Expressions Françaises

[zikozaki]

الصحف المصرية والعربية

Chercher - French Expressions with Chercher

The French verb chercher literally means "to look for" or "to search for" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to court danger, pick a fight, search for one's path in life, and more with this list of expressions with chercher.

aller chercher
to fetch, to go and get, to pick up

chercher à comprendre
to try to understand

chercher à faire
to attempt to do

chercher une aiguille dans une botte/meule de foin
to look for a needle in a haystack

chercher la bagarre
to be spoiling for a fight

chercher des crosses à quelqu'un (informal)
to try to pick a fight with someone

chercher le danger
to court danger

cherchez la femme
same problem as always

chercher des histoires à quelqu'un
to try to make trouble for someone

chercher des poux dans la tête
to search for any reason to argue, to quibble

chercher midi à quatorze heures
to complicate the issue

chercher noise à quelqu'un
to pick a fight

chercher partout quelqu'un/quelque chose
to look everywhere for someone/thing

chercher la petite bête
to split hairs

chercher quelque chose à tâtons
to fumble for something

chercher quelqu'un des yeux / du regard
to look for someone

chercher querelle à quelqu'un
to pick a fight

chercher sa voie
to search for one's path in life

chercher ses mots
to look for words

chercher son salut dans la fuite
to seek refuge in flight

venir chercher quelqu'un
to come get / pick someone up


Attends, je cherche
Hang on, I'm thinking

Tu l'auras cherché !
You've been asking for it!


se chercher
to search for an identity


un chercheur, une chercheuse
seeker, scientific researcher

un chercheur d'or, une chercheuse d'or
gold digger

un chercheur de trésor, une chercheuse de trésor
treasure hunter

un chercheur d'aventure(s), une chercheuse d'aventure(s)
adventure seeker

 

 

[zikozaki]

Arriver - French Expressions with Arriver

The French verb arriver literally means "to arrive" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to arrive safe and sound, to manage to do something, to not be able to hold a candle to, and more with this list of expressions with arriver.

Possible meanings of arriver

• to arrive
• to succeed (in life)
• (impersonal) to happen, occur

Expressions with arriver

arriver à
to reach, get to, attain, arrive at

arriver à + infinitive
to manage to / succeed in doing something

arriver à + time
to arrive at

arriver à + city or masculine country
to arrive at, get to

arriver à bon port
to arrive safe and sound

arriver à destination
to reach/arrive at one's destination

arriver à grands pas
to stride/walk quickly up

arriver à ses fins
to get one's way, achieve one's goals

arriver au port
to dock

(figurative)
to reach one's destination

arriver au pouvoir
to come to power

arriver comme mars en carême
to come/happen as sure as night follows day

arriver comme un cheveu sur la soupe
to turn up at a very awkward moment, to be completely irrelevant

arriver comme un chien dans un jeu de quilles
to turn up at the worst possible moment, when least wanted/needed

arriver de + city or country
to arrive from

arriver des ennuis à quelqu'un
to get into trouble

arriver en + feminine country
to arrive in, get to

arriver en courant
to run up

arriver en gare
to arrive at the train station

arriver en voiture
to arrive by car

arriver jusqu'à
to reach, get as far as, come/go up to

arriver le premier
to arrive/come in first

arriver par le train
to arrive by train


Allez, arrive ! (informal)
Hurry up! Come on!

Les Anglais sont arrivés (familiar)
Someone is menstruating

Ça m'arrive.
That happens to me at times.

Ce sont des choses qui arrivent.
These things happen.

Cela peut arriver à n'importe qui.
That could happen to anyone.

Cela ne m'arrivera plus !
That will never happen again!

comme il arrive souvent
as is often the case, as often happens

croire que c'est arrivé (informal)
to think one has made it / succeeded

en arriver à
to end up, come to

faire arriver
to make something/something happen, show up

Il arrive que + subjunctive
to sometimes happen

Il est arrivé un accident / un malheur.
There's been an accident / calamity.

Il faudra bien en arriver là.
It'll come to that eventually.

Il m'arrive de + infinitive
I sometimes...

J'arrive !
I'm coming! I'll be right there/back!

Je n'y arrive pas.
I can't do it.

J'y arrive
I'm coming/getting to that

ne pas arriver à + infinitive
to just not be able to

ne pas arriver à la cheville à quelqu'un
to not be able to hold a candle to

Le nouveau est arrivé
It's Beaujolais Nouveau Day

On arrive !
We're (almost) there!

On en arrive à se demander si...
It makes you wonder if...

