Sound a right note with these musical phrases

Next month, France’s musicians, both amateur and professional, will be entertaining the crowds with street performances, impromptu gigs and concert hall shows for the annual Fête de la musique (June 21).

To celebrate the occasion, here we present some useful French idioms that evoke hearing, musicality or instruments to make their point. Do keep an ear out for them (être a l’écoute) – perhaps some will be music to your ears (musique à vos oreilles)...

When talking in everyday conversation you might strive to hit the right note – trouver le ton juste or be as clear as a bell – parfaitement clair (perfectly clear). You might get it wrong and simply repeat yourself, like a broken record (comme un disque rayé).

If you have a big ego, beware – you may get accused of marching to the beat of your own drum – the French say “marcher de son propre pas” (to walk at your own pace). Even worse, do not blow your own trumpet – chanter ses propres louanges – you will literally be singing your own praises and will have to face the music (affronter les conséquences, or face the consequences).

If you are not happy about something, be careful not to make a song and dance about it – faire toute un histoire. And if you change your tune, the phrase someone might accuse you of is changer de refrain /changer son fusil d’épaule – a musical metaphor dating from the end of the 19th century, meaning to change the shoulder on which your rifle sits.

The more modest might be happy to play second fiddle to another person – this is translated as jouer les seconds rôles à côté de quelqu’un (play the second role alongside someone) and on a literal musical note, you might play something by ear – jouer a l’oreille.