General

The French alphabet consists of 26 letters, just like the English alphabet. However, there are a few unique features and pronunciation quirks that make it distinctive and melodious.

a, b, c, d, e f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o ,p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z.

Accents: French uses five diacritical marks, or accents: é, è, ê, à, and û. These accents can change the pronunciation and meaning of words. For example, “é” sounds like the ‘ay’ in ‘day,’ while “è” sounds like the ‘e’ in ‘let.’

Cédille (Ç): The cedilla, or “ç,” appears under the letter “c” in words like “garçon.” It softens the “c” to sound like an “s” instead of a hard “k” sound.

Guttural Sounds: French has some unique guttural sounds, like “r.” It’s pronounced at the back of the throat and can be challenging for learners.

Guttural Sounds: French has some unique guttural sounds, like “r.” It’s pronounced at the back of the throat and can be challenging for learners.

Nasal Vowels: French is known for its nasal vowels. Letters like “an,” “en,” “in,” “on,” and “un” often sound nasalized.

Nasal Vowels: French is known for its nasal vowels. Letters like “an,” “en,” “in,” “on,” and “un” often sound nasalized.

Silent Letters: French is notorious for its silent letters. Letters like “h,” “t,” and sometimes even the final “e” are often not pronounced.

Liaisons: French has liaisons, where normally silent consonants are pronounced when followed by a vowel. For example, “petit arbre” is pronounced as “peti tarbre.”

Digraphs: French uses letter combinations like “ch,” “ou,” and “eu” to create unique sounds.

English idioms are extremely common and understanding them is key to understanding the language as a whole. These Engish idioms are widely used and can help make your language more colorful and expressive.

Actions speak louder than words

– what people do is more important than what they say

All ears

– listening carefully and attentively

All that glitters is not gold

– something that looks valuable or attractive on the outside may not be so on the inside.

Add fuel to the fire

– when you do or say something that makes a miserable situation even worse

An arm and a leg

– very expensive

Apple of my eye

– someone or something that is very special to you

To be on the same page

– to have a shared understanding or agreement

The ball is in your court

– it’s your turn or responsibility to take action

Barking up the wrong tree

– pursuing the wrong course of action or making a wrong assumption.

Better late than never

– better to arrive late than not to come at all

Bite the bullet

– to force yourself to perform an unpleasant or difficult action or to be brave in a difficult situation

Beat around the bush

– to treat a topic, but omit its main points, often intentionally,
to delay or avoid talking about something difficult or unpleasant

To bite off more than you can chew

– to try to do something that is too difficult for you

Break a leg

– a way to wish someone good luck, especially before a performance.

Break the ice

– to do or say something that makes people who do not know each other feel more comfortable

Burn bridges

– to destroy all possible ways of going back to that situation

Call it a day

– to stop working on something or end an activity

A cloud on the horizon

– trouble is coming

Comparing apples to oranges

– comparing two things that are fundamentally different and, therefore, shouldn’t be compared

Cry wolf

– to keep asking for help when you do not need it

Curiosity killed the cat

– said to warn someone not to ask too many questions about something

Cut corners

– to save money or time when doing something by not including some parts, actions, or details, so that the result is not as good as it could be

The devil’s advocate

– a person who expresses an opinion that disagrees with others

Don’t cry over spilled milk

– don’t waste time worrying about things that have already happened and can’t be changed

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

– don’t risk everything on the success of one venture

Don’t count your chickens before they hatch

– don’t make plans based on something that might not happen

Don’t judge a book by its cover

– don’t judge someone or something based solely on appearance

Drop in the bucket

– a very small or unimportant amount

Draw the line

– set a limit on what one is willing to do or accept

Easy come, easy go

– said when something, especially money, is easily got and then soon spent or lost

Early bird catches the worm

– being early or punctual leads to success.

