Little phrases used in French that don’t make sense when translated literally, but have a certain meaning when used in their entirety
| Français | Meaning | Literal translation |
|---|---|---|
| au secours | help! | “to the rescue” |
| a tout a l’heure | see you later (today) | “at all at the hour” |
| des goûts et des couleurs on ne discute pas | there’s no accounting for taste | “of tastes and of colours one speaks not” |
| j’ai le moral dans les chaussettes | I’m down in the dumps | “I have the mood in the socks” |
| ça va comme un gant | it fits like a glove | “it goes like a glove” |
| chapeau! | hats off! | “hat!” |
| domagge | what a pity | |
| plus de peur que de mal | it wasn’t a problem | “more fear than harm” |