A

* Aide-toi, le ciel t'aidera.
o Idiomatic translation: God helps those who help themselves.
o Literal translation: Help yourself and the sky (heaven) will help you.

B

* Bien mal acquis ne profite jamais.
o Idiomatic translation: Ill-gotten gains seldom prosper.
o Literal meaning: Very bad acquisitions never profit.

* Bon repas doit commencer par la faim.
o Idiomatic translation: Hunger is the best spice.
o Literal meaning: A good meal must begin with hunger.

* Bon sang ne saurait mentir.
o Idiomatic translation: Blood will out.
o Literal meaning: Good blood cannot lie.

* Bonne renommée vaut mieux que ceinture dorée.
o Idiomatic translation: A good name is better than riches.
o Literal meaning: Better a good name than a golden belt.

* Bouffe si tu ne veux pas être bouffé
o Idiomatic translation: Eat or be eaten.
o Literal meaning: Eat if you don't want to be eaten.

C

* Ce qui est fait n'est plus à faire.
o Literal translation: What is done is no more to do.
o Idiomatic translation: What's done is done.

* Ce qui s’excuse, s’accuse.
o He who excuses himself accuses himself.

* C'est trop aimer quand on en meurt.
o Idiomatic translation: They love too much who die for love

* Ce n'est pas la vache qui crie le plus fort qui donne le plus de lait.
o Idiomatic translation: Great cry, little wool.
o Literal meaning: It is not the cow who shouts the loudest who gives the most milk.

* Ce que femme veut, Dieu le veut.
o Idiomatic translation: A woman's will is God's will.
o Literal translation: That which a woman wants, God wants it.

* C'est bonnet blanc et blanc bonnet.
o Literal translation: It's white hat and hat white.
o Idiomatic translation 1: It's six of one and half a dozen of the other.
o Idiomatic translation 2: It's two different ways to say the same thing.

* C'est dans le besoin qu'on reconnaît ses vrais amis.
o Idiomatic translation: A friend in need is a friend indeed.
o Literal translation: It's when in need that one recognizes his friends.

* C'est dans les vieilles marmites qu'on fait les meilleures soupes.
o Idiomatic translation: Good broth may be made in an old pot.

* C'est en forgeant qu'on devient forgeron.
o Literal meaning: By dint of forging one becomes a blacksmith.
o Idiomatic translation: Practice makes perfect.

* C'est la goutte / goutte d'eau qui fait déborder le vase.
o Literal meaning: It's the drop / drop of water that makes the vase overflow.
o Idiomatic translation: It's the straw / final straw that breaks the camel's back.

* C'est la paille et la poutre.
o Literal meaning: It's the mote and the beam.
o Idiomatic translation: It's the pot calling the kettle black.

* C'est la Pitié / l'hôpital qui se moque de la Charité.
o Literal meaning: It's a pity / the hospital that mocks Charity.
o Idiomatic translation: It's the pot calling the kettle black.

* C'est la poule qui chante qui a fait l'œuf.
o Literal meaning: It is the chicken which sings which has laid the egg.
o Idiomatic translation: The guilty dog barks the loudest.

* C'est l'arroseur arrosé.
o Literal meaning: It's the waterer getting drenched.
o Idiomatic translation: It's the biter bit.

* C'est le poêle qui se moque du chaudron.
o Literal meaning: It's the stove looking down on the cauldron.
o Idiomatic translation: It's the pot calling the kettle black.

* C'est le ton qui fait la chanson.
o Literal meaning: It's the melody that makes the song.
o Idiomatic translation: It's not what you say but the way you say it.

* C'est un prêté pour un rendu.
o Translation 1: Tit for tat.
o Translation 2: One good turn deserves another.
o Literal meaning: It is one loaned for one returned.

* Chacun pour soi et Dieu pour tous.
o Translation 1: Every man for himself, and God for us all.
o Translation 2: Every man for himself, and the Devil take the hindmost.

* Chacun son métier, les vaches seront bien gardées.
o Idiomatic translation: One should mind one's own business.
o Literal meaning: Each to his craft, and the cows will be well looked after.

* Chacun voit midi à sa porte.
o Idiomatic translation: To each his own.
o Literal meaning: Everyone sees noon at his door.

* Chantez à l'âne, il vous fera des pêts.
o Literal translation: Sing to an ass, he will fart in your face.
o Idiomatic translation: Hold food in your hand, and the dog will bite it.

* Charbonnier est maître chez soi.
o Translation (British): An Englishman's home is his castle.
o Literal meaning: A coalman is master of his own house.

* Charité bien ordonnée commence par soi-même.
o Idiomatic translation: Charity begins at home.

* Chassez le naturel, il revient au galop.
o Idiomatic translation: A leopard cannot change its spots.
o Literal meaning: Chase away the natural and it returns at a gallop.

