Bastille Day
 

To all our French residents - Happy Bastille Day!

Re: Bastille Day
 

Thank you! Being a Sunday, it might have passed unnoticed by workers, but the Olympic Flame on horseback in the morning, to its arrival in the hands of Yannick Noah just before the fireworks, made it special.
(I did wonder why Didier Deschamps or the like/ international rugby player/Tour de France winner, etc... wasn't the last flame bearer, but the choice must have been difficult).

Re: Bastille Day
 

That was a good reminder to revolt against my French wife on 14 July. :p And I've been in the doghouse again since the weekend...........;)
TP

Re: Bastille Day
 

Off-topic, but I've never really known how to translate "to be in the doghouse" into French. "Ne pas être en odeur de sainteté" is the quaintest I've found....;)

Re: Bastille Day
 

Dans la maison du chien doesn't seem to work somehow!

Re: Bastille Day
 

Dans la niche (In the kennel) works in Suisse Romande.

Re: Bastille Day
 

What do the French say when someone is in a bit of bother with their spouse? I have noticed that each nationality have their own individual sayings regarding most things. For example:- we say "take more water with it" the Spanish say "you need to walk past the bar and not enter", so very similar in meaning but totally different wording.

Rosemary

Re: Bastille Day
 

Interesting one this. I've never heard "take more water with it" used in that particular way, but the translation "you need to walk past the bar and not enter" in this context makes perfect sense to me.

N'y va pas! (Don't go there!) - Suisse Romande again.

Re: Bastille Day
 

Take more water with it is really about saying the wrong thing when you have had too much to drink so although it links to the dog house expression it is a vague link. I love hearing various expressions that although similar to our English ones are also very different. Another one that I heard recently was "a bird in the hand is worth more than 100 in the sky" so similar yet miles different from ours "a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush".

Rosemary

Re: Bastille Day
 

In French, "one which you hold is worth two which you will have"
I'm not familiar with "take more water with it" either, and can't think of a Franco-French expression. Maybe tp, with his vast knowledge in such matters, knows?

Re: Bastille Day
 

"Take more water with it" was an unjust comment levelled at me by a British doctor after I injured my shoulder!

Re: Bastille Day
 

DMU, not sure I'm much help with this. Regarding "take more water with it", I cannot recall hearing the French ever saying the equivalent of that. Quite the opposite in fact where "Un peu plus de Ricard avec cette eau svp" is not uncommon.......:sneaky:

Re: Bastille Day
 

What are the weirdest sayings that the French use?

Rosemary

Re: Bastille Day
 

Ah. An excellent question! I can think of loads......
- Avoir des fourmis dans les jambes (To have ants in the legs) = tingling sensation due to poor circulation. (Pins & needles)
- Avoir un chat dans la gorge. (To have a cat in the throat) = to clear one's throat. (To have a frog in one's throat).
- Casse du sucre sur le dos de quelqu'un. (Break sugar on someone's back) = to criticise someone behind their back.

And one I slipped up on many years ago talking with French friends about gardening. I said, "Je n'ai pas les doigts verts" (I don't have green fingers). I then saw a number of blank, confused looks whilst several stared at my fingers. Mme TP then came to my rescue with, "Il veut dire qu'il n'a pas les mains vertes".(He means he doesn't have green hands) - which is the common French expression. Oh the shame........:getcoat:But I've said worse)!!

And one for the road. NOT to be used in polite discussions.......

Re: Bastille Day
 

Some excel at one of these expressions. There’s even a certificate of merit award…….;)