French Phrases That Get Lost In Translation

French is without doubt one of the most beautiful languages in the world, and also one of the most romantic. But that doesn’t mean that you won’t get tangled in confusion when you try translating some of its most bizarre, nonsensical expressions.

It’s a baby Jesus in velvet underpants!

If you attempt to translate word for word the French phrase of ‘C’est le petit Jésus en culotte de velours’ (It’s a baby Jesus in velvet underpants), without any context, then you’ll end up in a bit of a tangle.

The image of a Baby Jesus in velvet underpants is a little strange to say the least.

Some phrases are perhaps best left spoken in their source language.

It curdles grindstones

What even is a grindstone? And can a grindstone curdle?

One French phrase that people really struggle to translate into English is ‘Se caille les meules’ (It curdles grindstones), and while the notion of curdling might seem like a bizarre mistranslation, there is arguably some logic.

The expression is used on the coldest of days and conveys the idea that it’s so cold that the blood in your veins is curdling. It’s unclear where the grindstone reference comes from though.

It’s a duck of coldness

It’s quite clear that the main aim of this phrase, ‘Il fait un froid de canard’ (It’s a duck of coldness), is to emphasise how unbearably cold it is. But what’s not clear, just like the grindstone phrase, is where the duck comes from and why.

Some people say that it originates from the drop in temperatures that come with the duck-hunting-season, but this hunting season starts in autumn not winter.

In any case, when French people say it’s ‘duck-cold’ it’s probably best to just drop this image from the English translation to avoid confusion.

Breaking sugar on someone’s back

The phrase ‘casser du sucre sur le dos de quelqu’un’ (Breaking sugar on someone’s back) gives the strange image of breaking sugar on someone from behind.

While this seems to have been lost in translation, the phrase makes sense when you think about the insincerity of sprinkling someone with sickly sweet compliments while gossiping and spreading rumours at the same time.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.