuit pas.
- Literal meaning: An abundance of goods does no harm.
- Idiomatic translation: Plenty is no plague.
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À bon entendeur, salut!
- Idiomatic translation: A word to the wise is enough.
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À bon vin point d'enseigne.
- Translation 1: Good wine needs no bush.
- Translation 2: Good wine needs no publicity.
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À brebis tondue Dieu ménage le vent.
- Idiomatic translation: God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb.
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À chaque jour suffit sa peine.
- Idiomatic translation: Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
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À chaque mercier son panier.
- Literal meaning: To each draper his own basket.
- Idiomatic translation: Let each man his own burden bear.
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À cheval donné on ne regarde pas la bride.
- Idiomatic translation: Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
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À cœur vaillant rien d'impossible
- Idiomatic translation: Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.
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À frotter la tête d'un âne, on perd son savon.
- Idiomatic translation: Rubbing a donkey's head is nothing but a waste of soap.
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Aide-toi et le ciel t'aidera
- Idiomatic translation: Heaven helps those who help themselves.
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À la guerre comme à la guerre.
- Literal meaning: With the war as with the war.
- Idiomatic translation: One must take things as they come.
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À la queue gît le venin.
- Idiomatic translation: The sting is in the tail.
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À la trogne on connaît l'ivrogne.
- Translation 1: One can tell a drunkard by his mug.
- Translation 2: Two things a drunkard do disclose: A fiery face, and a crimson nose.
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À l'impossible nul n'est tenu.
- Idiomatic translation: No one is expected to achieve the impossible.
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À l'œuvre, on connaît l'artisan / l'ouvrier.
- Idiomatic translation: A good workman is known by his chips / his work.
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À malin, malin et demi.
- Idiomatic translation: Diamonds cut diamonds.
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À méchant ouvrier, point de bon outil.
- Idiomatic translation: A bad workman always blames his tools.
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À père avare, fils prodigue.
- Idiomatic translation: Niggard father, spendthrift son.
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Après la pluie le beau temps.
- Literal meaning: After rain, beautiful weather.
- Idiomatic translation: Every cloud has a silver lining.
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À quelque chose malheur est bon.
- Idiomatic translation: It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good.
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Araignée du matin, chagrin; araignée du soir, espoir.
- Literal meaning: A spider in the morning, anguish; a spider in the evening, hope.
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À tout péché miséricorde.
- Idiomatic translation: No sin but should find mercy.
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À tout seigneur tout honneur.
- Idiomatic translation: Honour to whom honour is due.
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À trompeur, trompeur et demi.
- Idiomatic translation: Set a thief to catch a thief.
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Aujourd'hui en chair, demain en bière.
- Idiomatic translation: Today a man, tomorrow none.
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Au pays des aveugles les borgnes sont rois.
- Literal meaning: In the land of the blind, the one-eyed are king.
- (Also "Andhanam deshe kâna eva prabhavat" in Sanskrit)
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Au royaume des aveugles, les borgnes sont rois.
- Idiomatic translation: In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
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Autant de têtes, autant d'avis.
- Literal meaning: Many minds, many views.
- Idiomatic translation: Too many cooks spoil the broth.
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Autres temps, autres moeurs.
- Idiomatic translation: Other days, other ways.
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Aux grands maux les grands remèdes.
- Idiomatic translation: Desperate ills demand desperate measures.
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Aux innocents les mains pleines.
- Literal meaning: To the innocents the full hands.
- Translation 1: It's beginner's luck.
- Translation 2: Fortune favours fools.
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Avec des si et des mais, on mettrait Paris en bouteille.
- Literal meaning: With ifs and buts, one could put Paris in a bottle.
- Translation 1: If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
- Translation 2: If ifs and ands were pots and pans, there'd be no trade for tinkers.
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À vieille mule, frein doré.
- Idiomatic translation: An old jenny gets a golden bit
<3Goodnight
B
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Bien mal acquis ne profite jamais.
- Idiomatic translation: Ill-gotten gains seldom prosper.
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Bon chien chasse de race.
- Idiomatic translation: Like father, like son.
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Bon repas doit commencer par la faim.
- Idiomatic translation: Hunger is the best spice.
- Literal meaning: A good meal must begin with hunger.
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Bon sang ne saurait mentir.
- Idiomatic translation: Blood will out.
- Literal meaning: Good blood cannot lie.
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Bonne renommée vaut mieux que ceinture dorée.
- Idiomatic translation: A good name is better than riches.
- Literal meaning: Better a good name than a golden belt.
C
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Ce qui est fait n'est plus à faire.
- Idiomatic translation: What's done is done.
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C'est trop aimer quand on en meurt.
- Idiomatic translation: They love too much who die for love.
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Ce n'est pas la vache qui crie le plus fort qui donne le plus de lait.
- Idiomatic translation: Great cry, little wool.
- Literal meaning: It is not the cow who shouts the loudest who gives the most milk.
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Ce que femme veut, Dieu le veut.
- Idiomatic translation: A woman's will is God's will.
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C'est bonnet blanc et blanc bonnet.
- Idiomatic translation: It's six of one and half a dozen of the other.
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C'est dans le besoin qu'on reconnaît ses vrais amis.
- Idiomatic translation: A friend in need is a friend indeed.
