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What are idiomatic expressions and why are they important?
When learning a language, generally the three things that fascinate us are insults, humor, and idiomatic expressions.
Insults are usually very fun to learn because if we are out of the social context, the insult itself is not shocking.
For humor, we generally say that when you can understand it in your target language, you have done most of the learning, because humor is not only the understanding of words, but also the knowledge of the meaning that a region or previous experience can give to those words.
And it is the same for idiomatic expressions. But idiomatic expressions are usually easier to learn than humor. Humor will generally have a long set-up. Idiomatic expressions, on the other hand, are generally made up of a few words, just like insults.
What are idiomatic expressions? They are phrases or groups of words that carry a connotation other than their literal meaning, beyond what the words themselves mean.
But why do we have to learn them? Because they are everywhere. They are part of the vocabulary of people who speak their first language and in a work context, they are part of the conversations.
When are idiomatic expressions taught? We begin to introduce them when the learners have sufficiently mastered the basics, vocabularies , verbs, sentence structures, etc. Generally, learners will have these tools towards the end of the beginner levels. There is no point in introducing them before learners know the meaning of certain words. And the introduction will continue for several levels.
The best way to explain what idiomatic expressions are is with examples. So, here are some common French expressions that can be used at work, and that you should add to your vocabulary if you are learning French:
1. Aller comme un gant : to fit perfectly.
2. Après la pluie, le beau temps : bad times never last.
3. Au bout du rouleau: to be extremely tired physically, or of a situation.
4. Avoir du front tout le tour de la tête : to be bold.
5. Avoir du plain sur la planche : have a lot of work.
6. Avoir gain de cause : to win.
7. Avoir le cœur gros : to be sad.
8. Avoir le cœur sur la main : to be generous.
9. Avoir les deux pieds dans la même bottine : to be clumsy.
10. Avoir une mémoire d'éléphant : to have a very good memory.
11. Avoir le cafard : to be sad/upset.
12. Baisser les bras : to give up.
13. C'est la goutte qui a fait déborder le vase: that was the last straw.
14. C'est réglé: this is solved/settled (done)
15. Ça tombe à pic: this is good and timely information or help.
16. Ça m'arrange : this is helpful.
17. Casser les pieds: this is annoying.
18. Ce n'est pas la mer à boire: it is not too much to ask.
19. Cogner des clous: to be sleepy.
20. Comme un cheveu sur la soupe : unwelcome, does not fit.
21. Connaître sur le bout des doigts : to know very well.
22. Couler comme de l'eau sur le dos d'un canard : it does not bother you.
23. Coûter les yeux de la tête : to be very expensive.
24. D'arrache-pied : very hard.
25. Donner carte blanche: to give full decision-making capability.
26. Donner du fil à retordre : to make it difficult.
27. Donner un coup de main: to help, help out.
28. Donner sa langue au chat : not know, inexplicably silent.
29. En avoir le cœur net : to be sure.
30. En avoir plein son casque : to be fed up.
31. En faire une montagne : to make too much of something.
32. Être clair comme de l'eau de roche : to be very clear.
33. Être dans le trouble : to have problems.
34. Être malade comme un chien : to be sick as a dog.
35. Être un jeu d'enfant : to be very simple.
36. Être haut comme trois pommes : to be very small.
37. Être rouge comme une tomate : to be very red, beet red.
38. Être tiré par les cheveux : not making sense.
39. Être tout feu tout flamme : to be very enthusiastic about something.
40. Être vif comme l'éclair : to be very fast.
41. Être vite sur ses patins : to be very fast.
42. Faire d'une pierre deux coups : kill two birds with one stone.
43. Faire quelque chose les doigts dans le nez : to do something easily.
44. Gagner sa vie : earn a living.
45. Garder son sang-froid : keep calm.
46. Il n'y a pas de quoi fouetter un chat : it is not such a big deal.
47. Jeter l'éponge : to give up.
48. Jeter un coup d'œil : take a look, take a look at…
49. Jouer avec le feu : play with fire.
50. Le bouche-à-oreille : word of mouth.
51. Les carottes sont cuites : That is it. No more chances. No more time.
52. Les murs ont des oreilles: it is not safe to talk here.
53. Mener par le bout du nez : to be bossy to someone.
54. Mettre l'eau à la bouche : to make someone want something (tempting, enticing).
55. Mettre la charrue devant les bœufs : not being well-organized.
56. Mettre la main à la pâte : to help, to get involved, (to be hands-on)
57. Mettre la puce à l'oreille : to get clues about something.
58. Mettre les bouchées doubles: to work very hard.
59. Mettre sur pied : to build from the ground up.
60. Ne pas être dans son assiette : not feeling well.
61. Ne pas voir plus loin que le bout de son nez : not seeing the big picture.
62. Passer un savon : to be fooled.
63. Passer une nuit blanche : awake all night, a sleepless night.
64. Perdre le fil de l'histoire : to get lost in a story.
65. Pousser comme de la mauvaise herbe : to spread quickly.
66. Prendre au pied de la lettre : to be thorough.
67. Quand les poules auront des dents : never.
68. Quelque chose qui cloche : it does not seem right, or something wrong.
69. Rire dans sa barbe : to laugh discreetly.
70. Rouler sur l'or : to be rich.
71. S'en laver les mains : it does not concern me.
72. S'occuper de ses oignons : not meddling, to mind your own business.
73. Sans queue ni tête : it makes no sense.
74. Sauter du coq à l'âne : not having a clear train of thought.
75. Se creuser la tête : to think really hard.
76. Se croiser les bras : do nothing.
77. Se faire du mauvais sang : to worry.
78. Se lever du mauvais pied : be in a bad mood.
79. Se mordre la langue : not say something, avoid saying something
80. Se noyer dans un verre d'eau : to be worried for nothing or not much.
81. Se rendre à l'évidence : to realize something.
82. Se sentir comme un poisson dans l'eau : to feel right at home.
83. Se tenir au courant : to be informed and up to date on something.
84. Se vendre comme des petits pains chauds : to sell well and fast.
85. Talon d'Achille : a weakness.
86. Tenir tête à quelqu'un : hold your own against someone.
87. Tirer les vers du nez à quelqu'un : get information out of someone.
88. Tordre le bras : to force someone to do or agree to something.
89. Tourner autour du pot : not getting to the point, skirting the issue.
90. Une tempête dans un verre d'eau : not a big deal.
If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate.