Proverbs and set expressions
Ce n'est pas la mer à boire…
Native speakers use set expressions and proverbs constantly. At C2 you should understand them in context and use the common ones naturally.
Everyday idioms
- Ce n'est pas la mer à boire.It's not that hard.
- Il m'a posé un lapin.He stood me up.
- J'ai d'autres chats à fouetter.I've got bigger fish to fry.
- Elle est tombée dans les pommes.She fainted.
- Il met toujours son grain de sel.He always sticks his oar in.
- Ça coûte les yeux de la tête.It costs an arm and a leg.
Proverbs
- Qui ne dit mot consent.Silence means consent.
- Il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l'ours avant de l'avoir tué.Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
- Petit à petit, l'oiseau fait son nid.Little by little, the bird builds its nest.
- L'habit ne fait pas le moine.Don't judge a book by its cover.
Playing with them
French speakers often twist proverbs for humour, and journalists use them in headlines. Knowing the original lets you catch the joke.
- Qui va à la chasse perd sa place.Leave your seat and you lose it.
Use idioms where they fit: one well-chosen expression sounds natural; five in a row sounds like a textbook.
Related: Advanced idioms, Adverbial pronoun y.
Practice
- « Ce n'est pas la mer à boire » means…Options: It's not that hard · Don't drink sea water · It's impossible
Show the answer
It's not that hard
- « Poser un lapin à quelqu'un » means…Options: To stand someone up · To give someone a rabbit · To trick someone
Show the answer
To stand someone up
- « Avoir d'autres chats à fouetter » means…Options: To have bigger fish to fry · To be cruel to animals · To have many pets
Show the answer
To have bigger fish to fry
- « Qui ne dit mot _____ »
Show the answer
consent
In the app, this lesson is taught one idea at a time with the examples read aloud, followed by questions that explain the rule when you get one wrong. It then comes back for review on later days until you've mastered it.