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C'est dans les vieilles marmites qu'on fait les meilleures soupes.
- Idiomatic translation: Good broth may be made in an old pot.
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C'est en forgeant qu'on devient forgeron.
- Literal meaning: By dint of forging one becomes a blacksmith.
- Idiomatic translation: Practice makes perfect.
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C'est la goutte / goutte d'eau qui fait déborder le vase.
- Literal meaning: It's the drop / drop of water that makes the vase overflow.
- Idiomatic translation: It's the straw / last straw that breaks the camel's back.
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C'est la paille et la poutre.
- Literal meaning: It's the mote and the beam.
- Idiomatic translation: It's the pot calling the kettle black.
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C'est la Pitié / l'hôpital qui se moque de la Charité.
- Literal meaning: It's Mercy / the hospital looking down on Charity.
- Idiomatic translation: It's the pot calling the kettle black.
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C'est la poule qui chante qui a fait l'œuf.
- Literal meaning: It is the chicken which sings which has laid the egg.
- Idiomatic translation: The guilty dog barks the loudest.
My French Grandmother said it this way, "The hen that cackles first is the one who laid the egg."
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C'est l'arroseur arrosé.
- Literal meaning: It's the waterer getting drenched.
- Idiomatic translation: It's the biter bit.
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C'est le poêle qui se moque du chaudron.
- Literal meaning: It's the stove looking down on the cauldron.
- Idiomatic translation: It's the pot calling the kettle black.
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C'est le ton qui fait la chanson.
- Literal meaning: It's the melody that makes the song.
- Idiomatic translation: It's not what you say but the way you say it.
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C'est un prêté pour un rendu.
- Translation 1: Tit for tat.
- Translation 2: One good turn deserves another.
- Literal meaning: It is one loaned for one returned.
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Chacun pour soi et Dieu pour tous.
- Translation 1: Every man for himself, and God for us all.
- Translation 2: Every man for himself, and the Devil take the hindmost.
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Chacun son métier, les vaches seront bien gardées.
- Idiomatic translation: One should mind one's own business.
- Literal meaning: Each to his craft, and the cows will be well looked after.
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Chacun voit midi à sa porte.
- Idiomatic translation: To each his own.
- Literal meaning: Everyone sees noon at his door.
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Chantez à l'âne, il vous fera des pêts.
- Idiomatic translation: Sing to an ass, he will fart in your face.
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Charbonnier est maître chez soi.
- Translation (British): An Englishman's home is his castle.
- Literal meaning: A coalman is master of his own house.
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Charité bien ordonnée commence par soi-même.
- Idiomatic translation: Charity begins at home.
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Chassez le naturel, il revient au galop.
- Idiomatic translation: A leopard cannot change its spots.
- Literal meaning: Chase away the natural and it returns at a gallop.
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Chat échaudé craint l'eau froide.
- Literal meaning: A scalded cat fears cold water.
- Translation 1: Once bitten, twice shy.
- Translation 2: A burned child dreads the fire.
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Cherchez la femme.
- Literal meaning: Look for the woman.
- Idiomatic translation: A woman is probably at the heart of the quarrel.
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Chien qui aboie ne mord pas.
- Idiomatic translation: Barking dogs seldom bite.
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Chose promise, chose due.
- Idiomatic translation: Promises are made to be kept.
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Cœur qui soupire n'a pas ce qu'il désire.
- Idiomatic translation: A heart that sighs is one that has not what it desires.
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Comme on fait son lit on se couche.
- Idiomatic translation: As you make your bed, so you must lie in it.
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Comparaison n'est pas raison.
- Idiomatic translation: Comparisons are misleading.
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Contentement passe richesse.
- Idiomatic translation: Happiness is worth more than riches.
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Coucher de poule et lever de corbeau écartent l'homme du tombeau.
- Idiomatic translation: Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
- Literal meaning: Going to bed with the chicken and waking with the crow keeps the man from the grave.
D
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Dans le doute, abstiens-toi.
- Idiomatic translation: When in doubt, forbear.
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De la discussion jaillit la lumière. or Du choc des idées jaillit la lumière
- Idiomatic translation: Two heads are better than one.
- Literal meaning: Out of discussion springs forth the light.
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Demain il fera jour.
- Idiomatic translation: Tomorrow is another day.
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Des goûts et des couleurs, il ne faut pas discuter. More ofthenly said Des goûts et des couleurs..
- Idiomatic translation: There's no accounting for tastes.
- Literal meaning: One shouldn't argue about tastes or colours.
- Latin: De gustibus et coloribus non est disputandum.
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Deux avis valent mieux qu'un.
- Idiomatic translation: Two heads are better than one.
- Literal meaning: Two opinions are better than one.
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Dis-moi qui tu hantes, je te dirai qui tu es.
- Idiomatic translation: A man is known by the company he keeps.
- Literal meaning: Tell me who you haunt and I will tell you who you are.
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Douce parole n'écorche pas langue.
- Idiomatic translation: Good words break no bones.
- Literal meaning: Soft words don't scratch the tongue.
E
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En avril, ne te découvre pas d'un fil; en mai, fais ce qui te plaît.
- Idiomatic translation: Never cast a clout till May is out.
