Idioms

FLE exercises

Bonjour de France invites you to discover the socio-cultural and historical significance of many idiomatic expressions also called « expressions of popular wisdom » . This section offers you multiple choice exercises to test your understanding. A simple and illustrated explanation is also available.

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Idioms

Colours and nuances
B2

Colours and nuances

French expressions in colors!!! They are great to look really french, it's clear as spring water!

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To have doubts (
B2

To have doubts ("Avoir la puce à l'oreille", literally "Having a flea in the ear")

Popular wisdom can be expressed by proverbs, sayings and idiomatic expressions.

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To take food out of people's hands (
B2

To take food out of people's hands ("Enveler le pain de la bouche", literally "To take the bread out of the mouth")

If you understand everything and if you are capable of expressing yourself perfectly in French Bonjour de France invites you will "take the bread out...

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To be on top of one's game (
B2

To be on top of one's game ("Être au sommet de son art", literally "To be at the summit of one's art")

Patrick MOYA "is on top of his game", look at the beautiful illustrations he made for Bonjour de France.

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To have tricks up your sleeve (
B2

To have tricks up your sleeve ("Avoir plusieurs cordes à son arc", literally "Having multiple strings to his bow")

To learn a foreign language and to master it you must "have multiple strings to your bow".

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Nitpicking (
B2

Nitpicking ("Chercher la petite bête", literally "To look for the little beast")

"Don't look for the little beast", yes, there are exercises after this idiom explanation!

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To have a lot on your plate (
B2

To have a lot on your plate ("Avoir du pain sur la planche", literally "To have bread on the plate")

You "have bread on your plate" if you want to speak and write perfectly in French.

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To be a nasty piece of work (
B2

To be a nasty piece of work ("Une peau de vache", literally "A cowskin")

Do you know the song by Georges BRASSENS "Une jolie fleur dans une peau de vache" ("A pretty flower in a cowskin")? Bonjour de France advises you to g...

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To have a shaved head (
B2

To have a shaved head ("Avoir la boule à zero", literally "To have the ball at zero")

At your age do you have a shaved head? On would say a "Beatle" from the old days, open-top...

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