On n'en est pas encore arrivé là !
We haven't gotten that far yet! It hasn't come to that yet!

quoi qu'il arrive
whatever happens

se croire arrivé
to think one has made it / succeeded

Tu ne sais pas ce qui m'arrive !
You'll never guess what happened to me!

Tu y arrives ?
How are you doing?


une arrivée
arrival, coming, appearance
(utilities) inlet, inflow

arrivées (airport)
Arrivals

à l'arrivée
at the finish, in the end

les premiers arrivés
first arrivals

 

 

[zikozaki]

Croire - French Expressions with Croire

The French verb croire literally means "to believe" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to say take it from me, it's unbelievable, you don't know how right you are, and more with this list of expressions with croire.

Possible meanings of croire

• to believe
• to assume
• to consider
• to think

Expressions with croire

croire à
to believe, have faith in

croire en
to believe, have faith in

croire que...
to believe that...

croire que non
to not think so

croire que oui
to think so

croire quelque chose dur comme fer (informal)
to be absolutely convinced of something


À croire que...
You'd think...

à l'en croire
to hear him tell it, if you were to believe him

C'est à croire que...
You'd think...

C'est à n'y pas croire !
It's unbelievable!

Croyez-en mon expérience
Take it from me

Croyez-m'en
Believe me

Croyez-moi
Believe me

Faut croire que... (informal)
It would seem/appear that...

Faut pas croire ! (informal)
Make no mistake about it!

Il est à croire que... (formal)
It is to be supposed/presumed that...

je l'ai cru sur parole
I took his word for it

Je n'en crois rien
I don't believe a word of it

Je n'en croyais pas mes oreilles/yeux
I couldn't believe my ears/eyes

Je ne suis pas celle que vous croyez !
I'm not that kind of person!

Je n'arrive à croire que...
I just can't believe...

Je te / vous crois ! (informal)
You bet!

Je veux bien le croire
I can well believe it

le croira qui voudra
believe it or not

On croirait...
It looks/sounds/seems like, You'd think it was...

On croit rêver ! (informal)
I can hardly believe it!

On l'a cru mort
He was believed to be dead.

Où vous croyez-vous ?
Where do you think you are?

Si vous m'en croyez
If you want my opinion

Tu crois ?
Think so?

Tu crois pas ? (informal)
Don't think so?

Tu ne crois pas si bien dire !
You don't know how right you are!

Tu ne peux pas croire...
You can't begin to imagine...

Veuillez croire à... (formal)
Yours sincerely (business letter formula)

Vous pouvez m'en croire
Take it from me


se croire
to think/believe oneself (is), to feel as if

Il s'y croit (informal)
He thinks he's really something.

Qu'est-ce qu'il se croit ?
Who does he think he is?

 

 

[zikozaki]

Demander - French Expressions with Demander

The French verb demander literally means "to ask" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to apologize, ask for mercy, wonder, and more with this list of expressions with demander.

Possible meanings of demander

• to ask
• to ask for, request
• to apply for
• to require, need
• to send for

Expressions with demander

demander de l'aide
to ask for help, assistance

demander aide et assistance
to (formally) request aid

demander à parler à quelqu'un
to ask to speak to someone

demander à quelqu'un de + infinitive
to ask someone to do something

demander à voir quelqu'un
to ask to see someone

demander le divorce
to apply for divorce

demander grâce
to ask for mercy

demander l'impossible
to ask for the impossible

demander la lune
to ask for the moon

demander pardon à quelqu'un
to apologize to someone

demander la parole
to ask for permission to speak

demander une permission (military)
to request leave

demander la permission de + infinitive
to ask for permission to + infinitive

"demander une question"

demander un service / une faveur à quelqu'un
to ask a favor of someone


se demander
to wonder, to ask oneself

se demander bien pourquoi...
to not be able to figure out why...


Cela ne se demande pas !
That's a stupid question!

Il est parti sans demander son reste.
He left without a murmur.

Que demande le peuple ?
What more could you ask for?

Je ne demande qu'à vous voir.
All I ask is to see you.

Je ne demande pas mieux que + infinitive
I ask for nothing more than to + infinitive


une demande
request, claim, application

un demandeur
plaintiff, petitioner, caller

demandé (adj)
in demand, sought after

 

 

[zikozaki]

Passer - French Expressions with Passer

The French verb passer literally means "to pass" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to say whatever comes into one's head, to write something off, to kick the bucket, and more with this list of expressions with passer.