- Literal meaning: In April, do not shed a single thread; in May, do as you please.
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En tout pays, il y a une lieue de mauvais chemins.
- Idiomatic translation: There will be bumps on the smoothest roads.
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Entre deux maux, il faut choisir le moindre.
- Translation 1: Of two evils one must choose the lesser.
- Translation 2: Forgive and forget.
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Entre l'arbre et l'écorce, il ne faut pas mettre le doigt.
- Idiomatic translation: Do not meddle in other people's family affairs.
- Literal meaning: Don't poke your finger 'twixt the bark and the tree.
F
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Fais ce que dois, advienne que pourra.
- Idiomatic translation: Do your duty, come what may.
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Fais ce que je dis, ne fais pas ce que je fais.
- Idiomatic translation: Do as I say, not as I do.
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Faute avouée est à moitié pardonnée.
- Idiomatic translation: A fault confessed is a half redressed.
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Faute de grives, on mange des merles.
- Translation 1: Half a loaf is better than no bread.
- Translation 2: You have to cut your coat according to your cloth.
- Literal meaning: Eat blackbirds if you can't have thrushes.
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Femme rit quand elle peut et pleure quand elle veut.
- Idiomatic translation: A woman laughs when she can and weeps when she will.
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Filer a l'anglaise.
- Idiomatic translation: To take a French leave.
- Literal translation: Let out the English way.
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Force fait loi.
- Idiomatic translation: Might makes right.
H
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Hâtez-vous lentement.
- Idiomatic translation: Make haste slowly.
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Heureux au jeu, malheureux en amour.
- Idiomatic translation: Lucky in cards, unlucky in love.
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Homme mort ne fait guerre.
- Idiomatic translation: A dead man deals no blows.
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Honni soit qui mal y pense.
- Idiomatic translation: Evil be to him who evil thinks.
- Literal meaning: Shameful be they who thinks badly of it.
I
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Il faut battre le fer pendant qu'il est chaud .
- Translation 1: Strike while the iron is hot.
- Translation 2: Make hay while the sun shines.
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Il faut casser le noyau pour avoir l'amande.
- Translation 1: He who would eat the nut must first crack the kernel.
- Translation 2: No pain, no gain.
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Il faut de tout pour faire un monde.
- Idiomatic translation: It takes all sorts to make a world.
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Il faut laver son linge sale en famille.
- Idiomatic translation: Don't air your dirty laundry in public.
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Il faut manger pour vivre, et non vivre pour manger.
- Idiomatic translation: Eat to live, don't live to eat.
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Il faut ménager la chèvre et le chou.
- Idiomatic translation: One must run with the hare and hunt with the hounds.
- Literal meaning: One must consider both the cabbage and the goat.
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Il faut prendre le taureau par les cornes.
- Idiomatic translation: Take the bull by the horns.
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Il faut que jeunesse se passe.
- Translation 1: Youth must have its fling.
- Translation 2: Boys will be boys.
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Il faut qu'une porte soit ouverte ou fermée.
- Idiomatic translation: There can be no middle ground.
- Literal meaning: A door must be either open or shut.
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Il faut savoir obéir avant que de commander.
- Idiomatic translation: Obedience comes before leadership.
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Il faut tourner sa langue sept fois dans sa bouche avant de parler.
- Idiomatic translation: Think before you speak.
- Literal meaning: One must turn the tongue seven times in the mouth before speaking.
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Il ne faut jamais dire « Fontaine je ne boirai pas de ton eau ». Most often said Il ne faut jamais dire Fontaine
- Idiomatic translation: Never say never.
- Literal meaning: Never say, "Fountain, I shall not drink of your water."
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Il ne faut jamais remettre au lendemain ce qu'on peut faire le jour même.
- Translation 1: Procastination is the thief of time.
- Translation 2: One of these days is none of these days.
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Il ne faut pas chercher midi à quatorze heures.
- Idiomatic translation: Don't complicate the issue.
- Literal meaning: Don't look for noon at two o'clock.
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Il ne faut pas confondre vitesse et précipitation.
- Idiomatic translation: More haste, less speed.
- Literal meaning: One must not confuse speed with haste.
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Il ne faut pas déshabiller Pierre pour habiller Paul.
- Idiomatic translation: Don't rob Peter to pay Paul.
- Literal meaning: Don't undress Peter to dress Paul.
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Il ne faut pas mettre la charrue avant les bœufs.
- Idiomatic translation: Don't put the cart before the horse.
- Literal meaning: Don't put the plough before the oxen.
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Il ne faut pas mettre tous les œufs dans le même panier.
- Idiomatic translation: Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
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Il ne faut pas réveiller le chat qui dort.
- Idiomatic translation: Let sleeping dogs lie.
- Literal meaning: Don't wake a sleeping cat
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Il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l'ours avant de l'avoir tué.
- Idiomatic translation: Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.
- Literal meaning: Don't sell the bearskin before you've killed the bear.
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Il n'est jamais trop tard pour bien faire.
- Idiomatic translation: It is never too late to mend.
- Literal meaning: It is never too late to do well.
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Il n'est pire aveugle que celui qui ne veut pas voir.
- Idiomatic translation: There are none so blind as they who will not see.
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Il n'est pire eau que celle qui dort.
