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Informal French Expression
| Meaning | None of your business | |
| Literally | It’s not your onions | |
| Register | informal | |
| Pronunciation |  | [say pa tay zuh nyo(n)] |
| IPA | [se pa te zɔ ŋɔ̃] | |
Usage notes: The French expression c’est pas* tes oignons means "it’s none of your business," but since it’s informal, "none of your beeswax!" is a better translation.
It’s odd that oignons is equivalent in this and related expressions** to affaires. In English, “beeswax” has a certain similarity in sound to “business,” but oignons and affaires sound nothing alike, so why oignons rather than, say, artichauts or asperges?
Par exemple…
| Je te dis pas – c’est pas tes oignons ! | I’m not telling you – it’s none of your business! | |
| – Qui était à la fête ? – C’est pas tes oignons ! | – Who was at the party? – None of your beeswax! |
* C’est pas is the informal equivalent of ce n’est pas – learn more.
** Related expressions
- C’est tes oignons – It is your business/concern, It concerns you
- Mêle-toi de tes oignons ! – Mind your own business/beeswax!
- Occupe-toi de tes oignons ! – Mind your own business/beeswax!
- T’inquiète ! – None of your business!
- mettre son grain de sel – to stick one’s nose in, to butt in
More French expressions with food
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