Possible meanings of passer

• to pass
• to go over/under/through
• (liquid) to strain
• (movie, music) to show, put on
• (time) to spend

Expressions with passer

passer + clothing
to slip on/into

passer + infinitive
to go do something

passer à la douane
to go through customs

passer à la radio/télé
to be on the radio/TV

passer à l'heure d'été
to turn the clocks foward, begin daylight saving time

passer à l'heure d'hiver
to turn the clocks back, end daylight saving time

passer à pas lents
to pass slowly

passer de bouche en bouche
to be rumored about

passer des faux billets
to pass forged money

passer devant Monsieur le maire
to get married

passer du coq à l'âne
to change the subject, make a non sequitur

passer en courant
to run past

passer en revue
- to list
- (figurative) to go over in one's mind, go through
- (military) to (pass in) review, to inspect

passer (en) + ordinal number
to put in ___ gear

passer l'âge de
to be too old for

passer l'arme à gauche (familiar)
to kick the bucket

passer la journée/soirée
to spend the day/evening

passer la main dans le dos à quelqu'un
to butter someone up

passer la tête à la porte
to poke one's head around the door

passer le cap
to get past the worst, turn the corner, get over the hurdle

passer le cap des 40 ans
to turn 40

passer le poteau
to cross the finish line

passer les bornes
to go too far

passer les limites
to go too far

passer les menottes à quelqu'un
to handcuff someone

passer par
to go through (an experience or intermediary)

passer par de dures épreuves
to go through some rough times

passer par toutes les couleurs de l'arc-en-ciel
to blush to the roots of one's hair, to turn pale (out of fear)

passer par l'université
to go through college

passer pour
to take for, be taken for

passer quelque chose à quelqu'un
to pass/hand something to someone

passer quelque chose aux/par profits et pertes
to write something off (as a loss)

passer quelque chose en fraude
to smuggle something

passer quelque chose sous silence
to pass something over in silence

passer quelqu'un à tabac
to beat someone up

passer quelqu'un par les armes
to shoot someone by firing squad

passer sa colère sur quelqu'un
to take out one's anger on someone

passer sa mauvaise humeur sur quelqu'un
to take out one's bad mood on someone

passer sa vie à faire
to spend one's life doing

passer son envie de
to satisfy one's craving for

passer son permis (de conduire)
to take one's driving test

passer son tour
to miss one's turn

passer sur (detail, mistake)
to pass over, overlook

passer un caprice à quelqu'un
to humor someone


TO BE CONTINUED

 

 

[zikozaki]

passer un coup de fil à quelqu'un (informal)
to give someone a call

passer un examen
to take/sit a test

passer un livre à quelqu'un
to loan someone a book

passer un marché
to make a deal

passer une visite médicale
to get/have a physical


dire tout ce qui passe par la tête
to say whatever comes into one's head

faire passer quelque chose aux/par profits et pertes
to write something off (as a loss)

faire passer quelqu'un pour
to make someone out to be

laisser passer
to let in/through/past

pour faire passer
to wash down, to help (food) down

pour passer le temps
to pass the time


en passant
in passing, on one's way

soit dit en passant
by the way, incidentally


Un ange passe.
There's an awkward silence.

Ça fait du bien par où ça passe ! (informal)
That's just what the doctor ordered!

Ça fait passer le temps
It passes the time

Ce n'est qu'un mauvais moment à passer
It's just a rough patch, bad spell

Comme le temps passe vite !
Time flies!

et j'en passe !
and that's not all!

Une idée m'est passé par la tête
I had an idea

Je ne fais que passer
I can't stay, I'm just passing through

Je vous passe + name (on the phone)
I'm putting you through to ___, Here's ___

Nous sommes tous passés par là
We've all been through that

On lui passe tout
He gets away with anything, He gets whatever he wants

Par où es-tu passé ?
Which way did you come?

Passez-moi l'expression (If you'll) pardon the expression

Passez-moi du feu
Give me a light

Passons
Let's move on, Let's not talk about that (any more)

Qu'est-ce qu'il lui a passé (comme savon) ! (informal)
He really laid into him, gave him a rough time!

Tu (le) fais passer
You pass it around


se passer
- to take place
- (time) to pass, go by
- to give, pass to each other

se passer de
to do without

se passer de commentaires
to speak for itself

se passer la main dans le dos
to pat one another on the back

se faire passer pour
to pretend to be, pass oneself off as


Ça ne se passera pas comme ça !
I won't stand for that!

Je me passe de tes conseils !
I can do without your advice!

Je ne sais pas ce qui se passe en lui
I don't don't what's got into him, come over him

Qu'est-ce qui s'est passé ?
What happened?