- Idiomatic translation: Still waters run deep.
- Literal meaning: There is no worse water than the water which sleeps.
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Il n'est pire sourd que celui qui ne veut pas entendre.
- Idiomatic translation: There is none so deaf as he who will not hear.
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Il n'y a pas d'ânesse qui ne trouve son âne.
- Idiomatic translation: Every Jack has his Jill.
- Literal meaning: There is no jenny who does not find her donkey.
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Il n'y a pas de fumée sans feu.
- Idiomatic translation: There's no smoke without fire.
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Il n'y a pas de petit chez soi.
- Idiomatic translation: There's no place like home.
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Il n'y a pas de petit profit.
- Idiomatic translation: A penny saved is a penny earned.
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Il n'y a pas de sot métier.
- Idiomatic translation: Every trade has its value.
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Il n'y a que la vérité qui blesse.
- Idiomatic translation: Only the truth wounds.
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Il n'y a que les montagnes qui ne se rencontrent jamais.
- Idiomatic translation: There are none so distant that fate cannot bring together.
- Literal meaning: Only mountains never meet.
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Il y a loin de la coupe aux lèvres.
- Idiomatic translation: There's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip.
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Il y a plus d'un âne à la foire qui s'appelle Martin.
- Idiomatic translation: If one will not, another will.
- Literal meaning: There is more than one donkey at the fair called Martin.
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Impossible n'est pas français.
- Idiomatic translation: There is no such word as "can't".
- Literal meaning: Impossible is not French. OR French do not consider things impossible.
J
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Jamais couard n'aura belle amie.
- Idiomatic translation: Faint heart never won fair lady.
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Jamais deux sans trois.
- Literal translation: Never twice without thrice.
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Je ne suis ni pour, ni contre, bien au contraire.'
- Literal traslation: On the contrary, I am neither for it or against it.
L
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La bave du crapaud n'atteint pas la blanche colombe.
- Idiomatic translation: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.
- Literal meaning: The spit of the toad doesn't reach the white dove.
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La caque sent toujours le hareng.
- Idiomatic translation: What's bred in the bone will come out in the flesh.
- Literal meaning: A herring barrel will always smell of herring.
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La curiosité est un vilain défaut.
- Idiomatic translation: Curiosity killed the cat.
- Literal meaning: Curiosity is a wicked fault.
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La faim chasse le loup hors du bois.
- Idiomatic translation: Hunger drives the wolf out of the wood.
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La fête passée, adieu le saint.
- Idiomatic translation: The river passed, and God forgotten.
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La fin justifie les moyens.
- Idiomatic translation: The ends justify the means .
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La nuit porte conseil.
- Translation 1: Take advice of your pillow.
- Translation 2: Sleep on it.
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La nuit tous les chats sont gris.
- Translation: At night all cats are grey.
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La parole est d'argent, mais le silence est d'or.
- Idiomatic translation: Silence is golden.
- Literal meaning: Talk is silver, silence is golden.
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La plus belle fille du monde ne peut donner que ce qu'elle a.
- Translation: The prettiest girl in the world can only give what she has.
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L'appétit vient en mangeant.
- Idiomatic translation: The more you have, the more you want.
- Literal meaning: Eating whets the appetite. OR Appetite arrives while eating.
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La raison du plus fort est toujours la meilleure.
- Idiomatic translation: Might is always right.
- Literal meaning: The motive of the strongest is always the best.
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L'argent n'a pas d'odeur.
- Idiomatic translation: Money is money (wherever it comes from).
- Literal meaning: Money has no smell.
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L'argent ne fait pas le bonheur.
- Idiomatic translation: Money can't buy happiness.
- Literal meaning: Money doesn't make happiness.
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L'argent ne se trouve pas sous le pas / le sabot d'un cheval.
- Idiomatic translation: Money doesn't grow on trees.
- Literal meaning: Money is not found under a horse's hoof.
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L'homme est un loup pour l'homme.
- Idiomatic translation: Brother will turn on brother. /'dog eat dog'
- Latin: Homo homini lupus
- Literal meaning: Mankind is a wolf for mankind.
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La vengeance est un plat qui se mange froid.
- Idiomatic translation: Revenge is a dish best served cold.
- Literal: Vengeance is a dish that is eaten cold.
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La vérité est dans le vin.
- Idiomatic translation: In wine is truth.
- Latin: In vino veritas
- Literal: The truth is in the wine.
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La vérité sort de la bouche des enfants.
- Idiomatic translation: Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings comes forth truth.
- Latin: Ex ore parvulorum veritas
- Literal meaning: The truth comes from the mouth of children.
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Le crime ne paie pas.
- Translation: Crime does not pay.
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Le Diable chie toujours au même endroit.
- Idiomatic translation: The criminal always returns to the scene of the crime.
- Literal meaning: The Devil always shits in the same place.
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Le malheur des uns fait le bonheur des autres.
- Idiomatic translation: One man's meat is another man's poison. OR One man's trash is another man's treasure.
- Literal meaning: The troubles of some make the joy of others.
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Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien.
- Idiomatic translation: Let well alone.
- Literal meaning: Better is the enemy of good.
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Le monde appartient à ceux qui se lèvent tôt.
- Idiomatic translation: The early bird catches the worm.
