I hoped you learned a few French expressions from the last post that you might not have been familiar with. Today, we’ll continue our little study of colloquialisms that will make you think and speak à la Française. Keep in mind that some of these are more popular than others and they might differ slightly according to the region, but each one can be used at just the right moment to really make an impact on the listener. Enjoy!

Pousser comme un champignon (Growing like a mushroom) – When something grows rapidly, usually in reference to children or to plants.

Bon vent! (Good wind!) – Farewell

Quelle galère! (What a galley!) – It’s a pain/It’s a real grind!

Tirer les vers du nez (Pulling the worms out of the nose) – Dragging something out of someone.

Avoir une faim de loup (Having a wolf’s hunger) – To be famished.

La croix et la bannière – (The cross and the banner) – Something that is difficult to achieve.

À tes souhaits! (To your wishes) – Bless you!

Se mettre le doigt dans l’œil (To put your finger in your eye) – To be fooling oneself.

Le coup de foudre (The strike/bolt of lightning) – Love at first sight.

Se faire du mouron (To do the ‘mouron’) – To be worried sick.

C’est kif-kif (It’s ‘kif-kif’) – It’s all the same.

Ne pas se moucher du coude (Not blowing your nose with your elbow) – To think highly of oneself.

La moutarde lui monte au nez (The mustard rises to his/her nose) – He/she is losing his/her temper.

Au nez et à la barbe (At the nose and at the beard) – Right under someone’s nose.

Il n’y a pas le feu (There’s no fire) – Telling someone to slow down or to be patient.

Avoir un chat dans la gorge (Having a cat in the throat) – Unable to speak freely/having a frog in one’s throat.

Faire la pluie et le beau temps (Making rain and good weather) – Calling the shots.

Sourd comme un pot (Deaf like a pot) – As deaf as a post.

Pleurer comme un madeleine (Crying like a ‘madeleine’) – To cry one’s eyes out.

Se regarder le nombril (To gaze at one’s navel) – To be self-centered.