20 French Idioms That Make No Literal Sense (and What They Mean)
French idioms decoded: poser un lapin, avoir le cafard, les doigts dans le nez - literal images, real meanings, and how to use each in conversation.
Classic French idioms include poser un lapin (to stand someone up - literally “to place a rabbit”), avoir le cafard (to feel down - “to have the cockroach”), c’est du gâteau (it’s a piece of cake), and les doigts dans le nez (done effortlessly - “fingers in the nose”).
Twenty idioms, grouped by imagery, each broken down: the literal picture, the real meaning, an English equivalent, and how it’s actually used. Idioms differ from proverbs - see French sayings and proverbs for wisdom-carrying sentences; these are colorful everyday expressions instead.
Quick answer
Classic French idioms include poser un lapin (to stand someone up - literally “to place a rabbit”), avoir le cafard (to feel down - “to have the cockroach”), c’est du gâteau (it’s a piece of cake), and les doigts dans le nez (done effortlessly - “fingers in the nose”).
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Animal idioms (1–7)
- poser un lapin - to stand someone up (place a rabbit)
- avoir le cafard - to feel blue (have the cockroach)
- quand les poules auront des dents - when hens grow teeth = never
- donner sa langue au chat - give up guessing (give your tongue to the cat)
- il y a anguille sous roche - something fishy going on (eel under the rock)
- avoir d’autres chats à fouetter - other fish to fry (other cats to whip)
- être une poule mouillée - be a chicken/coward (a wet hen)
Food idioms (8–14)
- raconter des salades - tell tall tales (tell salads)
- mettre son grain de sel - butt in (add one’s grain of salt)
- en faire tout un fromage - make a big deal (make a whole cheese of it)
- les carottes sont cuites - it’s over, done (the carrots are cooked)
- avoir la pêche - feel great (have the peach)
- c’est du gâteau - piece of cake
- tomber dans les pommes - faint (fall in the apples)
Body idioms (15–20)
- les doigts dans le nez - effortlessly (fingers in the nose)
- coûter les yeux de la tête - cost an arm and a leg (eyes from the head)
- avoir un poil dans la main - be lazy (a hair in the palm)
- casser les pieds - annoy (break someone’s feet)
- garder la tête froide - keep cool (keep the head cold)
- avoir le cœur sur la main - be generous (heart on the hand)
How to drop an idiom naturally
Idioms land best when they surprise slightly, arriving as one well-chosen phrase rather than a string of three in a row - overuse reads as trying too hard, same as in English. Listen for how natives actually deploy them before reaching for one yourself. Related slang worth exploring alongside idioms: French slang words, and the register logic behind when each is appropriate: what is French register.
Idioms that actually land
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Questions about this note
What does poser un lapin mean?
To stand someone up on a date or meeting.
What does avoir le cafard mean?
To feel blue or down.
What's the French idiom for "piece of cake"?
c'est du gâteau (also: les doigts dans le nez).
What does tomber dans les pommes mean?
To faint.
Are idioms and proverbs the same?
No - idioms are colorful everyday expressions; proverbs deliver a piece of wisdom. See our sayings guide for the latter.