- Literal meaning: The world belongs to those who rise early.
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L'enfer est pavé de bonnes intentions.
- Idiomatic translation: The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.
- Literal meaning: Hell is paved with good intentions.
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L'erreur est humaine.'
- Translation: To err is human.
- Latin: Errore humanum est
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Les absents ont toujours tort.
- Idiomatic translation: The absent are always in the wrong.
- Literal meaning: Absentees are always wrong.
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Les affaires sont les affaires.
- Translation: Business is business.
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Les amis de nos amis sont nos amis.
- Idiomatic translation: A friend of yours is a friend of mine.
- Literal meaning: Friends of our friends are our friends.
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Les apparences sont trompeuses.
- Idiomatic translation: All that glitters is not gold.
- Literal meaning: Appearances are deceptive.
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Les bons comptes font les bons amis.
- Translation 1: Short reckonings make long friends.
- Translation 2: Neither a borrower nor a lender be.
- Literal meaning: Good accounts make good friends.
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Les bons outils font les bons ouvriers
- Translation: Good tools make good workers.
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Les chiens aboient, la caravane passe.
- Idiomatic translation: Let the world say what it will.
- Literal meaning: The dogs bark, the caravan passes by.
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Les chiens ne font pas des chats.
- Idiomatic translation: Like breeds like.
- Literal meaning: Dogs don't make cats.
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Les conseillers ne sont pas les payeurs.
- Idiomatic translation: Advice is cheap.
- Literal meaning: Advisors aren't the ones who pay.
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Les cordonniers sont les plus mal chaussés.
- Idiomatic translation: The cobbler's children go barefoot.
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Les fruits défendus sont les meilleurs.
- Idiomatic translation: Forbidden fruits are the sweetest.
- Literal meaning: Forbidden fruits are the best.
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Les grands diseurs ne sont pas les grands faiseurs.
- Idiomatic translation: Talkers are not doers.
- Literal meaning: Big talkers are not big doers.
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Les grands esprits se rencontrent.
- Idiomatic translation: Great minds think alike.
- Literal meaning: Great spirits meet one another.
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Les jours se suivent et ne se ressemblent pas.
- Translation 1: After Christmas comes Lent.
- Translation 2: Time changes and we with time.
- Literal meaning: Days follow themselves and do not resemble themselves.
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Les loups ne se mangent pas entre eux.
- Translation 1: Dog does not eat dog.
- Translation 2: There is honour among thieves.
- Literal translation: Wolves don't eat each other.
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Les murs ont des oreilles.
- Translation: Walls have ears.
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Le soleil luit pour tout le monde.
- Idiomatic translation: The sun shines for one and all.
- Literal meaning: The sun shines for everybody.
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Les petits ruisseaux font les grandes rivières.
- Idiomatic translation: Tall oaks from little acorns grow.
- Literal meaning: Little streams make big rivers.
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Les plaisanteries les plus courtes sont les meilleures.
- Idiomatic translation: Brevity is the soul of wit.
- Literal meaning: The shortest jokes are the best.
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L'espoir fait vivre.
- Idiomatic translation: Where there's life, there's hope.
- Literal meaning: Hope makes living.
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Les voyages forment la jeunesse.
- Idiomatic translation: Travel broadens the mind.
- Literal meaning: Travels make youth.
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Le temps c'est de l'argent.
- Translation: Time is money.
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L'exactitude est la politesse des rois.
- Translation: Punctuality is the politeness of kings.
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L'exception confirme la règle.
- Idiomatic translation: It's the exception that proves the rule.
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L'excès en tout est un défaut.
- Idiomatic translation: Too much is too much.
- Literal meaning: Excess in anything is a fault.
-
L'habit ne fait pas le moine.
- Idiomatic translation: Don't judge the book by its cover.
- Literal meaning: The cowl does not make the friar.
-
L'occasion fait le larron.
- Idiomatic translation: Opportunity makes the thief.
-
Loin des yeux, loin du cœur.
- Idiomatic translation: Out of sight, out of mind.
-
L'oisiveté est la mère de tous les vices.
- Translation 1: Idleness is the root of all evils.
- Translation 2: An idle mind is the devil's workshop.
-
L'union fait la force.
- Idiomatic translation: United we stand, divided we fall.
- Literal meaning: Unity makes strength.
M
-
Mange ton poisson à présent qu'il est frais, marie ta fille à présent qu'elle est jeune.
- Idiomatic translation: Eat your fish while it is fresh, marry your daughter while she is young.
-
Mars venteux et avril pluvieux font mai gai et gracieux.
- Idiomatic translation: March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers.
-
Mieux vaut être seul que mal accompagné.
- Idiomatic translation: Better be alone than in bad company.
-
Mieux vaut faire que dire.
- Translation 1: Well done is better than well said
- Translation 2: Actions speak louder than words.
-
Mieux vaut plier que rompre.
- Idiomatic translation: Adapt and survive.
- Literal meaning: Better bend than break.
-
Mieux vaut prévenir que guérir.
- Idiomatic translation: Prevention is better than cure.
-
Mieux vaut rire que pleurer.
- Idiomatic translation: Laughter is the best medecine.
- Literal meaning: Better laugh than weep.
