Can you speak French?

[marielet]

I’d really like a tattoo that says

“Familiar Hell”
“Unfamiliar Heaven”

I know I can use googled translate but I want to make sure it’s correct.

I can’t translate it accurately but I think the gist of it in English plain expression would be something like:

We look for the familiar stufff even if it’s hellish, and aren’t looking for the good stuff because we aren’t familiar with it… maybe that will help someone who actually speaks French translate it.

A lot of things don't translate well.

Take the film Jaws, for example.

The French translation is "Les Dents de la Mer" which literally translates as the teeth of the sea, and doesn't have the same impact.

I thought the same, but, I’m not sure if it’s correct it sounds off and doesn’t flow on the way French should.
Sorry to be thick but what does the phrase mean? Maybe there’s a different phrase in French that means the same

short answer it doesn’t really translate easily or nicely into French x

I've no idea if that is the intent of OP, but if it is, they could use:

L'enfer est dans le familier
Le paradis est dans l'inconnu

I always think it's stupendously foolish brave to get a tattoo in a language you don't speak

*Ciel. Paradis is more the religious connotation, as you said, but even when praying, ciel is the word used.

I agree with others that it sounds better in English

Where did you get the idea from, op, that might help us advise

Where would you get it on your body? What size/font?

See Our Father in French, for example.

It doesn't really sound good in English either. I really question why someone would want a tattoo in a language they don't speak. It isn't "cool" if that's what you think, it makes you look a bit stupid really. If those phrases mean something to you in English have them tattooed in English.

Definitely Ciel - paradis is more like saying “this holiday is heaven” or something. Beyond that can’t really help as it doesn’t really make sense to me in English

Our kid Pete...

'Ciel' is only ever used to refer to the Christian concept of heaven though. I don't think this is OP's intent, so I think 'paradis' works better - yes it can be used to denote the Christian heaven, but can also be used to refer to any religion's concept of 'heaven', or indeed non-religiously, exactly the same as 'paradise' is used in English.

L'enfer, c'est les autres poorly translated tattoos

Is it trying to say "Better the devil you know"?

Don't use a word for word translation! Especially when your meaning is not clear even in the original. First distil the concept, clearly explain to a native French speaker, and ask how the equivalent might be expressed. (See @Testerical and @Pharazon earlier.)

Also, don't get a tattoo in a language you don't speak, that's all kinds of problematic.

Yup again I was as caught by predictive texr

?

The French title of Paradise Lost is 'Le Paradis Perdu' - paradis is the correct word if you're being poetic and not alluding directly to the Christian concept of heaven.

bien sûr, @Pharazon c'est vraiment embarrassant que les gens veuillent utiliser le français pour paraître cool ou intelligent!

Brilliant typo though!

Which, Google tells me, would be "mieux vaut un mal connu".

🤭

Usually they choose Japanese for that in tattoos 😂