Bonjour,
This week, I want to give you a real boost to sound more French… and for that, nothing works better than expressions with body parts.
Yes, those little phrases you hear everywhere that make your French super natural… but that you can’t translate literally without sounding like an alien.
If you already know « croiser les doigts » (cross your fingers), get ready: there are plenty more that French people love to throw into their conversations.
And as always, I’ll give you the literal translation + the real meaning.
Everyday must-knows :
Expressions you’ll definitely hear
- Donner un coup de pouce
Literal: To give a thumb’s push
Real meaning:To give someone a little help or boost
-
Se prendre la tête avec quelqu’un
Literal: To take your head with someone
Real meaning: To argue or overthink something -
Avoir mal au cœur
Literal: To have pain in the heart
Real meaning: To feel nauseous / sick - En tête à tête
Literal: Head to head
Real meaning: One-on-one / In private
- Donner un coup de main
Literal: To give a hand
Real meaning: To help someone
-
Avoir la main sur le cœur
Literal: To have the hand on the heart
Real meaning: To be generous / kind-hearted -
Perdre la face
Literal: To lose the face
Real meaning: To be humiliated -
Jeter un œil
Literal: To throw an eye
Real meaning: To take a quick look -
Tendre l’oreille
Literal: To stretch the ear
Real meaning: To listen carefully -
Prendre les jambes à son cou
Literal: To take your legs to your neck
Real meaning: To run away quickly -
Avoir la langue bien pendue
Literal: To have a well-hung tongue
Real meaning: To be talkative
The more… blunt ones 😅
Sorry, some of these are a bit rude, but they’re used so much between friends that I just have to share them with you.
So forgive me in advance… 🙈
⚠️ Only use these with close friends or in familiar situations
-
En avoir plein le cul
Literal: To have a full ass
Real meaning: To be fed up, exhausted, annoyed -
Avoir un bâton dans le cul
Literal: To have a stick in the ass
Real meaning: To be uptight, rigid, stuck-up -
Avoir la tête dans le cul
Literal: To have your head in the ass
Real meaning: To be very tired or not awake yet - Se casser le cul
Literal: To break your ass
Real meaning: To work really hard, to make a big effort
🏆 So here’s your challenge:
Try to use one or two of these expressions this week.
At first, it might feel a little weird, but that’s how you start sounding really French.
Because slipping in a « jeter un œil » or an « avoir la tête dans le cul » here and there makes your French sound instantly more natural, you don’t just speak correctly… you connect, laugh, and feel part of the conversation.
That’s the real benefit : learning the everyday French that people actually use, so you can stop translating in your head and start enjoying the moment.
✨And if you’re worried the humor won’t land or that you’ll use them wrong, don’t panic : that’s exactly what we practice together in my programs.
A space to test, make mistakes, get personal feedback, and most of all, learn everyday French the way it’s really spoken.
Grab a free coffee chat here and let’s talk about it!
Your French becomes natural, fun, and 100% you. 🌟
✨ Whether you’re a woman expat in France, the companion of a professional rugby player, or even a pro rugby player yourself, this is the place to make French feel simple, real, and yours.
A très bientôt,
Faustine
