Vocab-Idioms: French Expressions
Mastering common phrases related to actions, mood, and daily life.
The Importance of Context: Why Idioms are Tricky
Idioms are phrases whose meaning cannot be deduced from the literal meaning of the words. Learning them is key to understanding spoken French.
1. Expressions Using Common Verbs (Avoir, Faire, Être)
The most common idioms use the base verbs you already know, but with unexpected meanings.
| Idiom (Literal Meaning) | Actual Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Avoir faim (To have hunger) | To be hungry | *J'ai faim, on mange ?* |
| Avoir raison (To have reason) | To be right | *Tu as raison, c'est vrai.* |
| Faire la queue (To make the tail) | To stand in line | *Nous faisons la queue pour le musée.* |
| Être en forme (To be in shape) | To be feeling good/healthy | *Je suis en forme aujourd'hui.* |
| Faire le pont (To make the bridge) | To take a long weekend (connecting a holiday to a weekend) | *On fait le pont en mai.* |
2. Body-Part Idioms
Many French expressions use body parts metaphorically, often confusing learners.
Common Body Idioms
- Coûter les yeux de la tête (To cost the eyes of the head) - **To cost an arm and a leg.**
- Avoir un poil dans la main (To have a hair in the hand) - **To be lazy.**
- Se mettre le doigt dans l'œil (To put one's finger in one's eye) - **To be completely mistaken.**
3. Mood and Weather Idioms
These are great for expressing feelings and talking about the weather naturally.
Weather: Il fait un temps de chien. (It makes a dog's weather) = **The weather is awful.**
Mood: Être de bonne humeur. (To be of good humor) = **To be in a good mood.**
Idiom Practice Worksheet Generator
Test your understanding of the common, non-literal French expressions.
Your generated worksheet will appear here. Click "Generate Worksheet" to begin.