Eight examples of French romanticising everyday language

French is celebrated for being one of, if not the most romantic language, and this is something you are constantly reminded of as a learner. 

The language has a way of making many everyday words and phrases sound a little more elegant, even if they are to do with something slightly unpleasant or mundane.

It is perhaps unsurprising that so many philosophers and authors of international renown have hailed from France, with everyday phrases creating unexpected imagery. 

Here are a few examples of how the French language romanticizes everyday sayings…

Un oeil au beurre noir 

Despite the pleasant associations usually associated with butter, un oeil au beurre noir actually refers to a black eye. 

The phrase supposedly dates back to the 16th century and a recipe in which eggs were cooked in burnt butter to the point they resemble the human eye. 

This then became a way to poke fun at someone with a coquard - another expression for a black eye. 

It is one of several expressions revolving around butter, a hint at the gastronomic language also often employed in France. 

Disparition 

You might have spotted “DISPARITION” is a word that crops up often in French headlines, in order to announce a death. 

The reason behind it is to soften the announcement, with mort often considered too direct. 

It is another example of romantic language, as it removes the sense of finality associated with the word death to replace it with the concept of a disappearance from life, although in this case an infinite one. 

The verb disparaître is also frequently employed, for example “il a disparu à l'âge de 89 ans”.

It is one of few verbs that work with either être or avoir. Il a disparu suggests that someone is dead or has died while il est disparu suggests something is missing but probably still alive. Avoir is more common.

Battre la chamade

Battre la chamade means to beat wildly, and is usually used to describe a pounding heart. 

Its origins lie in the army, with chamade referring to the drum beat that was used as an old military signal to tell the enemy they wanted to either surrender or enter negotiation talks. 

Nowadays, it is linked to the idea of intense emotion that makes your heart pound.

Bonne continuation! 

When you are bidding someone well wishes on their next step, you can use bonne continuation. 

This can be in their journey as they carry on to the next place, or simply in life, if they are moving on to pastures new.

Literally it translates to good continuation, but gives the idea of talking specifically about the next stage of something. 

Un soupçon de…

Literally, soupçon means suspicion, but un soupcon de is used in recipes to describe a touch, pinch, or dash of something. 

For example, if you read un soupçon de vanille it suggests adding a touch of vanilla to a recipe. 

It gives the impression of a slightly mysterious quantity that is based on intuition as opposed to mathematical calculations, bringing a touch of whimsy to the kitchen that is perhaps sometimes absent in the art of technical French cuisine.

Il y a du monde 

Il y a du monde is used to describe a place that is very busy with lots of people.

In English we might say it is packed, which has more negative connotations, while the French version derives a more vibrant and exciting image of all the world being in one place. 

Avoir un petit creux 

Creux can mean hollow, empty or deep, but in this context, it is used to talk about being a bit hungry or peckish. 

You may also hear someone talk about having l’estomac creux, which translates to having an empty stomach. 

Mettre la clé sous la porte

This refers to closing down a business, and provides evocative imagery of someone sliding the key under the door for the last time. 

It does a great job of portraying the emotions and literal sense of what happens when a business shuts its doors for good.