-
Mieux vaut s'adresser à Dieu qu'à ses saints.
- Idiomatic translation: It is better to talk to the organ-grinder than to his monkey.
- Literal meaning: It is better to appeal to God than to His saints.
-
Mieux vaut tard que jamais.
- Idiomatic translation: Better late than never.
-
Mieux vaut tenir que courir.
- Idiomatic translation: A bird in hand is worth two in a bush.
- Literal meaning: Better hold than run.
-
Moineau à la main vaut mieux que grue qui vole.
- Idiomatic translation: A bird in hand is worth two in a bush.
- Literal meaning: Better a sparrow in hand than a crane on the wing.
-
Morte la bête, mort le venin.
- Idiomatic translation: Dead dogs don't bite.
- Literal meaning: Dead is the beast, dead is the venom.
N
-
Nécessité fait loi.
- Idiomatic translation: Beggars can't be choosers.
- Literal meaning: Need makes law.
-
Noël au balcon, Pâques au tison.
- Idiomatic translation: A warm Christmas means a cold Easter.
- Literal meaning: Christmas on the balcony, Easter by the fireside.
-
Nul n'est prophète en son pays.
- Idiomatic translation: No man is a prophet in his own country.
O
-
Oignez vilain, il vous poindra.
- Idiomatic translation: Claw a churl by the breech, and he will shite in your fist.
-
On n'apprend pas à un vieux singe à faire des grimaces.
- Idiomatic translation: You can't teach an old dog new tricks.
- Literal meaning: You can't teach an old monkey how to make faces.
-
On ne change pas une équipe qui gagne.
- Literal meaning: One doesn't change a team that wins.
- Idiomatic translation: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
-
On ne fait pas boire un âne qui n'a pas soif.
- Idiomatic translation: You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.
-
On ne fait pas d'omelette sans casser des œufs.
- Idiomatic translation: You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs.
-
On ne marie pas les poules avec les renards.
- Idiomatic translation: Different strokes for different folks.
- Literal meaning: You can't marry a hen and a fox.
-
On ne peut avoir le beurre et l'argent du beurre.
- Idiomatic translation: You can't have your cake and eat it.
- Literal meaning: You can't have both the butter and the butter money.
-
On ne peut avoir le lard et le cochon.
- Idiomatic translation: You can't have your cake and eat it.
- Literal meaning: You can't have the bacon and the pig.
-
On ne peut être à la ville et aux champs.
- Idiomatic translation: You can't be in two places at once.
- Literal meaning: You can't be in town and in the fields.
-
On ne peut être au four et au moulin.
- Idiomatic translation: You can't be in two places at once.
- Literal meaning: You can't be at the oven and in the mill.
-
On ne peut faire d'une buse un épervier.
- Idiomatic translation: You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
- Literal meaning: You can't turn a buzzard / a dolt into a sparrowhawk.
-
On ne prend pas les mouches avec du vinaigre.
- Idiomatic translation: Honey catches more flies than vinegar.
- Literal meaning: You don't catch flies with vinegar.
-
On ne prête qu'aux riches.
- Translation 1: Reputations shape reactions.
- Translation 2: Only the rich get richer.
- Literal meaning: One lends only to the rich.
-
On n'est jamais si bien servi que par soi-même.
- Idiomatic translation: If you want something done right, do it yourself.
-
On revient toujours à ses premiers amours.
- Literal meaning: One always returns to his first loves.
-
Où la vache / la chèvre est attachée, il faut qu'elle broute.
- Idiomatic translation: The cow / goat must browse where she is tethered.
P
-
Paris / Rome ne s'est pas fait / faite en un jour.
- Idiomatic translation: Rome wasn't built in a day.
-
Pas de nouvelle, bonne nouvelle.
- Idiomatic translation: No news is good news.
- Peu importe le flacon, tant qu'il y à l'ivresse.
-
Petit à petit l'oiseau fait son nid.
- Translation 1: Many a mickle makes a muckle.
- Translation 2: Little strokes fell great oaks.
- Literal meaning: Little by little the bird builds its nest.
-
Petite pluie abat grand vent.
- Idiomatic translation: Little rain lays great dust.
- Literal meaning: Little rain overcomes great wind.
-
Petit poisson deviendra grand.
- Translation 1: Tall oaks from little acorns grow.
- Translation 2: Boys will be men one day.
- Literal meaning: The little fish will grow.
-
Pierre qui roule n'amasse pas mousse.
- Idiomatic translation: A rollling stone gathers no moss.
-
Plaie d'argent n'est pas mortelle.
- Idiomatic translation: Money isn't everything.
- Literal meaning: A money worry isn't a mortal wound.
- Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. or
-
Plus ça change, plus c'est pareil.
- Idiomatic translation: The more things change, the more they're the same.
-
Plus fait douceur que violence.
- Idiomatic translation: Kindness succeeds where force will fail.
- Literal meaning: Gentleness accomplishes more than violence.
-
Plus on est de fous, plus on rit.
- Idiomatic translation: The more the merrier.
-
Promettre et tenir sont deux.
- Idiomatic translation: It's one thing to promise and another to perform.
-
Prudence est mère de sûreté.
- Idiomatic translation: Discretion is the better part of valour.
- Literal meaning: Caution is the mother of safety.
