59 Expressions that Prove France is Obssesed with Food

July 21, 2023

It’s no secret that the French are obsessed with food, but little known is the severity of this obsession. Not only are the French famous for their long lunch breaks—some take up to two hours every day!—and known to discuss upcoming meals while eating their current one, but so many common idioms happen to revolve around food. We’ve compiled 59 expressions to help you navigate the culinary and linguistic absurdity of French culture.

Fruit

to have the peach (avoir la pêche): to be energetic
to have the banana (avoir la banane): to have a smile
to go to the strawberries (aller aux fraises): to lose time, to go off on a romantic escapade
for prunes (pour des prunes): for nothing
to cut the pear in half (couper la poire en deux): to compromise
to bring one’s strawberry (ramener sa fraise): butting into a conversation

Lettuce and greens

my cabbage (mon chou): my sweetie
to be in the cabbages (être dans les choux): to be confused
to eat dandellions by the roots (manger les pissenlits par la racine): to be dead and burried
to tell salades (raconter des salades): to lie
to sell one’s salad (vendre sa salade): to make a strong sales pitch
to have a green pea in the brain (avoir un petit pois à la place du cerveau): to be an idiot

Root Vegetables

mashed potatoes! (purée!): damn it!
to have the potato (avoir la patate): to be energetic
to be without a single radish (ne plus avoir un radis): without a cent
a turnip (un navet): a bad movie
mind your own onions (occupe-toi de tes oignons): mind your own business
the carrots are cooked (les carottes sont cuites): it’s all over
to do the leek (faire le poireau): to wait

Other vegetables and nuts

the end of string beans (la fin des haricots): the end of the world
to press on the mushroom (appuyer sur le champignon): to step on the gas
to bike in sauerkraut (pédaler dans la choucroute): to be lost
asparagus (une asperge): a tall and thin person
a young sprout (une jeune pousse): a novice
to grow like a mushroom (pousser comme un champignon): to grow quickly
to have a heart made of artichoke (avoir un coeur d’artichaut): to fall in love too easily
a pickle (un cornichon): an idiot
a squash (une courge): clumsy
to get a chestnut (se prendre une châtaigne): to get electrocuted or punched

Dairy

it’s custard (c’est du flan): it’s easy
a cream (une crème): a nice person
the cream of the cream (la crème de la crème): the best
shut your Camembert box! (ferme ta boîte à Camembert!): shut up!
to make a whole cheese out of it (en faire tout un fromage): making a big deal out of nothing
to cook oneself an egg (aller se faire cuire un œuf): to leave someone alone
to put butter on spinach (mettre du beurre dans les épinards): to make things better
to make one’s butter (faire son beurre): to make a profit
to be like bread and butter (être comme pain et beurre): to be inseparable

Meat

a sausage (une andouille): an idiot
pork fat or pork meat (du lard ou du cochon): something that could be true or a lie
to defend one’s steak (défendre son bifteck): to look out for one’s interests
to earn one’s steak (gagner son bifteck): to make a living

Carbs and sides

to have the French fry (avoir la frite): to be energetic
a noodle (une nouille): an idiot
to do according to one’s sauce (faire à sa sauce): to do it one’s own way
to not know with what sauce we’ll be eaten (ne pas savoir à quelle sauce on sera mangé): to not know what to expect

Baking and desserts

it’s pie (c’est de la tarte): it’s easy
bread on the board (du pain sur la planche): a lot of work
to be rolled in the flour (être roulé dans la farine): to be duped
to put your hand in the dough (mettre la main à la pâte): to get down to business
cake face (tronche de cake): to look stupid
to make your cake (faire son cake): to act pretentious
to cost candies (coûter bonbon): to be very expensive
to break the candies (casser les bonbons): to annoy

Kitchen and food prep

to have casseroles hanging from one’s butt (avoir des casseroles au cul): to have a scandalous past
it’s all cooked (c’est du tout cuit): it’s in the bag
to sing like a saucepan (chanter comme une casserole): to sing badly
water in the gas (de l’eau dans le gaz): something wrong
to put water in one’s wine (mettre de l’eau dans son vin): to compromise