* Chat échaudé craint l'eau froide.
o Literal meaning: A scalded cat fears cold water.
o Translation 1: Once bitten, twice shy.
o Translation 2: A burned child dreads the fire.

* Cherchez la femme.
o Literal meaning: Look for the woman.
o Idiomatic translation: A woman is probably at the heart of the quarrel.

* Chien qui aboie ne mord pas.
o Idiomatic translation: Barking dogs seldom bite.
o Translation 2: His bark is worse than his bite

* Chose promise, chose due.
o Idiomatic translation: Promises are made to be kept.

* Cœur qui soupire n'a pas ce qu'il désire.
o Idiomatic translation: A heart that sighs is one that has not what it desires.

* Comme on fait son lit on se couche.
o Idiomatic translation: As you make your bed, so you are going to lie in it.

* Comparaison n'est pas raison.
o Idiomatic translation: Comparisons are misleading.

* Contentement passe richesse.
o Idiomatic translation: Happiness is worth more than riches.

* Coucher de poule et lever de corbeau écartent l'homme du tombeau.
o Idiomatic translation 1: Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
o Idiomatic translation 2: An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
o Literal meaning: Going to bed with the chicken and waking with the crow keeps the man from the grave.

D

* Dans le doute, abstiens-toi.
o Idiomatic translation: When in doubt, forbear.

* De la discussion jaillit la lumière. or Du choc des idées jaillit la lumière
o Idiomatic translation: Two heads are better than one.
o Literal meaning: Out of discussion springs forth the light.

* Demain il fera jour.
o Idiomatic translation: Tomorrow is another day.

* Des goûts et des couleurs, il ne faut pas discuter. More often abbreviated: Des goûts et des couleurs..
o Idiomatic translation: There's no accounting for tastes.
o Literal meaning: One shouldn't argue about tastes or colours. (No need to argue about tastes and colours.)
o Latin: De gustibus et coloribus non est disputandum.

* Deux avis valent mieux qu'un.
o Idiomatic translation: Two heads are better than one.
o Literal meaning: Two opinions are better than one.

* Dis-moi qui tu hantes, je te dirai qui tu es.
o Idiomatic translation: A man is known by the company he keeps.
o Literal meaning: Tell me whom you haunt and I will tell you who you are.

* Douce parole n'écorche pas langue.
o Idiomatic translation: Good words break no bones.
o Literal meaning: Soft words don't scratch the tongue.

E

* En avril, ne te découvre pas d'un fil ; en mai, fais ce qui te plaît.
o Idiomatic translation: Never cast a clout till May is out.
o Literal meaning: In April, do not shed a single thread; in May, do as you please.

* En tout pays, il y a une lieue de mauvais chemins.
o Idiomatic translation: There will be bumps on the smoothest roads.
o Literal translation: In every country, there's a league of bad paths

* Entre deux maux, il faut choisir le moindre.
o Translation: Of two evils one must choose the lesser.

* Entre l'arbre et l'écorce, il ne faut pas mettre le doigt.
o Idiomatic translation: Do not meddle in other people's family affairs.
o Literal meaning: Don't poke your finger 'twixt the bark and the tree.

F

* Fais ce que dois, advienne que pourra.
o Idiomatic translation: Do your duty, come what may.

* Fais ce que je dis, ne fais pas ce que je fais.
o Idiomatic translation: Do as I say, not as I do.

* Faute avouée est à moitié pardonnée.
o Idiomatic translation: A fault confessed is a half redressed.

* Faute de grives, on mange des merles.
o Translation 1: Half a loaf is better than no bread.
o Translation 2: You have to cut your coat according to your cloth.
o Literal meaning: Eat blackbirds if you can't have thrushes.

* Femme rit quand elle peut et pleure quand elle veut.
o Idiomatic translation: A woman laughs when she can and weeps when she will.

* Filer à l'anglaise.
o Idiomatic translation: To take French leave.
o Literal translation: Let out the English way.

* Force fait loi.
o Idiomatic translation: Might makes right.

H

* Hâtez-vous lentement.
o Literal translation: Make haste slowly.
o Idiomatic translation: More haste less speed

* Heureux au jeu, malheureux en amour.
o Idiomatic translation: Lucky in cards, unlucky in love.

* Homme mort ne fait guerre.
o Idiomatic translation: A dead man deals no blows.
o Literal meaning: A dead man cannot make war.

* Honni soit qui mal y pense.
o Idiomatic translation: Evil be to him who evil thinks.
o Literal meaning: Shameful be they who thinks badly of it.

I

* Il faut battre le fer pendant qu'il est chaud .
o Translation 1: Strike while the iron is hot.
o Translation 2: Make hay while the sun shines.

* Il faut casser le noyau pour avoir l'amande.
o Literal Translation: It is necessary to break the core to have the almond.
o Translation 1: He who would eat the nut must first crack the kernel.
o Translation 2: No pain, no gain.
o Translation 3: To make an omelet, you have to crack some eggs.