Tout s'est bien passé
Everything went smoothly, without a hitch

 

 

[zikozaki]

Penser - French Expressions with Penser

The French verb penser means "to think," and is used in many expressions. Learn how to say remind me, it's well thought out, not likely, and more with this list of expressions with penser.

faire penser à
to make one think of / remind one of

penser à
to think about, have in mind; to think of, remember

penser à l'avenir
to think of the future

penser aux conséquences
to think of the consequences

penser au danger
think about / consider the danger

penser de
to think about, have an opinion on

(See All about penser for the difference between penser à and penser de.)

penser du bien de
to have a high opinion about

penser du mal de
to have a low opinion about

penser faire
to think about, consider doing

penser tout haut
to think out loud


C'est bien ce que je pensais !
Just what I thought! That's what I thought!

C'est bien pensé.
It's well thought out.

C'est fortement pensé.
It's well thought out.

une façon de penser
a way of thinking

Fais-m'y penser.
Remind me about that, Don't let me forget that.

Honi soit qui mal y pense
Shame on anyone who thinks evil of it, This person has hidden evil intentions

Il pense à tout.
He thinks of everything.

Il suffit d'y penser.
It's just a matter of thinking about it.

J'ai pensé + infinitive
I thought I was going to ___

Je pense bien
I think so

Je pense comme toi
I agree with you

Je pense que non
I don't think so, I think not.

Je pense que oui
I think so.

Pense-tu ! Pensez-vous !
You must be joking!

Que penses-tu de ... ?
What do you think / How do you feel about ... ?

quelque chose qui donne à penser
something that gives you food for thought, something to think about

quelque chose qui laisse à penser
something that gives you food for thought, something to think about

Tout laisse à penser que...
There is every indication that...

Tu penses ! Vous pensez !
Not likely!

Tu penses que je vais ... ! (informal)
You bet I'm going to ... !

Vous pensez bien que ...
You can imagine that, As you'd expect ...

 

 

[zikozaki]

Prendre - French Expressions with Prendre

The French verb prendre literally means "to take" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to make a decision, get a breath of fresh air, catch someone red-handed, and more with this list of expressions with prendre.

Possible meanings of prendre

• to take
• to pick up/fetch
• to catch
• to dupe
• to get (gas/petrol, a train ticket, etc.)
• to set (cement, gelatin)

Expressions with prendre

passer prendre quelqu'un
to go pick someone up

prendre l'air
to get a breath of fresh air

prendre bien la chose
to take something well

prendre une décision
to make a decision

prendre l'eau
to leak; to founder

prendre feu
to catch fire

prendre fin
to come to an end

prendre le frais
to get a breath of fresh air

prendre froid
to catch a cold

prendre garde
to be careful, watch out

prendre à gauche/droit
to turn left/right

prendre goût à quelqu'un
to take a liking to something

prendre mal la chose
to take something poorly

prendre la mer
to set sail, to put out to sea

prendre au pied de la lettre
to take literally

prendre du poids
to gain weight

prendre un pot (informal)
to have a drink

prendre quelque chose à quelqu'un
to buy/get something for someone

prendre quelqu'un en grippe
to take a disliking to someone

prendre quelqu'un la main dans le sac
to catch someone red-handed

prendre quelqu'un par son point faible
to take advantage of someone's weak spot

prendre rendez-vous avec
to make an appointment with

prendre des risques
to take chances

prendre un rhume
to catch a cold

prendre sa retraite
to retire (from work)

prendre au sérieux
to take seriously

prendre ses jambes à son cou
to run off

prendre son courage à deux mains
to get up one's courage

prendre un verre
to have a drink


être pris
to be tied up/busy

être pris de vertige/remords/panique
to get struck by vertigo/remorse/panic

un parti pris
prejudice, preconceived notion


Avec moi, ça ne prends pas.
That won't work/wash with me.

Ça me prend la tête !
That drives me crazy!

C'est à prendre ou à laisser.
Take it or leave it, That's my final offer.

Je t'y prends !
I've got you!

On m'a pris pour ...
They thought I was ... / I was taken for ...

On ne sait jamais par quel bout le prendre
You never know how to take him.

Prends-ça du bon côté.
Look on the bright side.

Qu'est-ce qui t'a pris ?
What's gotten into you?

Que je t'y prenne ! Si je t'y prends encore !
If I ever catch you doing that again...!


se prendre (pour)
to consider oneself (as)

Il se prennent pour des intellectuels.
They think they're intellectuals.

