To ask what your favourite French words and expressions are?

[WellAlwaysHaveParis]

Very random AIBU, but I’d be interested to find out: what are your favourite French words and expressions? :)

I’m restarting a weekly post on French expressions for my blog on French language and culture, and I’ve run out of inspiration

Shameless plug alert.... if you’d like to know more about the blog or if you or anyone you know might like to contribute to it, please let me know on here or via private message :)

and are all up for grabs as prizes for the best words

Ma foi! I read too much Poirot.

I love the name of those little light beignets called “pets de none” - ie nun’s farts

pets de nonne flaming autocorrect!

L'esprit de l'escalier or l'esprit d'escalier ("staircase wit") the predicament of thinking of the perfect reply too late.

Ooh which series, @thugmansion? I’m just watching something called Les Oubliées on Channel 4 at the moment - is he in that?

WellAlwaysHaveParis
It's called Dead Beautiful. Nine episodes. Really enjoyed it.

I think my parents thought I was picking up lots of cultural nuances when I did my French exchanges, but instead the older sons of my family were teaching me the mightiest phrases they would manage including 'va te faire encouler avec les grecs', which they assured me was the ultimate sweaty insult!

Ahem. sweary!

Though it could potentially be both!

Grabby ooh I’ll definitely give it a watch, thugmansion :)

Hope I haven’t killed this thread! 😂

Mort comme un dodo

Je ne sais pas when asked a question to which I don't know the answer. Also, weather is always done in French - il pleut, il fait beau, il neige etc.

@thugmansion hands off Thierry he's mine

cul par-dessus tête

I used to know two dogs called Bon Mot and Faux Pas.

But I love l'esprit d'escalier and flaneur

@halfwitpicker I so miss québécois swears!! I lived there once upon a time.

My fave French expression is one I delight in saying at home to the disgust of my child and amusement of dh. It's 'avoir la taupe au guichet' literally, 'the mole is at the counter'

Can anyone guess what its equivalent in English is?!

I had to Google that Cataline as I’ve never encountered that expression. I wish I hadn’t, it’s gross

Ahem, I posted that one upthread...

@GaucheCaviar
Apologies! Yours had escaped my notice, because I hadn’t understood your explanation ...
Thank you both anyway, it’s caused great mirth in our family

No worries! There's also "avoir le cigare au bout des lèvres" for the same thing.

Love this thread 😍

This is such a shameless plug but I’ve got a French music playlist on Spotify and was just wondering if any of you fancy having a look at it?

It cheers me up whenever I get nostalgic about France

open.spotify.com/user/pilchie/playlist/4ZU1NK2YdDfjHdNzZvNuU3?si=h06SqFT5QlSvB508COzq7A

@Brainwashed French pistols at dawn it is

Merde also means good luck.