Tomber dans les pommes

Informal French Expression

Tomber dans les pommes
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Meaning to faint, to pass out
Literally to fall in the apples
Register informal
Pronunciation French sound files [to(n) bay da(n) lay puhm]
IPA   [tɔ̃ be dã le pɔm]

Usage notes: The informal French expression tomber dans les pommes means "to faint, pass out."

Par exemple…

Quand j’ai vu le sang, je suis tombé dans les pommes.   When I saw the blood, I fainted.
Il ne faut pas travailler pendant toute la nuit, tu vas finir par tomber dans les pommes.   You shouldn’t work all night, you’re going to end up passing out.

Variation: partir dans les pommes – literally, "to leave in(to) the apples"

Synonyms

  • défaillir – to faint
  • s’évanouir – to faint
  • perdre connaissance – to lose consciousness
  • perdre conscience – to lose consciousness
  • tomber en faiblesse – "to fall into weakness"
  • tourner de l’œil (informal) – to faint
  • tomber dans les vapes (familiar) – to faint, pass out
     
    au Québec
  • faire de la toile – "to do some canvas"
  • faire l’étoile (de mer) – "to do the starfish"
     
    dated – "to swoon"
  • se pâmer
  • tomber en pâmoison

Related expressions

  • être dans les pommes – "to be out cold, unconscious"
  • rester dans les pommes – “to (continue to) be out cold, to remain unconscious"

 Related lessons

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Il est tombé dans le pommes

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