For non-native French speakers, these phrases are sure to elicit a giggle when taken out of context.

Although the literal meaning points one way, the contextual meaning points another. While the phrases are readily accepted by native French speakers, learners of French, translating with a dictionary, will no doubt get a lot of laughs out of these expressions.

1. Ah, la vache! (lit: oh, the cow!): “oh my goodness!”
2. à l’eau de rose (lit: with rose water): sentimental/soppy
3. à toutes les sauces (lit: with all the sauces): in all sorts of ways
4. au poil (lit: to a hair): perfect; flawless
5. avoir le gueule de bois (lit: to have a wooden face): to have a hangover
6. avoir le bourdon (lit: to have the bumblebee): to feel down/have the blues
7. avoir le cafard (lit: to have the cockroach): be down in the dumps; have the blues
8. avoir le démon de midi (lit: to have the midday demon): to have a midlife crisis
9. avoir un chat dans la gorge (lit: to have a cat in your throat): to have a frog in your throat
10. avoir une faim de loup (to have the hunger of a wolf): to be ravenous/starving hungry