Idiomatic Flashcards

1
Q

plus on est de fou plus on rit

A

The more the merrier

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

tout ce qui brille n’est pas or

A

All that glitters is not gold

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

aussitot dit, aussitot fait

A

No sooner said than done

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

se ressembler comme 2 gouttes d’eau

A

to be as like as two peas

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

la vie n’est pas un long fleuve tranquille

A

Life is not a bed of roses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

ce n’est pas à un vieux singe qu’on apprend à faire des grimaces

A

Don’t teach your grandmother to suck eggs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

faute de grive on mange des merles

A

Beggars can’t be choosers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

attention chantier, travaux

A

Men at work !

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

loin des yeux, loin du coeur

A

Out of sight, out of mind

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

filer à l’anglaise

A

to take French leave

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

qui ne tente rien n’a rien

A

Nothing ventured, nothing gained

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

c’était une surprise totale

A

It was a bolt from the blue

→ The resignation of the chairman came like a bolt from the blue.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

tous les 36 du mois

A

once in a blue moon

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

comme des petits pains

A

like hot cakes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

être sage comme une image (2)

A

to be as good as gold

to be as easy as ABC

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

ils ne faisaient que bâtir des plans sur la comète(2)

A

they were only building castles in the air / in Spain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

cela ne fait aucun doute que (2)

A

It is no wonder if/that…

It is little wonder that

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

ça s’annonce mal pour qn (3)

A

Things look grim
the future looks grim/ gloomy
it bodes ill for sb

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

ça ne te regarde pas

A

it’s none of your business

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

mêle toi de tes affaires

A

mind your own business

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

à le voir, il semblait …

A

He looked as if …

22
Q

à l’entendre, il semblait…

A

He sounded as if …

23
Q

en parallèle de ça, il y a …

A

running in parallel of this, there is…

24
Q

quand il s’agit de

A

when it comes to …

25
il parait que / d'après ce qu'on dit / elle utiliserait
she is said/though/believed to use...
26
si tel était le cas
Were it the case
27
si d'aventure c'était le cas
should it be the case
28
il incombe à qn de faire qc, c’est son devoir
The onus is on sb to do sg
29
nous ne pouvons nous en prendre qu’à nous même
We have only ourselves to blame
30
d’autant plus que...
all the more so as ...
31
il serait grand temps que (2)

It is [high/about] time ø sujet + preterit modal ex : It is high time the skilled authorities decided to demolish these ugly buildings
32
tu devrais être
you ought to be
33
est ce que ca te dirait d’aller…?
Do you fancy going to…?
34
si vous voulez bien pardonner mon langage
if you’ll pardon my French
35
d’autant plus + adjectif + que
all the more+adj+ as/since
36
très, des plus + adj
most + adjectif | He wrote most clearly
37
de même (2)
by the same token = similarly
38
du jour au lendemain
overnight
39
à ce jour (4)
Up to now = Until now = So far = To date
40
tout ça c'est bien beau / c'est bien joli de
it's all very well (to + vb)
41
pour l'amour de Dieu!
for goodness sake!
42
Dieu seul sait
Goodness knows
43
voulez vous un coup de main?
would you like a hand ?
44
un problème sensible
a hot-button issue
45
être inflexible au sujet de...
to take a tough line on...
46
c'est plus intéressant que ça en à l'air
there is more to it than meets the eye
47
Ça va mener à ta perte (2)
That will be your undoing | It will lead to your downfall
48
Un homme averti en vaut 2
Forewarned is forearmed
49
Il faut appeler un chat un chat
Let's call a spade a spade
50
De la même manière, semblable
Alike The faces of the father and the son are alike.
51
avec le recul
with the benefit of hindsight