1 Dents du bonheur

Dents du bonheur is a French expression that refers to a certain orthodontic situation – when someone has a gap between their two front teeth (a diastema, if we want to get scientific). 

It translates precisely to “teeth of happiness”, but it has little to do with tasting something delicious and smiling with joy – and everything to do with good fortune, as in France it is thought to be lucky to have a gap between your front teeth. The phrase (and the belief) is thought to date back to the Napoleonic wars, when – for practical reasons – those with a gap in their teeth were excused military service.

Pronounced: dahn duh bohn-urr 

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2 Enquiquiner

This apparent tongue twister of a French word – it’s really not that hard to say – means “to annoy, bother or piss off”.

You might hear an older relative or friend use it to describe feelings of frustration. It conjugates like a regular -ER verb, but you ought to be aware that it is a slang term (even if it is mostly used by the older generation), so it may not be suitable for very formal settings.

Pronounced: ahn-kee-kee-nay 

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3 Une petite heure

Time, as we know, passes differently in France – and this little phrase demonstrates it perfectly. It indicates that something will take an unspecified amount of time, but less than an hour to complete – or how late your in-laws may be for a celebratory lunch, having set off a little late from home.

You can estimate any amount of time by adding the words “gros” or “petit” in front.

Keep in mind, however, that the difference between une gros demi-heure or une petite demi-heure depends on the person making the estimate. Time in France, after all, is in the mind of the beholder…

Pronounced: oon peh-teet urr 

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4 Depuis la nuit des temps

Speaking of time… If you want to tell your in-laws how long they actually were, use this phrase, which translates precisely to “since the night of time”.

If you think it looks and sounds similar to the English expression, “since the dawn of time” you would be correct. This French phrase basically means “for a very long time” or “forever”.   

Pronounced deh pwee lah noo-eet day tahm

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5 Pfffff

Often, French goes beyond words – it’s a brilliant language for expressive noises (bof, anyone?). This is one. You will hear this a lot in spoken French, and it’s pretty easy to discern the meaning of random noises dropped into conversation.

In messages, it can be a little harder to discern – especially as Pfffff can mean anything from annoyance to relief or happiness, but it’s probably most commonly used to indicate scepticism … such as when your in-laws tell you they’ll just be a “petite heure”.

Pronounced: Pfffff (as a sharp exhalation of breath) 

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6 La colonne vertébrale 

Yes, it’s literally the French version of the medical term “vertebral column”, or “spinal column” – or to put it more simply “spine”.

But while knowing la colonne vertébrale will undoubtedly come in handy if you slip a disc, we’re also discussing the metaphorical version. Just as the English phrase “grow a backbone,” means “develop some courage” or “be brave”, in French the spinal column also implies courage of bravery.

Pronounced: lah coll-on vert-ay-brall

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7 Avoir du pain sur la planche

Translating precisely to ‘to have bread on the chopping board (or plate/ platter)’ in English, this expression means that there is still work left to be done. 

But it also proves how language – even staid French – changes. The expression first arose in the 19th century, when its meaning was quite different from today. Originally, it meant to ‘have enough money to live on’ – basically meaning that there was no risk of running out of money to buy food and generally live properly.

Pronounced: ah-vwar due pan sir lah plahn-shuh

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8 C’est chaud

There are multiple meanings for the phrase that literally translates as, ‘it’s hot’. 

Its most obvious is that an object is hot – for example, a friend warning you that the cup of tea is scalding. But, while watching a close football match game, a French person might say  ‘c’est chaud !’ to mean “it’s exciting!”, “it’s a nailbiter”, or “it’s intense”. You might also hear someone describe another intense moment in their personal or professional life as being chaud.

You can also use chaud (or chaude for women) to mean sexually enticing or aroused. Its all in the verbs, you see – learn more here

Pronounced: say show

9 L’Art de vivre

French living in a simple phrase? “The art of living” conveys an abstract concept about the French approach to life, covering a multitude of plus points from food, to drink, to art, to style, to … being French.

Depending on who you ask, the definition might be a bit different, seeing as what constitutes the ‘art of living’ is quite subjective, but it’s usually to do with the things that money can’t buy. Learn more here

Pronounced: larr duh vee-vruh