Les expressions idiomatiques françaises L’objectif: - to be able to understand and work with idioms in French

What is an idiom? With a partner, come up with a definition for the term ‘idiom’ with at least one example

Definition The official definition of the word ‘idiom’ is: – “A group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words (e.g., raining cats and dogs)” Who can explain the definition? What does it mean by ‘having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words’?

Quick competition With a partner, you will have 3 minutes to write as many idioms as you can think of in English. REMEMBER: In order for it to be an idiom, it must: * have a meaning which is not deducible from its individual words * be an expression which has nothing todo with its intended meaning

Common examples in English To have something up your sleeve To wear the trousers To be a piece of cake To have a chip on your shoulder To bite your tongue To break a leg To crack someone up To find your feet

Why are French idioms important to learn?

French idioms quiz Use the picture clues and translations to discover the equivalent in English

1. AVOIR UN CHAT DANS LA GORGE To have a cat in the throat

2. AVOIR D’AUTRES CHAT À FOUETTER To have other cats to whip

3. PASSER UNE NUIT BLANCHE To spend a white night

4. SE CREUSER LA TÊTE To dig in one’s head

5. DONNER UN COUP DE FIL To give a cut of thread

6. PARTIR VENTRE À TERRE To leave belly to the ground

7. AVOIR LE CAFARD To have the cockroach

8. TOMBER DANS LES POMMES To fall in the apples

9. FAIRE LE PONT To make the bridge

10. ÊTRE AUX ANGES To be with the angels

ANSWERS

1. AVOIR UN CHAT DANS LA GORGE To have a cat in the throat To have a frog in one’s throat

2. AVOIR D’AUTRES CHAT À FOUETTER To have other cats to whip To have other fish to fry

3. PASSER UNE NUIT BLANCHE To spend a white night To have a sleepless night

4. SE CREUSER LA TÊTE To dig in one’s head To pick one’s brain

5. DONNER UN COUP DE FIL To give a cut of thread To give someone a ring

6. PARTIR VENTRE À TERRE To leave belly to the ground To dash off

7. AVOIR LE CAFARD To have the cockroach To be down in the dumps

8. TOMBER DANS LES POMMES To fall in the apples To pass out

9. FAIRE LE PONT To make the bridge To have a bank holiday

10. ÊTRE AUX ANGES To be with the angels To be over the moon