The elephant in the room

– the big issue, the problem people are avoiding

Every cloud has a silver lining

– said to emphasize that every difficult or unpleasant situation has some advantage

Face the music

– to accept or confront the unpleasant consequences of one’s actions

Fair and square

– in an honest way and without any doubt

Feeling under the weather

– feeling sick or unwell

Fish out of water

– feeling uncomfortable in a particular situation

Fortune favors the bold

– who take risks often reap great rewards

To get under my skin

– to irritate or upset someone

Get out of hand

– when a situation gets out of control

Give someone the cold shoulder

– to intentionally ignore or treat someone with indifference

Good things come to those who wait

– be patient

Go the extra mile

– to make an additional effort or do more than what is expected

Go round in circles

– to keep doing or talking about the same thing without achieving anything

Go up in smoke

– something has failed or been destroyed

Go with the flow

– be relaxed and accept a situation

Have your back to/against the wall

– to have very serious problems that limit the ways in which you can act

Hit the nail on the head

– find exactly the right answer

In the same boat

– facing the same problems or challenges

It’s not rocket science

– it’s not difficult to understand

It’s raining cats and dogs

– it’s raining heavily.

I’ll/we’ll cross that bridge when I/we come/get to it

– you will not worry about a possible future problem but will deal with it if it happens

Jump on the bandwagon

– to join an activity that has become very popular or to change your opinion to one that has become very popular

Keep an eye on the ball

– telling someone to pay attention to a situation

Keep your chin up

– stay positive and optimistic

Keep eye on the ball

– to give your attention to what you are doing at the time

Kill two birds with one stone

– achieving two goals with a single action

The last straw

– the final, intolerable thing that causes a reaction

Let the cat out of the bag

– accidentally reveal a secret

Look before you leap

– think carefully about the possible risks and effects before you decide to do something

Lose your touch

– to no longer have the ability to do things that one was able to do successfully in the past

Make a long story short

– summarize a lengthy story or explanation

Miss the boat

– this phrase is used to describe when you let an opportunity or deadline pass by.

Needle in a haystack

– something very difficult to find

No pain, no gain

– you have to work for what you want

On thin ice

– in a dangerous or risky situation with much margin for error

Once in a blue moon

– this phrase is used to describe something that doesn’t happen often.

Once bitten, twice shy

– said when you are frightened to do something again because you had an unpleasant experience doing it the first time

Out of the frying pan into the fire

– said when you move from a bad or difficult situation to one that is worse

Over the moon

– extremely happy or delighted

A penny for your thoughts

– used to ask someone what they are thinking about

People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones

– you should not criticize other people for bad qualities in their character that you have yourself

A perfect storm

– the worst possible situation

Piece of cake

– something very easy to do

Piece of pie

– a share of something, especially profits or success

The pot calling the kettle black

– a situation in which somebody comments on or accuses someone else of a fault which the accuser shares

Put the cart before the horse

– to do things in the wrong order

Put your foot in your mouth

– to say or do something that you should not have, esp. something that embarrasses someone else

Put your money where your mouth is

– to show by your actions and not just your words that you support or believe in something

Read between the lines

– understand a deeper or hidden meaning in something

Rome wasn’t built in a day

– important things take time to accomplish

Rule of thumb

– a general guideline or rule

To run in the family

– a trait or characteristic shared among family members

See eye to eye

– agreeing with someone

To sell like hot cakes

– to be bought quickly and in large numbers

Skeleton in the closet

– a hidden or embarrassing secret

Spill the beans

– to tell people secret information

Shoot the bull

– have a casual conversation or chat

Sit on the fence

– avoid making a decision or choice

A snowball effect

– a situation in which something increases in size or importance at a faster and faster rate

Steer clear of

– avoid something or someone

A storm in a teacup

– a lot of unnecessary anger and worry about a matter that is not important

Take it with a pinch of salt

– believe only part of something

Time flies

– time passes quickly

Time is money

– you should not waste time, because you could be using it to earn money

When pigs fly

– something that is highly unlikely to happen

A watched pot never boils

– time seems to pass more slowly when you’re waiting for something

When in Rome, do as the Romans do

– adapt to local customs and behaviors

You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs

– achieving something often involves sacrifice or difficulty

You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours

– used to tell someone that if they help you, you will help them

Your guess is as good as mine

– neither of us knows the answer

Zero tolerance

– no acceptance or forgiveness for a particular behavior or action