Day 3137 (Friday) 9th January 2026

This is a photographer’s photo of this morning’s sunrise

and this was Huw’s shot of our sunrise.

It was another lovely sunny day but a bit cold. Huw went over to Beaulieu to do some shopping and I had an online speaking test with a new student. Thankfully Huw was able to check all the connections before going shopping. This student is starting in International House on Monday doing four hours every day, three days with me and 2 days with another teacher. Four hours a day – it’s going to be a long time but she’s very nice. She is 30 and is going to Dubai to live and work for a few months and needs to be more confident when speaking English, I thought she was pretty confident but I’m sure I will be able to help her.

25 Funny French Idioms and Expressions You’ll Love Using

by Michele Frolla 

Learning French? Don’t “have a cockroach”. Speak like a native with these 25 hilarious everyday French Idioms and expressions.

French is such a beautiful language, but I think we often overlook the French sense of humour which is omnipresent in their colourful expressions. Picking up common French expressions are a great way to learn more about the personality of French people and their culture. I’ve come across a lot of vulgar and offensive expressions, but I’ve tried to keep this article clean.

Let’s take a look at some funny French idioms.

1. He’s running on my bean

Translation: Il me court sur le haricot
Meaning: He’s annoying me
English Equivalent: He’s getting on my nerves

2. To pedal in semolina

Translation: Pédaler dans la semoule
Meaning: Have trouble doing something
English Equivalent: To go around in circles

3. The habit doesn’t make the monk

Translation: L’habit ne fait pas le moine
Meaning: Appearances can be deceiving
English Equivalent: The suit doesn’t make the man

4. To have the arse surrounded by noodles

Translation: Avoir le cul bordé de nouilles
Meaning: To be very lucky
English Equivalent: To be a lucky so-and-so

5. To have the cockroach

Translation: Avoir le cafard
Meaning: To feel down
English Equivalent: To feel blue

6. To be in beautiful sheets

Translation: Être dans de beaux draps
Meaning: To be in a bad situation
English Equivalent: Be in a right mess, be up the creek without a paddle

7. To make cheese out of it

Translation: En faire tout un fromage
Meaning: To make a big deal out of something
English Equivalent: Kick up a huge fuss

8. It doesn’t break three legs of a duck

Translation: Ça ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard
Meaning: It’s not that incredible
English Equivalent: Nothing to write home about

9. Pissing in a violin

Translation: Pisser dans un violon
Meaning: To waste time on something futile
English Equivalent: Waste your breath, talk to a wall

10. Mind your onions

Translation: Mêle-toi de tes oignons!
Meaning: Not to interfere or ask anything personal
English Equivalent: Mind your own business

11. It’s raining ropes

Translation: Il pleut des cordes
Meaning: It’s raining a lot
English Equivalent: It’s raining cats and dogs

12. Let’s come back to our sheep

Translation: Revenons à nos moutons
Meaning: To go back to the original topic of conversation
English Equivalent: Let’s get back to business, get back on track

13. To have one’s arse between two chairs

Translation: Avoir le cul entre deux chaises
Meaning: To be undecided
English Equivalent: Sitting on the fence

14. Fingers in the nose

Translation: Les doigts dans le nez
Meaning: Easy to do
English Equivalent: With one hand tied behind your back, a piece of cake

15. To put a rabbit

Translation: Poser un lapin
Meaning: Not to show up to your date
English Equivalent: Stand somebody up

16. It gives me a beautiful leg

Translation: Ça me fait une belle jambe
Meaning: Not to care, couldn’t care less
English Equivalent: A fat lot of good that will do me

17. To be round as a shovel handle

Translation: être rond comme une queue de pelle
Meaning: That someone is very very drunk
English Equivalent: Drunk as a skunk

18. Sing like a saucepan

Translation: Chanter comme une casserole
Meaning: Someone who really can’t sing
English Equivalent: Sing flat

19. Eat the dandelions by the root

Translation: Manger les pissenlits par la racine
Meaning: To be dead
English Equivalent: Push up daisies

20. Drown the fish

Translation: Noyer le poisson
Meaning: Avoid a subject by talking about everything and anything else.
English Equivalent: Confuse the issue

21. Don’t push Granny into the nettles!

Translation: Faut pas pousser mamie dans les orties
Meaning: Don’t go too far don’t exaggerate
English Equivalent: Don’t push it!

22. To get or receive a rake

Translation: Se prendre un râteau
Meaning: To fail in an attempt
English Equivalent: Get knocked back, be shot down in flames

23. To swallow snakes

Translation: Avaler des couleuvres
Meaning: To be gullible
English Equivalent: A dumb bunny

24. Make a fish tail

Translation: Faire une queue de poisson
Meaning: Over take someone closely
English Equivalent: Cut someone off

25. It’s the end of the beans

Translation: C’est la fin des haricots
Meaning: Nothing more can be done
English Equivalent: Game over!