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French France

Kevin

Name USED On Occasion BY People Under 40

(n.) • It is used to talk about a person on Internet who's dumb and immature. It is quite a masculine equivalent to a Karen in English.

"Les pires commentaires sur YouTube, c'est ceux des Kevin de 15 ans qui ne savent même pas écrire."

"The worst comments on YouTube are those by 15-year old Kevins who don't even know how to write."

Confirmed by 5 people

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French France

poser un lapin

Expression USED On Occasion BY Older Generations

(to put down a rabbit) • To stand somebody up.

"Mon crush n’est jamais venu au rendez-vous que je lui avais donné, il m’a trop posé un lapin!"

"My crush never came to the appointment I gave him, he put me down such a rabbit!"

Confirmed by 9 people

French France

On ne fait pas d’un âne un cheval de course

Expression USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(You do not make a racehorse out of a donkey) • You do not make a brilliant and clever person out of a stupid one.

"Tu te rends compte elle ne sais même pas qui est Barack Obama?" "En même temps on ne fait pas d’un âne un cheval de course!"

"Do you realize that she does not even know who Barack Obama is?" "Well, you do not make a racehorse out of a donkey."

Confirmed by 6 people

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French France

Quand les poules auront des dents

Expression USED Frequently BY Everyone

(When hens grow teeth) • Something that will never ever happen.

"J'espère gagner la lotterie!" "Oui, quand les poules auront des dents."

"I hope to win the lottery!" "Yeah, when hens grow teeth."

Confirmed by 8 people

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French France

roule ma poule

Interjection USED Frequently BY Anybody

(roll, my hen) • A colloquial way to invite people to leave with you. Not that it means much but it is based on the rhyme in "oule". Can be a joking way to get someone to hurry up.

"Allez, roule ma poule!".

"Come on, let's go!"

Confirmed by 5 people

French France

il y a une couille dans le potage

Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People

(there is a testicle in the soup) • When something is unexplained or not normal. (We’ll never know if the problem is the only one testicle or the fact that’s in the soup).

"Ma voiture ne démarre pas - il y a une couille dans le potage."

"My car won't start - there's a testicle in the soup."

Confirmed by 3 people

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French France

tomber des cordes

Expression USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone

(to rain strings) • To rain heavily.

"Je ne sors pas aujourd'hui, il tombe des cordes."

"I am not going out today, it is raining strings."

French France

Merde !

Standard Phrase USED Frequently BY Everyone

(n.) • (Shit !) • Used to wish good luck to someone when we want to avoid the actual "good luck" expression since it is believed that saying it actually brings bad luck.

"Merde pour l'examen de demain !"

"Shit for tomorrow's exam!"

Confirmed by 6 people

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French France

jpp

Acronym USED Very frequently BY Young People

Acronym for "j'en peux plus", meaning "I can't take it anymore". Initially used in text messages but now frequently heard in speech, pronounced not as "j'en peux plus" but as each letter sounds in the French alphabet. Used whenever we are tired by or annoyed at something.

"Mon ex n'arrête pas de m'appeler, jpp !"

"My ex won't stop calling me, I can't take it anymore!"

Confirmed by 5 people

French France

La vie n’est pas un long fleuve tranquille

Expression USED On Very Rare Occasion BY Older Generations

(Life is not a long calm river) • To explain that life is not always easy.

"Tu sais, la vie n’est pas un long fleuve tranquille."

"You know, life isn't a long calm river."

Confirmed by 9 people