Q
-
Quand le chat n'est pas là les souris dansent.
- Idiomatic translation: While the cat's away the mice will play.
- Literal meaning: While the cat's away the mice will dance.
-
Quand le vin est tiré, il faut le boire.
- Idiomatic translation: In for a penny, in for a pound.
- Literal meaning: Once the wine is drawn, it must be drunk.
-
Quand on parle du loup on en voit la queue.
- Idiomatic translation: Talk of the Devil and he will appear.
- Literal meaning: Talk of the wolf and you'll see his tail.
-
Qu'est-ce que l'ennemi du bien ? Le mieux.
- Literal meaning: What's the ennemy of good? Better.
-
Qui a bon voisin a bon matin.
- Idiomatic translation: Good neighbours give good days.
-
Qui a bu boira.
- Idiomatic translation: Once a drunkard, always a drunkard.
- Literal meaning: Who has drunk, will drink.
-
Qui aime bien châtie bien.
- Idiomatic translation: Spare the rod and spoil the child.
- Literal meaning: Who loves well, chastises well.
- Latin: Qui bene amat, bene castigat
-
Qui casse les verres les paie.
- Idiomatic translation: Who breaks pays.
- Literal meaning: Who breaks the glasses, pays for them.
-
Qui cherche trouve.
- Idiomatic translation: Seek and ye shall find.
- Literal meaning: Who seeks, finds.
-
Qui donne aux pauvres prête à Dieu.
- Idiomatic translation: Charity will be rewarded in heaven.
- Literal meaning: Who gives to the poor, lends to God.
-
Qui dort dîne.
- Idiomatic translation: He who sleeps forgets his hunger.
- Literal meaning: Who sleeps, dines.
-
Qui m'aime aime mon chien.
- Idiomatic translation: Love me, love my dog.
-
Qui ne dit mot consent.
- Idiomatic translation: Silence gives consent.
- Literal meaning: Who says no word, consents.
-
Qui n'entend qu'une cloche n'entend qu'un son.
- Idiomatic translation: Hear the other side and believe little.
- Literal meaning: Who hears only one bell, hears only one sound.
-
Qui ne risque rien n'a rien.
- Idiomatic translation: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
- Literal meaning: Who risks nothing, gets nothing.
-
Qui ne veut rien n'a rien.
- Idiomatic translation: Where there's a will there's a way.
- Literal meaning: Who wants nothing, gets nothing.
-
Qui paye ses dettes s'enrichit.
- Idiomatic translation: The rich man is the one who pays his debts.
- Literal meaning: Who pays his debts, gets rich.
-
Qui peut le plus peut le moins.
- Idiomatic translation: He who can do more can do less.
-
Qui plus sait, plus se tait.
- Idiomatic translation: He who knows most, says least.
-
Qui se couche avec les chiens se lève avec des puces.
- Idiomatic translation: Lie down with dogs, wake up with fleas.
-
Qui se fait brebis le loup le mange.
- Idiomatic translation: Who will needs be sheep, the wolf devours.
-
Qui sème le vent récolte la tempête.
- Translation 1: As you sow, so you shall reap.
- Translation 2: He who sows the wind shall reap the whirlwind.
-
Qui se ressemble s'assemble.
- Translation 1: Birds of a feather flock together.
- Translation 2: Like attracts like.
-
Qui se sent morveux, qu'il se mouche.
- Idiomatic translation: Who feels snotty, let him blow his nose.
-
Qui s'y frotte s'y pique.
- Idiomatic translation: Gather thistles, expect prickles.
-
Qui trop embrasse mal étreint.
- Idiomatic translation: Grasp all, lose all.
-
Qui va à la chasse perd sa place.
- Idiomatic translation: He who leaves his place, loses it.
- Literal meaning: Who goes hunting, loses his place.
-
Qui veut la fin veut les moyens.
- Idiomatic translation: He who wills the end wills the means.
-
Qui veut noyer son chien l'acccuse de rage.
- Idiomatic translation: Give a dog a bad name and hang him.
- Literal meaning: He who wants to drown his dog says it has rabies.
-
Qui veut voyager loin, ménage sa monture.
- Idiomatic translation: He who wishes to ride far spares his horse.
-
Qui vivra verra.
- Idiomatic translation: Time will tell.
- Literal meaning: Who shall live, shall see.
-
Qui vole un œuf vole un bœuf.
- Idiomatic translation: He that will steal an egg will steal an ox.
R
-
Rien ne sert de courir, il faut partir à point.
- Idiomatic translation: Slow and steady wins the race.
-
Rira bien qui rira le dernier.
- Translation 1: He who laughs last laughs best.
- Translation 2: We will see who gets the last laugh.
-
Rouge soir et blanc matin, c'est la journée du pèlerin.
- Idiomatic translation: Evening red and morning grey will set the traveller on his way.
- Literal Meaning: Red evening and white morning, such is the pilgrim's day.
S
-
Secret de deux, secret de Dieu; secret de trois, secret de tous.
- Idiomatic translation: When three people know, the whole world knows.
- Literal meaning: A secret shared by two is shared with God; a secret shared by three is shared with everybody.
-
Si jeunesse savait, si vieillesse pouvait.
- Idiomatic translation: Youth is wasted on the young.
