Learning French
The origins and meaning of rester bouche bée
Plus, more expressions for extreme surprise
Use these French phrases when you receive jaw-dropping news
wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock
If you ever find yourself being completely stunned or astonished while in France, someone might describe you as having your mouth wide open.
Rester bouche bée is a colourful way of referring to extreme surprise or shock, just as how English speakers might deem a situation as being 'jaw-dropping'.
What are the origins of rester bouche bée?
Rester bouche bée comes from a very old French verb béer of which bée is the past participle.
Nothing to do with alcoholic refreshment (or insects that make honey), béer literally means ‘to be widely open’, so the expression suggests someone with their mouth open in surprise, as used in social media emoticons for a reaction of surprise.
It is linked to the more common modern French word béant, an adjective which also means ‘gaping open’, and the verb bâiller, meaning to yawn.
A similar French verb is: abasourdir (dumbfounded).
This word has a complicated history, influenced by words with meanings including to kill, stun or to deafen by a loud noise.
According to the Trésor de la langue française etymological dictionary it brings to mind ideas such as someone being bashed over the head and “it implies certain physical consequences and, especially, a characteristic facial expression with round eyes and open mouth”.
More ways of expressing extreme surprise in French
Etre sidéré/e
This means to be stupefied and derives from a Latin expression meaning to be under a negative influence from the stars, in an astrological sense. It comes from sideris (star).
Tomber à la renverse
...or (less politely) tomber sur le cul – literally, to fall over backwards or onto your bum.
Les bras m’en tombent
‘My arms are falling (off)’. The related image is of someone who was carrying out some task when an astonishing thing happens which makes them physically incapable of continuing.
As well as to express astonishment, this phrase can also be used to refer to a situation with which you feel totally fed up or exasperated and therefore incapable of raising the strength to do anything about.
En rester sans voix
Literally, to remain speechless due to something
En rester baba
This probably comes from being so astonished that you cannot pronounce anything sensible so just make a babbling noise
Etre estomaqué/e
From a verb literally meaning to receive a punch to the stomach or be knocked breathless
