{"id":10545,"date":"2018-03-17T19:19:44","date_gmt":"2018-03-17T17:19:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.frenchcourses-paris.com\/?p=10545"},"modified":"2020-08-04T15:53:46","modified_gmt":"2020-08-04T13:53:46","slug":"business-french-idioms-to-use-at-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.frenchcourses-paris.com\/fr\/french-courses-paris\/business-french-idioms-to-use-at-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Business French Idioms to Use at Work"},"content":{"rendered":"

Working in an office in France can be daunting, especially if you are not familiar with the business French idioms<\/h1>\n

Here are some frequent, informal French expressions to use at work<\/h2>\n

Avoir plusieurs cordes \u00e0 son arc<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Literally translated, this expression means to have many strings to one\u2019s bow.<\/p>\n

In non-literal contexts, it refers to having a wide range of skills or resources that one can make use of.<\/p>\n

Here is an example\u00a0of use: \u00ab\u00a0Georges est \u00e0 la fois entrepreneur, musicien, scientifique et po\u00e8te, il a donc plusieurs cordes \u00e0 son arc\u00a0<\/strong>! \u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n

Mettre la main \u00e0 la p\u00e2te<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"Mettre<\/p>\n

Literally translated, this expression means to put one\u2019s hand to the dough.<\/p>\n

In non-literal contexts, it refers to providing help, contributing to a task or project<\/p>\n

Here is an example\u00a0of use: \u00ab\u00a0il nous reste une semaine pour finaliser le projet ; si tous les membres de l\u2019\u00e9quipe mettent la main \u00e0 la\u00a0p\u00e2te<\/strong>, on pourra finir \u00e0 temps\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n

Passer un savon \u00e0 quelqu\u2019un <\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Literally translated, this expression means \u00ab\u00a0to hand a soap to someone\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n

In non-literal contexts, it refers to telling someone off, reprimanding someone.<\/p>\n

Here is an example\u00a0of use: \u00ab\u00a0Un dossier remis en retard, un devis sous-\u00e9valu\u00e9, des retards r\u00e9p\u00e9t\u00e9s\u2026 Votre collaborateur semble atteint de n\u00e9gligence. Il est temps de lui passer un savon<\/strong>, un exercice que peu de managers r\u00e9alisent de mani\u00e8re efficace\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n

Se creuser la t\u00eate<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

This sentence means \u00ab\u00a0to dig in one\u2019s head\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n

In non-literal contexts, it refers to thinking deeply about something in order to find a solution, to rack your brain.<\/p>\n

Here is an example\u00a0of use: \u00ab\u00a0J\u2019ai pass\u00e9 mon weekend \u00e0 lire en ligne des articles et des extraits de livres sur le site de la BnF\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n

Rylan: La BnF ? J\u2019ai beau me creuser la t\u00eate<\/strong> je ne vois pas \u00e0 quoi correspond ce sigle\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n

Avoir du pain sur la planche<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"Avoir<\/p>\n

This French expression means to have bread on the chopping board. It is very similar to English\u2019s \u00ab\u00a0to have a lot on one\u2019s plate.\u00a0\u00bb, i.e. to have a lot to do.<\/p>\n

Here is an example\u00a0of use: \u00ab\u00a0Profitez bien du weekend, lundi, avec la pr\u00e9paration de la conf\u00e9rence, on va avoir du pain sur la planche<\/strong>\u00ab\u00a0.<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Etre un bourreau de travail <\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

This French expression means to be a work executioner.<\/p>\n

In non-literal contexts, it means to be a workaholic.<\/p>\n

Here is an example\u00a0of use: \u00ab\u00a0Paul travaille 16 heures par jour, c\u2019est un bourreau de travail\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n

Avoir un poil dans la main<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"expressionThis sentence refers to having an hair in the hand.<\/p>\n

In non-literal contexts, it means to be work-shy, lazy.<\/p>\n

Here is an example\u00a0of use: \u00ab\u00a0Margot \u00e9tait en train de porter tous les cartons et pendant ce temps Adrien la regardait, sans bouger en fumant une cigarette. Il a vraiment un poil dans la main\u00a0<\/strong>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Working in an office in France can be daunting, especially if you are not familiar with the business French idioms […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":10841,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,2625],"tags":[2754,2521,2755],"class_list":["post-10545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-french-courses-paris","category-french-expressions","tag-business-french-idioms","tag-french-expression","tag-french-expressions-to-use-at-work"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t