20 French Idioms to Express Emotions Like a Native
Expressing emotions in a foreign language can be challenging, but mastering idiomatic expressions can help you convey your feelings more naturally and vividly. Here are 20 French idioms that will add color and authenticity to your emotional expressions.
Joy and Happiness
"Avoir la pêche" - Literally "to have the peach," this phrase means to feel great or be in high spirits. Example: "Ce matin, j'ai la pêche!" (This morning, I'm feeling great!)
"Être aux anges" - To be in heaven or on cloud nine. Example: "Depuis sa promotion, il est aux anges." (Since his promotion, he's been on cloud nine.)
Anger and Frustration
"Avoir la moutarde qui monte au nez" - To feel anger rising, literally "to have mustard rising to one's nose." Example: "Arrête de me taquiner, la moutarde me monte au nez!" (Stop teasing me, I'm getting angry!)
"Péter les plombs" - To lose one's cool, literally "to blow a fuse." Example: "Il a pété les plombs quand il a vu la facture." (He lost it when he saw the bill.)
Sadness and Disappointment
"Avoir le cafard" - To feel down or blue, literally "to have the cockroach." Example: "Depuis son départ, j'ai le cafard." (Since he left, I've been feeling blue.)
"Broyer du noir" - To be gloomy or depressed, literally "to grind black." Example: "Ne broie pas du noir, ça va s'arranger." (Don't be so gloomy, things will work out.)
Surprise and Shock
"Tomber des nues" - To be completely surprised, literally "to fall from the clouds." Example: "J'ai tombé des nues quand j'ai appris la nouvelle." (I was completely shocked when I heard the news.)
"En rester baba" - To be left speechless or amazed. Example: "Quand j'ai vu le prix, j'en suis resté baba." (When I saw the price, I was left speechless.)
Fear and Anxiety
"Avoir la chair de poule" - To have goosebumps, used to express fear or anxiety. Example: "Ce film d'horreur m'a donné la chair de poule." (This horror movie gave me goosebumps.)
"Avoir les jetons" - To be scared or have the jitters. Example: "J'ai les jetons avant mon entretien." (I have the jitters before my interview.)
Love and Affection
"Avoir le coup de foudre" - To fall in love at first sight, literally "to have a lightning strike." Example: "Quand je l'ai vue, j'ai eu le coup de foudre." (When I saw her, it was love at first sight.)
"Être sur un petit nuage" - To be on cloud nine, often used for new love. Example: "Depuis qu'ils sont ensemble, ils sont sur un petit nuage." (Since they've been together, they've been on cloud nine.)
Embarrassment and Shame
"Avoir les oreilles qui sifflent" - To be embarrassed, literally "to have whistling ears." Example: "Mes oreilles sifflent, on doit parler de moi." (My ears are whistling, someone must be talking about me.)
"Vouloir se cacher dans un trou de souris" - To want to disappear from embarrassment, literally "to want to hide in a mouse hole." Example: "Après ma gaffe, je voulais me cacher dans un trou de souris." (After my blunder, I wanted to disappear.)
Confidence and Pride
"Avoir la grosse tête" - To be full of oneself, literally "to have a big head." Example: "Depuis son succès, il a la grosse tête." (Since his success, he's been full of himself.)
"Se sentir pousser des ailes" - To feel empowered or confident, literally "to feel wings growing." Example: "Après sa victoire, il s'est senti pousser des ailes." (After his victory, he felt empowered.)
Relief and Relaxation
"Souffler comme un bœuf" - To breathe a sigh of relief, literally "to breathe like an ox." Example: "Une fois l'examen terminé, j'ai soufflé comme un bœuf." (Once the exam was over, I breathed a huge sigh of relief.)
"Être comme un poisson dans l'eau" - To feel completely at ease, literally "to be like a fish in water." Example: "Dans son nouveau travail, il est comme un poisson dans l'eau." (In his new job, he's completely in his element.)
Confusion and Bewilderment
"Perdre le nord" - To be confused or lose one's bearings, literally "to lose the north." Example: "Avec toutes ces informations, j'ai perdu le nord." (With all this information, I got completely lost.)
"N'y voir que du feu" - To be completely fooled, literally "to see only fire." Example: "Il a menti et j'y ai vu que du feu." (He lied and I was completely fooled.)
Using these idioms in your French conversations will not only help you express your emotions more vividly but also impress native speakers with your cultural fluency. Practice incorporating them into your daily French usage to sound more natural and expressive.