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Little French Phrases
The French adjective petit, which usually means “small” or "little," is found in many idiomatic expressions, including low-budget, small-time, and early childhood. Learn these and dozens of other French expressions featuring petit.
Petit translations
- frail
- gentle
- little
- low
- minor
- petite
- petty
- short
- slight
- small
- thin
- toy (petite voiture = toy car)
- young
Proverbs with petit
| Les gros poissons mangent les petits. | Big fish eat litte fish (the strong devour the weak). | |
| Petite pluie abat grand vent. | A little effort goes a long way. | |
| Petit poisson deviendra grand. | Great/Mighty oaks from little acorns grow. | |
| Les petits ruisseaux font les grandes rivières. | Mighty/Great oaks from little acorns grow. |
Expressions with petit
| à la petite semaine | small-time, unplanned | ||
| à petit budget | low-budget | ||
| à petit feu | gently, slowly | ||
| (un criminel / trafiquant) à la petite semaine | small-time (criminal / dealer) | ||
| (la gestion) à la petite semaine | short-sighted (management) | ||
| au petit bonheur la chance | (informal) | off the top of one’s head, happy-go-lucky, haphazard(ly) | |
| au petit jour | at dawn, daybreak | ||
| au petit pied | small-time | ||
| en petit | in miniature, as a smaller version | ||
| mon petit chou | (endearment) | dear, darling | |
| petit à petit | little by little, bit by bit | ||
| un petit ami | boyfriend | ||
| un petit banc | low bench | ||
| un petit bonhomme | a young boy | ||
| un petit café | (restaurant) | coffee | |
| le petit coin | bathroom, toilet | ||
| le petit commerce | small businesses | ||
| le petit-déjeuner | breakfast | ||
| un petit dessert | (restaurant) | dessert | |
| le petit endroit | bathroom, toilet | ||
| petit et carré | squat | ||
| petit et mince | short and thin | ||
| petit et rond | dumpy | ||
| un petit four | petit four, canapé, pastry | ||
| un petit gâteau (sec) | cracker, biscuit | ||
| un petit mois | a short month (due to vacation/holidays) | ||
| le petit-nègre | (offensive) | pidgin French, rudimentary French, gibberish | |
| un petit nom | (informal) | first name, nickname, pet name | |
| un petit pain | bread roll | ||
| un petit peu | a little bit | ||
| un petit quart d’heure | no more than 15 minutes | ||
| le petit salé | salt pork | ||
| un petit vieux | little old man | ||
| une petite amie | girlfriend | ||
| la petite enfance | early childhood | ||
| une petite fortune | a small fortune | ||
| une petite pluie | drizzle | ||
| une petite semaine | a short week (due to vacation/holidays) | ||
| la petite vérole | smallpox | ||
| une petite voiture | toy car | ||
| une petite voiture d’infirme | wheelchair, handicap bus | ||
| les petites et moyennes entreprises | small and medium businesses | ||
| le plus petit commun multiple | lowest common multiple | ||
| le plus petit dénominateur commun | lowest common denominator | ||
| sa petite sœur | one’s little/younger sister | ||
| son petit frère | one’s little/younger brother | ||
| tout petit | very little | ||
| aller son petit bonhomme de chemin | to carry on in one’s own sweet way | ||
| en avoir pour une petite heure / une petite semaine | to need an hour / a week at most | ||
| avoir un petit creux | to be a little hungry | ||
| avoir une petite figure | to look pale, wan | ||
| avoir une petite mine | to look pale, wan | ||
| avoir de petits os | to be small-boned | ||
| avoir une petite santé | to be frail, in poor health | ||
| avoir de petits yeux | to be bleary-eyed | ||
| ne pas bouger le petit doigt | to not lift a finger to help | ||
| cuire à petit feu | to simmer | ||
| écrire en petit | to write in small letters | ||
| être aux petits soins pour quelqu’un | to wait on someone hand and foot | ||
| être dans ses petits souliers | to feel awkward, ill at ease | ||
| être petit | to be young | ||
| faire le petit train | to play trains | ||
| se faire tout petit | to keep a low profile, to make oneself inconspicuous | ||
| faire très petit garçon / petite fille | to be very boyish / girlish | ||
| jouer aux petits chevaux | to play ~ludo, ~Parcheesi | ||
| ne pas lever le petit doigt | to not lift a finger to help | ||
| ne pas remuer le petit doigt | to not lift a finger to help | ||
| se réunir en petit comité | to have a small get-together, to huddle | ||
| suivre son petit bonhomme de chemin | to carry on in one’s own sweet way | ||
| Ça part comme des petits pains | (informal) | They’re selling like hot cakes | |
| Ça se vend comme des petits pains | (informal) | They’re selling like hot cakes | |
| C’est de la petite bière. | It’s small potatoes, small beer | ||
| Comme le monde est petit ! | It’s a small world! | ||
| Mon petit doigt m’a dit | A little birdie told me | ||
| le petit doigt sur la couture du pantalon | standing to attention | ||
| un petit | little boy | ||
| une petite | little girl | ||
| les petits | children | ||
Petit in literature
| Le petit chaperon rouge | Little Red Riding Hood | |
| Le petit poucet | Tom Thumb | |
| Le petit prince | The Little Prince |
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