Pour qui te prends-tu ?
Who do you think you are?

s'en prendre à quelqu'un
to pick on someone, lay into someone

s'y prendre
to go about doing something

s'y prendre bien/mal
to do a good/bad job

 

 

[zikozaki]

Trouver - French Expressions with Trouver

The French verb trouver literally means "to find" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to meet one's match, find one's way, be lost for words, and more with this list of expressions with trouver.

Possible meanings of trouver

• to find
• to come across
• to come up with
• to imagine

Expressions with trouver

trouver à boire
to find something to drink

trouver à se distraire
to find a way to amuse oneself

trouver à faire
to find something to do, to manage to do something

trouver à manger
to find something to eat

trouver à s'occuper
to find a way to keep busy

trouver à qui parler
to meet one's match, get more than one bargained for

trouver à redire à quelque chose
to find fault with, criticize, have a complaint about something

trouver bien à faire
to be bound to do something

trouver bon de faire
to see fit to do something

trouver le bonheur
to find happiness

trouver bonne mine à quelqu'un
to think someone looks well

trouver le chemin
to find one's way

trouver une consolation dans quelque chose
to find consolation in something

trouver le courage
to find the courage

trouver des difficultés
to come up against difficulties

trouver l'énergie
to find the energy

trouver grâce auprès de quelqu'un
to find favor with someone

trouver grâce aux yeux de quelqu'un
to find favor with someone

trouver une idée
to hit on an idea

trouver la mort
to meet one's death

trouver le moyen de faire
to find some way of doing, to manage to do

trouver plaisir à faire quelque chose
to take pleasure in doing something

trouver plaisir à quelque chose
to take pleasure in something

trouver un plan
to hit on a plan

trouver preneur
to find a buyer, taker

trouver que
to think, believe that

trouver quelque chose à son goût
to find something to one's liking

trouver quelque chose en quelqu'un
to find something in someone

trouver quelque chose mauvais (informal)
to not like something at all

trouver quelque chose trop + adj
to find something too + adj

trouver quelqu'un + adj
to find someone + adj, to think someone looks + adj

trouver sa voie
to find oneself, find one's life path

trouver le sommeil
to get to sleep

trouver son bonheur
to find what one is looking for

trouver son maître
to find one's master

trouver le temps
to find the time

trouver le temps long
to find that time passes slowly


aller trouver quelqu'un
to go see someone

ne pas trouver ses mots
to be at a loss for words

venir trouver quelqu'un
to come and see someone

y trouver son compte
to get something out of it


Comment l'as-tu trouvé(e) ?
What do you think of him (her)?

J'ai trouvé !
I've got it!

Où est-il allé trouver ça ?
Where did he get that idea from? Whatever gave him that idea?

Qu'est-ce que tu lui trouves ?
What do you seen in him?

Tu le (la) trouves sympa ?
Do you like him (her)? Do you think (s)he's nice?

Tu trouves ?
Do you think so?

Tu trouves ça normal ?
Do you think that's right?


bien trouvé
well-spoken, clever

une formule bien trouvée
clever phrase


tout trouvé
ready-made, obvious

une excuse toute trouvée
ready-made excuse

une explication toute trouvée
obvious explanation

une solution toute trouvée
ready-made solution

un sujet tout trouvé
obvious topic







TO BE CONTINUED

 

 

[zikozaki]

Possible meanings of se trouver

• to be
• to be found
• to be situated
• to feel
• to find oneself
• to think/consider oneself + adj

Expressions with se trouver

se trouver avoir
to happen to have

se trouver bien
to feel well, comfortable, happy

se trouver bien d'avoir fait quelque chose
to be glad to have done something

se trouver d'accord
to happen to agree

se trouver dans l'impossibilité de faire
to find oneself unable to do, to not be in a position to do

se trouver dans l'obligation de faire
to find oneself compelled to do, to have to do

se trouver dans une situation délicate
to find oneself in a delicate situation

se trouver être
to happen to be

se trouver mal
to pass out, faint

se trouver mal d'avoir fait quelque chose
to regret having done something

se trouver mieux
to feel better


Ça ne se trouve pas sous le pas/sabot d'un cheval.
That's not easy to find, not easy to come by.

Ça se trouve facilement.
You can find that anywhere.

Il s'en est mal trouvé.
He lived to regret it.

Je me suis trouvé fin !
I looked like an idiot!

Où se trouve ... ?
Where is ... ?


Il se trouve... (impersonal)
There is/are...

Il se trouve que...
It happens to be..., As it happens...


si ça se trouve (informal)
maybe, it's possible