* Il faut de tout pour faire un monde.
o Idiomatic translation: It takes all sorts to make a world.

* Il faut laver son linge sale en famille.
o Idiomatic translation: Don't air your dirty laundry in public.

* Il faut manger pour vivre, et non vivre pour manger.
o Idiomatic translation: Eat to live, don't live to eat.

* Il faut ménager la chèvre et le chou.
o Idiomatic translation: One must run with the hare and hunt with the hounds.
o Literal meaning: One must consider both the cabbage and the goat.

* Il faut prendre le taureau par les cornes.
o Idiomatic translation: Take the bull by the horns.

* Il faut que jeunesse se passe.
o Translation 1: Youth must have its fling.
o Translation 2: Boys will be boys.

* Il faut qu'une porte soit ouverte ou fermée.
o Idiomatic translation: There can be no middle ground.
o Literal meaning: A door must be either open or shut.

* Il faut savoir obéir avant que de commander.
o Idiomatic translation: Obedience comes before leadership.

* Il faut tourner sa langue sept fois dans sa bouche avant de parler.
o Idiomatic translation: Think before you speak.
o Literal meaning: One must turn the tongue seven times in the mouth before speaking.

* Il ne faut jamais dire « Fontaine je ne boirai pas de ton eau ». Most often said Il ne faut jamais dire Fontaine
o Idiomatic translation: Never say never.
o Literal meaning: Never say, "Fountain, I shall not drink of your water."

* Il ne faut jamais remettre au lendemain ce qu'on peut faire le jour même.
o Translation 1: Never put off to tommorrow what you can do today.
o Translation 2: One of these days is none of these days.

* Il ne faut pas chercher midi à quatorze heures.
o Idiomatic translation: Don't complicate the issue.
o Literal meaning: Don't look for noon at two o'clock.

* Il ne faut pas confondre vitesse et précipitation.
o Idiomatic translation: More haste, less speed.
o Literal meaning: One must not confuse speed with haste.

* Il ne faut pas déshabiller Pierre pour habiller Paul.
o Idiomatic translation: Don't rob Peter to pay Paul.
o Literal meaning: Don't undress Peter to dress Paul.

* Il ne faut pas mettre la charrue avant les bœufs.
o Idiomatic translation: Don't put the cart before the horse.
o Literal meaning: Don't put the plough before the oxen.

* Il ne faut pas mettre tous les œufs dans le même panier.
o Idiomatic translation: Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

* Il ne faut pas réveiller le chat qui dort.
o Idiomatic translation: Let sleeping dogs lie.
o Literal meaning: Don't wake a sleeping cat

* Il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l'ours avant de l'avoir tué.
o Idiomatic translation: Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.
o Literal meaning: Don't sell the bearskin before you've killed the bear.

* Il n'est jamais trop tard pour bien faire.
o Idiomatic translation: It is never too late to mend.
o Literal meaning: It is never too late to do well.

* Il n'est pire aveugle que celui qui ne veut pas voir.
o Idiomatic translation: There are none so blind as they who will not see.

* Il n'est pire eau que celle qui dort.
o Idiomatic translation: Still waters run deep.
o Literal meaning: There is no worse water than the water which sleeps.

* Il n'est pire sourd que celui qui ne veut pas entendre.
o Idiomatic translation: There is none so deaf as he who will not hear.

* Il n'y a pas d'ânesse qui ne trouve son âne.
o Idiomatic translation: Every Jack has his Jill.
o Literal meaning: There is no jenny who does not find her donkey.

* Il n'y a pas de fumée sans feu.
o Idiomatic translation: There's no smoke without fire.

* Il n'y a pas de petit chez soi.
o Idiomatic translation: There's no place like home.

* Il n'y a pas de petit profit.
o Idiomatic translation: A penny saved is a penny earned.

* Il n'y a pas de sot métier.
o Idiomatic translation: Every trade has its value.

* Il n'y a que la vérité qui blesse.
o Idiomatic translation: Truth hurts.

* Il n'y a que les montagnes qui ne se rencontrent jamais.
o Idiomatic translation: There are none so distant that fate cannot bring together.
o Literal meaning: Only mountains never meet.

* Il y a loin de la coupe aux lèvres.
o Idiomatic translation: There's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip.

* Il y a plus d'un âne à la foire qui s'appelle Martin.
o Idiomatic translation 1: If one will not, another will.
o Idiomatic translation 2: There's plenty more fish in the sea
o Literal meaning: There is more than one donkey at the fair called Martin.

* Impossible n'est pas français.
o Idiomatic translation: There is no such word as "can't".
o Literal meaning: Impossible is not French. OR French do not consider things impossible.

Content is available under GNU Free Documentation License Source: Wikiquote