Expressions from Québec
I know this has been done, but our expressions are really colorful and I like them.And there is sooooo many. So here’s some, feel free to add. Tire-toi une bûche Literally: Pull yourself a log, means: Take a seat. (yes we’re a nation of lumberjacks, it stuck)
La gueule de bois Literally: the wooden throat, means: a hangover
J’suis lendemain de veille Literally: I’m “day after the night before”, means: I’m hangover T’iras pas chier loin avec ça Literally: You won’t go shit far with that, means: you won’t get far with that.
Il a perdu le Nord Literally: He lost the North, Means: he went crazy (it refers to losing North on a compass, so being lost, losing sense of direction)
Tu te prends pour un autre: Literally: you’re mistaking yourself for someone else, means: you’re thinking to highly of yourself/you’re acting like a snob
Accouche, qu’on baptise Literally: Give birth, so we can baptize, means: Come on, say whatever you want to say, so we can move on.
J’m’en torche: short for J’m’en torche le cul, which is literally: I’m wiping my ass with it, means: I don’t give a shit.
Va chier Literally: Take a shit, Means: fuck you (note: we also use fuck you a lot)
Juste pour fucker le chien: Literally: just to fuck with (mess with) the dog, means: just to make it confusing/making it pointlessly confusing
Être plus catholique que le pape Literally: being more catholic than the pope, means: doing more than what is appropriate/necessary (it’s a bit pejorative, might be said about someone who’s being too much of a goody-two-shoes)
Péter plus haut qu’le trou Literally: farting higher than the hole, means: being a snob, thinking yourself above the others
Faire du lèche-vitrines: Literally: doing shop window-licking, Means: going shopping without the money or the intention to buy anything.
Ce sera la semaine des quatre jeudis Literally: It will be the week of the four thursdays, means: it will be never
Quand les poules auront des dents Literally: when chickens will have teeth, means: Never
C’est quatre trente-sous pour une piastre Literally: that’s four thirty-cents for a dollar But actually: that’s four quarters for a dollar (a long while ago, quarters didn’t exist in our money, we only had thirty cents. Thirty-cents don’t exist anymore but the expression stuck), Means: it’s the same thing
Ambitionne pas sur le pain béni Literally: Don’t exaggerate (more literally don’t have too much ambition) with the holy bread, means: don’t exaggerate, or don’t abuse charity/free stuff, depending who you ask.
Arrête de grimper din rideaux avec ça! Literally: Stop climbing the curtains for that, means: you’re over-reacting, getting worked up for nothing Attache ta tuque (avec d’la broche): Literally: tie your tuque/winter hat (with staples), means: be ready, it’s going to get ugly/rough
Tu mets la charrue avant les boeufs: Literally: You’re putting the charriot before (in front of) the beefs, means: you’re doing things in the wrong order
Part 2
