Learning French
Learning French: when and why do we say vouloir le beurre et l’argent du beurre?
A handy phrase to say that someone wants the best of both worlds
This French phrase literally translates as: to want the butter and the money of the butter
Shutterstock, generated by AI
What does vouloir le beurre et l’argent du beurre mean?
This commonly-used phrase literally translates as: to want the butter and the money of the butter.
It is very similar to the English sayings:
It is generally used when someone is unsatisfied with what they are given and wants to keep everything for themselves without offering anything in return.
Sometimes, French people add an extra line to the expression to exaggerate its meaning: vouloir le beurre, l’argent du beurre et le sourire de la crémière (to want the butter, the money of the butter, and a smile from the dairywoman).
There is also a third, far ruder alternative to watch out for.
What are the origins of vouloir le beurre et l’argent du beurre?
This saying appeared at the end of the 19th Century and was initially used mainly to refer to commercial exchanges.
It refers to the fact that it is impossible to both keep the butter and get money for selling the butter: you must choose one or the other.
Beurre also appears in other French expressions to refer to making a profit, such as in the phrase ‘faire son beurre’ (to make one's butter), perhaps used because both butter and money can melt or disappear very quickly.
When do you say vouloir le beurre et l’argent du beurre?
Say this when someone is asking for the impossible, being unreasonable, or refusing to compromise:
Si tu veux une grosse voiture, tu dois être prêt à payer plus cher en essence. On ne peut pas avoir le beurre et l’argent du beurre. - If you want a big fancy car, you need to be ready to pay more on petrol. You cannot have your cake and eat it.
To whom do you say vouloir le beurre et l’argent du beurre?
It is colloquial language that can be used in a range of situations, both formal and informal, however it can come across as being a bit cheeky or critical of another person’s actions - take this into consideration before saying it out loud.
