Expressions with Parts of the Body

A Body of French Phrases

Parts of the body - French expressions
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Parts of the body are found in many idiomatic expressions, including to annoy, to give up, and to be extremely lazy. Learn these and dozens of other French expressions from head to toe. Click any link for a detailed lesson with a sound file and examples of how to use the expression.

arriver comme un cheveu sur la soupe    to be completely irrelevant
avoir la main verte   to have a green thumb
avoir le bras long   to have a long arm
avoir le compas dans l’œil   to have an accurate eye, precisely estimate
avoir le nez / la tête dans le guidon   to keep one’s nose to the grindstone
avoir la tête dans les nuages   to have one’s head in the clouds
avoir les chevilles qui enflent to have a swelled/swollen head
avoir les oreilles qui sifflent   to have ringing ears
avoir les yeux plus gros que le ventre   to have eyes bigger than one’s stomach
avoir un chat dans la gorge to have a frog in one’s throat
avoir un cheveu sur la langue to have a lisp
avoir un poil dans la main to be extremely lazy
avoir une dent contre quelqu’un to hold a grudge against someone
bien dans sa peau content / comfortable with oneself
bouche bée open-mouthed, gaping
bourrer le crâne to brainwash
casser les pieds to annoy / bore someone
C’est le pied ! It’s great!
chercher des poux dans la tête to search for any reason to argue
un coup d’œil glance, glimpse
couper les cheveux en quatre to split hairs
Croisons les doigts !   Fingers crossed! Let’s hope so!
les dents de bonheur gap between front teeth
les dents de la chance gap between front teeth
donner sa langue au chat to give up, stop guessing
dormir sur ses deux oreilles to sleep like a baby
faire grise mine   to make a long face, be chilly to someone
faire la tête to sulk
faire qqch les doigts dans le nez   to do something very easily
se fourrer le doigt dans l’œil to be kidding oneself
la gueule de bois hangover
La moutarde me / lui monte au nez   I’m losing my / He’s losing his temper
mettre les pieds dans le plat to be blunt, discuss something inappropriate
mettre sa langue dans sa poche to hold one’s tongue
Mon œil ! Yeah, right!
Mon petit doigt m’a dit A little birdie told me
ne pas avoir sa langue dans sa poche   to never be at a loss for words
Quand les poules auront des dents When pigs fly
sauter aux yeux to be obvious, evident
tiré par les cheveux   far-fetched
tirer plus vite que son ombre to be quick off the mark, to move at lightning speed
tourner sept fois sa langue dans sa bouche to think long and hard before speaking
vendre la peau de l’ours (avant de l’avoir tué) to count one’s chickens (before they’re hatched)
vis-à-vis face to face

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French body idioms

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