Quand les poules auront des dents


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French Expression

Meaning	when pigs fly
Literally	when hens have teeth
Register	normal
Pronunciation		[ka(n) lay pool (z)o ro(n) day da(n)]
IPA		[kã le pul (z)o rɔ̃ de dã]
		(optional liaison between poules and auront)

Usage notes: The French expression quand les poules auront des dents is a colorful way of saying “not a chance!” or “it’ll never happen!” The equivalent English barnyard expression is “when pigs fly,” but there are other possible translations, including “when hell freezes over” and “never in a month of Sundays.”

Par exemple…

Il m’a demandé s’il pouvait emprunter mon mobile, et j’ai répondu : « Oui, bien sûr … quand les poules auront des dents ! »		He asked if he could borrow my cellphone, and I responded, "Yes, of course… when pigs fly!"
– Quand vas-tu venir avec nous à l’opéra ? – Quand les poules auront des dents !		– When are you going to come with us to the opera? – When hell freezes over!

Grammar question: Why isn’t avoir in the present tense? See the note "Futuristic conjunctions" in my French future lesson.

Synonymous, informal expressions

à la Saint-Glinglin
ce n’est pas demain la veille

Despite a couple of similarities, this expression isn’t the same thing as "rare as hen’s teeth," which describes something that is very difficult to find – but not impossible. Quand les poules auront des dents means something is impossible.