Decode the following SMS messages and write them in standard French:
– Slt Lulu ca va ? mer6 pr tn mess pr mn aniv
– Pa 2 koi jve te voir d ke
possib pr prendr un ver
– Pe etre samdi soir on pouré alé o 6né
– Ok g nial mé j doi etre 2
retour aven 00h kar je ve d je né ché gran-mèr pr dimanch
– Ok samdi 20h a la méson
– Ok biz
The French language has some extremely colourful expressions that give added flavour to any conversation. However, they often make for some embarrassing misunderstandings. Getting a leg up on the more common idioms will enable you to understand better what your French friends are saying and at the same time make your own French much more like that of the native speakers. The human body is the basis for a good number of interesting expressions. Next month, the column will be entirely devoted to the hand and the nose...
La gueule
literally the mouth or jaw of an animal, but it is often used for humans in a somewhat derogatory manner. Il a une sale gueule = I don’t like his looks. (Ferme) ta gueule ! = shut your trap! Se saouler la gueule = to get really pissed (prendre une cuite). Avoir la gueule de bois = to have a hangover. Casser la gueule à quelqu’un = to smash someone’s face. Faire la gueule = to be in a bad mood.
La jambe Avoir les jambes en coton = one’s legs feel like jelly. Ça me fait une belle jambe = I don’t give a damn about that.
L’œil Mon œil ! = my eye! I don’t believe you! Jeter un coup d'œil = To glance at. Je n'a pas fermé l'œil de la nuit = I didn't sleep at all. Avoir un œil au beurre noir = to have a black eye. Il me fait de l'œil = he is interested in me; and gave me one of those looks.
Le pied Un pied-à-terre = a temporary or secondary housing. Garder les pieds sur terre = to keep your feet on the ground, to remain realistic. Casser les pieds de quelqu’un = to bother, irritate someone. Se casser les pieds = to go to a lot of trouble. Un casse-pieds = someone who gets on your nerves (Il me casse les pieds, celui-là !). Faire du pied (genou) à quelqu’un = to play footsy with someone. Prendre son pied = to get a kick out of something. C’est le pied ! = That’s really great, wonderful. Tu m'as enlevé une sacrée épine du pied ! = You got me out of a sticky/difficult situation!
Listen here
Le poil
literally, body hair on a human or an animal. Etre de bon (mauvais) poil = to be in a good (bad) mood. À poil = stark naked. Au poil = perfect, great (Ca me va au poil).
Be careful not to confuse these two: Il n’a pas un poil de bon sens = He hasn’t one iota of good sense. Avoir un poil dans la main = to be lazy, idle.
La tête Ça (ne) va pas la tête ? = Are you crazy? (Ça va pas, non ?). Tu es tombé sur la tête ? = Are you nuts, crazy? Avoir la tête dans les nuages = to be distracted. Avoir la grosse tête = to be full of oneself.
Illustrations extraites du livre "Ma maîtresse a dit qu'il fallait bien posséder la langue française", par Alain LeSauc, publié aux Editions Rivages.
Avoir la tête dans les nuages
Roger Stevenson French Accent Magazine - January 07
A "dictée"
One of the best exercises to help you improve your writing skills in French is to do a “dictée” (dictation) where you write down as accurately as you can a passage that is read to you by someone. You then check to see if you made any mistakes, in view of avoiding making the same ones the next time. If you click on the audio link s below, you will be able to listen to the passage that will be read at a moderate rate and with each sentence repeated twice. You can, of course, listen to the recording s as many times as you like, but we recommend that you try and limit yourselves to two repetitions.
Listen here
When you have finished, you can compare your version to the original Here!
The French language has some extremely colourful expressions that give added flavour to any conversation. However, they often make for some embarrassing misunderstandings. Getting a leg up on the more common idioms will enable you to understand better what your French friends are saying and at the same time make your own French much more like that of the native speakers. The human body is the basis for a good number of interesting expressions. Next month, the column will be entirely devoted to the hand and the nose...
Ça (ne) va pas la tête ? = Are you crazy? (Ça va pas, non ?).