- Literal meaning: If youth but knew, if old age but could.
- Si tu veux la paix, prépare la guerre.
- Literal meaning: "If you want peace prepare for war."
- (Original in Latin by Scipio Africanus : "Si vis pacem para bellum.")
-
Souris qui n'a qu'un trou est bientôt prise.
- Idiomatic translation: Better safe than sorry.
- Literal meaning: A mouse that has only one hole is soon caught.
-
Souvent femme varie, bien fol qui s'y fie.
- Idiomatic translation: Woman is fickle, man beware!
-
Suffisance vaut abondance.
- Idiomatic translation: Enough is as good as a feast.
- Literal meaning: Enough is worth plenty.
T
-
Tant crie-t-on Noël qu'il vient.
- Idiomatic translation: A constant importunity at length prevails.
- Literal meaning: So long is Christmas cried that it comes.
-
Tant dort le chat qu'il se réveille.
- Idiomatic translation: The sleeping cat at length awakes.
-
Tant va la cruche à l'eau qu'à la fin elle se brise.
- Literal meaning: The jug goes to water so often that at the end it breaks.
- Idiomatic translation: Things break with repeated use.
-
Tel est petit qui boit bien
- Idiomatic translation: Though he is little, he can tipple.
-
Tel est pris qui croyait prendre.
- Idiomatic translation: It's the biter bit.
- Literal meaning: He is caught who thought to catch.
-
Tel maître, tel valet.
- Idiomatic translation: Like master, like man.
-
Tel père, tel fils.
- Idiomatic translation: Like father, like son.
-
Tel qui rit vendredi, dimanche pleurera.
- Idiomatic translation: Sing before breakfast, cry before night.
- Literal meaning: Laugh on Friday, cry on Sunday.
-
Tous les chemins mènent à Rome.
- Idiomatic translation: All roads lead to Rome.
-
Tous les goûts sont dans la nature.
- Idiomatic translation: It takes all sorts to make a world.
-
Toute médaille a son revers.
- Translation 1: Every rose has its thorn.
- Translation 2: Every path has its puddle.
- Literal meaning: Every medal has its back.
-
Toute peine mérite salaire.
- Idiomatic translation: The labourer is worthy of his hire.
- Literal meaning: Every job deserves a wage.
-
Toute vérité n'est pas bonne à dire.
- Idiomatic translation: The truth is sometimes best left unsaid.
-
Tout est poison. Rien n'est poison. La poison c'est la dose.
- Literal meaning: Everything is poison. Nothing is poison. The poison is the dose.
- Attributed to Paracelsus.
-
Tout nouveau, tout beau.
- Translation 1: Anything for a change.
- Translation 2: New brooms sweep clean.
-
Tout vient à point à qui sait attendre.
- Translation 1: All things come to those who wait.
- Translation 2: Every dog has his day.
-
Trop de hâte nuit.
- Idiomatic translation: Haste makes waste.
-
Trop gratter cuit, trop parler nuit.
- Idiomatic translation: Too much scratching pains, too much talking plagues.
U
-
Un bienfait n'est jamais perdu.
- Idiomatic translation: A favour is never lost.
-
Un chien regarde bien un évêque.
- Idiomatic translation: A cat may look at a king.
- Literal meaning: A dog may look at a bishop.
-
Un clou chasse l'autre.
- Idiomatic translation: One man goes and another steps in.
- Literal meaning: One nail drives out the other.
-
Un(e) de perdu(e), dix de trouvé(e)s.
- Idiomatic translation: There are plenty more fish in the sea.
- Literal meaning: One lost, ten found.
-
Une fois n'est pas coutume.
- Translation 1: Just this once will not hurt.
- Translation 2: Once in a while does no harm.
- Literal meaning: Once does not a habit make.
-
Une hirondelle ne fait pas le printemps.
- Literal meaning: A mere swallow doesn't announce Spring.
-
Une place pour chaque chose et chaque chose a sa place.
- Idiomatic translation: A place for everything and everything in its place.
-
Un homme averti en vaut deux.
- Translation 1: Forewarned is forearmed.
- Translation 2: Better the devil you know than the devil you don't.
- Literal meaning: A forewarned man is worth two.
-
Un malheur ne vient jamais seul.
- Translation 1: When it rains it pours.
- Translation 2: Misfortune never comes alone.
-
Un sou est un sou.
- Idiomatic translation: Every penny counts.
- Literal meaning: A penny is a penny.
-
Un tiens vaut mieux que deux tu l'auras.
- Idiomatic translation: A bird in hand is worth two in a bush.
- Literal meaning: One held is worth more than two: You'll have it.
V
-
Vache de loin a lait assez.
- Idiomatic translation: Blue are the hills that are far away.
- Literal meaning: From afar, the cow has milk aplenty.
-
Ventre affamé n'a pas d'oreilles.
- Idiomatic translation: Words are wasted on a starving man.
- Literal meaning: The hungry belly has no ears.
- Vive la différence.
- "Entre un homme et une femme"
- Idiomatic translation: Long live the difference.
-
Vouloir, c'est pouvoir.
- Idiomatic translation: Where there's a will there's a way.
- Literal meaning: To want is to be able.
Last updated: 10-26-2005 03:52:15
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