French
French speaking countries
prendre la poudre d'escampette
Expression USED On Very Rare Occasion BY Adults
( to take the powder of the escape) • To run away, to flee.
"Hier, ma maison a été cambriolée, et au moment où je cherchais les voleurs, ils avaient déjà pris la poudre d'escampette."
"Yesterday, my house was robbed, and when I looked for the thieves, they had already fled."
Expression USED Frequently BY Everybody
(so much better) • Expression used to express a positive surprised emotion when something unexpected happens (works with positive and negative events).
"Ma femme a décidé de changer de travail. Tant mieux ! Elle se sentira utile et va rayonner." "Mon mec m'a quitté pour une greluche. Tant mieux ! Il commençait à me gonfler de toutes façons."
“My wife has decided to change jobs. So much the better! She will feel useful and will shine.” "My boyfriend left me for a girl. So much the better! He was starting to piss me off anyway."
Submitted February 2024 by anonymous
Portmanteau USED Frequently BY people at the office
A contraction of "jeudi" (Thursday) and "vendredi" (Friday) and it's what we call it when you have Friday off work, so that your Thursday becomes your Friday i.e. your last work day for the week.
"Bon jeudredi tout le monde!" "Ah oui, tu as congé demain!"
"Happy Thriday everyone!" "Oh right, you're off tomorrow!"
Submitted February 2024 by anonymous
Expression USED On Occasion BY Older generation
(heat up Marcel) • Go ahead, give the best of yourself, and surpass yourself.
"Mon frère Robert n’a jamais aimé chanter." "Allez, vas-y Robert, tu peux le faire ! Chauffe Marcel !"
“My brother Robert never liked singing.” “Come on, go Robert, you can do it! Heat up, Marcel!”
Submitted February 2024 by anonymous
Expression USED On Occasion BY French people on the older side
(to fart higher than one’s ass) • It means reaching for something higher than you're capable of or should reach for acting like you are better than you are.
"Trump pete plus haut que son cul a tout moment!"
"Trump always farts higher than his ass!"
Submitted February 2024 by anonymous
Expression USED On Occasion BY Most People
(to butter thickly) • To exaggerate, like putting a very liberal coat of butter on a piece of toast. Also, in a way, to brag.
"Je crois qu'il en a beurré épais quand il a raconté son aventure." "J'ai l'air d'en beurrer épais, mais c'est vraiment arrivé comme ça !"
"I think he buttered thickly in his retelling of his adventure." "I do not mean to butter thickly, but it really happened that way!"
Submitted December 2020 by antares55
Slang USED Frequently BY Everybody
Used to describe something that is very cold. Mostly used to talk about the weather, but can also be used to talk about anything that is very cold. It is a variation of the word "froid", which means cold. But, since Québec and Canada are very up north, "froid" was not cold enough, hence came another level of cold: "frette". This expression can be transformed in other expressions, like "tite frette", which translates to "a cold one", meaning a beer.
"Wow, il fait tellement froid ici." "Il fait pas froid, il fait frette." "Wow, c'est vraiment de l'eau frette."
"Wow, it is so cold here." "It is not cold, it is frette." "Wow, this is really frette water."
Submitted December 2020 by bellocamino
Expression USED On Rare Occasion BY Older generation
(the English have landed) • To menstruate
Je ne me sens pas bien, les anglais ont débarqué
I am not feeling well, the English have landed
Submitted February 2024 by anonymous
Expression USED Frequently BY young people
A casual greeting. Its origin may come from "fine" in English.
"Fayen mani, quoi de neuf"
"Hey bro, what's up"
Submitted January 2024 by anonymous
Word USED Very frequently BY Everybody
(a french bread) • It's the way many Belgians refer to a "baguette".
"Un pain français et deux croissants, s'il vous plaît."
"A french bread and two croissants, please."
Submitted January 2024 by anonymous
Slang USED Frequently BY Everybody, mostly in informal contexts
This is a curse word, or a prefix to amplify something. Like "fucking <thing>". Used alone, it's a bit the equivalent of saying "fuck!" in Québec.
*stumps toe* "Tabarnak!"
Submitted January 2024 by anonymous
Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone
(telephone pole syrup) • It's a derogatory way of describing commercial syrups which are not true maple syrup.
"Ce restaurant est bien cheap. On sert du sirop de poteau avec leurs crêpes."
"This restaurant is very cheap. They serve telephone pole syrup with their crepes."
Submitted January 2024 by anonymous
Idiom USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone
(to leek) • Waiting motionless for a long time, like a leek planted in the ground.
"Il y avait tellement de monde au magasin, le vendeur m'a fait poireauter pendant une heure."
"There were so many people at the store, the salesman made me leek for one hour."
Submitted January 2023 by anonymous
Standard Phrase USED Very frequently BY Everyone
(to have a wooden mouth) • To have a hangover or to feel hungover after a heavy night of drinking alcohol.
"J'ai une affreuse gueule de bois."
"I have an awful wooden mouth."
Word USED On Occasion BY Everyone
(noun) • When you find yourself in unfamiliar surroundings either purposely, for a change of scenery on a holiday or because you feel homesick.
"Pour un vrai dépaysement, allez passer une semaine à Bali!"
"For a real change of scenery, go and spend a week in Bali!"
Word USED On Occasion BY Everyone
(adj.) • When you find yourself in unfamiliar surroundings either purposely, for a change of scenery on a holiday or because you feel homesick.
"Pour un vrai dépaysement, allez passer une semaine à Bali!"
"For a real dépaysement, go and spend a week in Bali!"
Submitted March 2023 by anonymous
Word USED On Occasion BY Anyone talking about travel
(noun) • (discountriment) • Refers to the culture shock and/or the feeling of being lost one may feel when visiting a foreign country. Can be used in either the positive or the negative sense.
“J'étais au Japon la semaine dernière. Le dépaysement total !”
“I was in Japan last week. It was a total discountriment!”
Slang USED Very frequently BY Young People
This means woman or can often mean girlfriend.
"J'ai vue une belle meuf hier!"
"I saw a pretty woman yesterday!"
Submitted May 2022 by anonymous
Idiom USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone
(a foot on the ground) • A small house or apartment in a city you do not live in, and where you stay when visiting that city for a short time
"Vivre à Paris ne m'empêche pas d'aller souvent à Rome, j'y ai un petit pied-à-terre."
"Living in Paris does not prevent me from going to Rome. I have a small pied-à-terre there""
Submitted January 2022 by anonymous
Idiom USED Frequently BY Everyone
(to fart higher than one's arse) • To be conceited.
Les étrangers disent souvent que les Français pètent plus haut que leur cul.
Foreigners often say that French people fart higher than their arse.
Submitted July 2021 by 3010g
