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Summer has just begun in France (and the rest of the northern hemisphere). It's an eagerly-awaited moment for the French, who found winter and spring very long, cold and rainy. They can't wait to go on vacation, often to a sunny destination! So if you want to sound like a Frenchman on vacation, here are 10 French idioms about summer:
1. Se dorer la pilule
Or more simply: doing nothing!
Example: Au lieu de réviser pour son examen de français, Lucie se dore la pilule à la plage ! - Instead of studying for her French exam, Lucie is sunning herself on the beach!
2. Attraper un coup de soleil
If you're not careful and stay in the sun for a long time without sunscreen, you can get a sunburn ☀️. And it hurts! Always remember to protect yourself when out in the sun!
Example: Mark s'est endormi au bord de la piscine et il a attrapé un gros coup de soleil. - Mark fell asleep by the pool and got a big sunburn.
3. Lézarder (familier)
This expression doesn't mean that you turn into a lizard 🦎 but that you stand idly in the sun, basking in the sun (like the reptile).
Example: Pendant les vacances, je veux profiter du temps libre pour lire et lézarder - During the vacations, I want to take advantage of my free time to read and bask.
4. Siroter une boisson
You can "siroter" (to sip) a fruit juice, a cocktail, a glass of wine... "Siroter" means taking your time to have a drink (generally a cold beverage: you don't sip tea or coffee).
Example: Samedi après-midi, je me suis installée au soleil pour siroter un cocktail de fruits. - Saturday afternoon, I sat in the sunshine sipping a fruit cocktail.
5. Faire un "barbeuc"
That means barbecue! The French LOVE a barbecue. Around 2/3 of French people own one, for grilling meat, fish, vegetables and even cheese, like camembert. 🤤 Example: On fait un barbeuc à la maison dimanche, tu viens ? - We're having a barbecue at home on Sunday, are you coming?
6. Piquer une tête
This expression means "to bathe", to plunge headfirst into the water. 💦
Example: Il fait chaud, je vais piquer une tête. - It's hot, I'm going to take a dip.
7. Être rouge comme une écrevisse
"L'écrevisse" (crayfish) is the freshwater crustacean that looks like a lobster 🦞 and it has the particularity of being red.
If you've been out in the sun all day, it's possible that you've gone all red because you may have caught a sunburn. In that case, you could be compared to a crayfish!
Example: Tu es rouge comme une écrevisse, tu devrais éviter le soleil demain ! - You're as red as a crayfish, you'd better stay out of the sun tomorrow!
⚠️ This expression is also used to describe someone who blushes because of an emotion (because they are embarrassed, for example).
8. Le soleil tape / cogne
Here are two more French idioms referring to the weather. If the sun is very strong and burns your skin, you can say that the sun "cogne" or qu'il "tape" (literally: it hits 👊🏻)! Both verbs mean the same thing.
Example: Le soleil tape aujourd'hui, j'irai à la piscine en fin de journée. - The sun's beating down today, so I'll be going to the pool at the end of the day.
9. Appuyer sur le champignon
When you're in a hurry to get to your vacation destination, you may tend to drive a little faster than usual on the road (or freeway). When we accelerate, when we press on the gas pedal, we can colloquially say that we step on the gas! 🍄
Example: On est en retard, appuie sur le champignon ! - We're late, step on it!
10. Faire la grasse matinée
We can also say "faire la grasse mat'". It means waking up late, staying in bed for a long time in the morning (to sleep in).
Example: En vacances, je me lève toujours tôt mais mon mari aime faire la grasse mat' ! - On vacation, I always get up early, but my husband likes to sleep in!
Les Français, champions du monde des vacances ?
The French are famous for having lots of paid vacations every year. But where do they go on vacation? Which destinations do they prefer? Where do they stay? Let's travel across France to answer these questions!
(The transcript of this episode is available here.)
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