French bread expressions
Just like us francophiles, the French are fous du pain. French bread is something special, and no we’re not simply indulging in a cliché.
After investigating the French obsession with bread, it’s really no surprise then that the French have a lot of expressions incorporating their most cherished gastronomic icon.
The list is almost as long as a baguette, so here are some of my favourites:
Avoir du pain sur la planche – to have lots of work to be getting on with
Ça ne mange pas de pain – it doesn’t cost anything
Gagner sa croûte – to earn a living
Manger son pain blanc – to have it easy
Manger son pain blanc le premier – to have it easy at the start
Coller un pain – to punch someone
Vendre comme des petits pains – to sell like hot cakes
Bon comme du bon pain – excellent
Être bon comme du bon pain – to have a heart of gold
Je ne mange pas de ce pain-là – I won’t have anything to do with it
Être pain béni pour quelqu’un – to be a godsend for someone
Faire passer le goût du pain à quelqu’un – to teach somebody a lesson they won’t forget
Être trempé comme une soupe (pain mouillé) – to be soaked to the skin
À la mie de pain – useless, no use
Pour une bouchée/un morceau de pain – something that’s cheap
What’s your favourite bread-themed expression? Share with us in the comments box below !
Image credit: Boulangerie in Veigy, via Kylie Thurston Grosser on Pinterest.