Learning French

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

Discover this mystery animal-themed French saying

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Published Wednesday 25 February 2026 - 07:30 Modified Thursday 19 March 2026 - 13:47

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The French love using idioms in everyday conversations, however these unique sayings can sound completely bizarre when translated literally into English.

It is useful to understand their figurative meaning to avoid confusion when chatting with locals.

This particular example featuring two farmyard animals illustrates an expression that you might say when someone has gone off on a tangent.

Can you guess the French phrase?

Click to show answer

A) Passer du coq à l'âne (literally: to pass from the rooster to the donkey)

Take a look at our handy language guide to find out exactly what this idiom means and how to use it when speaking French.

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Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

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Can you guess the French phrase?

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