Mustn't Push Granny in the Nettles: 200 French Expressions - Paperback

A quirky, illustrated guide to French expressions for learners of French at home, school, evening class or university.

Make your French sound more natural and understand more of the figurative language the French use every day, such as Il ne faut pas pousser mémé dans les orties! - That's pushing it too far! (Literally: you must not push granny in the nettles!) Chapters include expressions on food and drink, love, laughter, health and happiness. Learn to speak like the French, preferably without a cat in your throat and a hair on your tongue! Deepen your knowledge by understanding the origins and cultural significance of idioms and test yourself in the multiple-choice quizzes. Then having learned these 200 indispensable French expressions, relax and put your toes in a fan shape, and sleep soundly on your two ears!

Praise for Mustn't Push Granny in the Nettles: 200 French Expressions

"Clare Jones's Mustn't push Granny in the Nettles is a cheerful and informative guide to idiomatic and figurative expressions which become hilarious when you try to translate them literally. Organized in useful sections such as food and drink, love, sport or health and happiness, the entries and their charming illustrations constitute a quirky way for any French learner to expand their vocabulary while having a lot of fun. The multiple-choice quizzes at the end of each section add up some interactive entertainment and will be a delight for individuals and groups alike to play and test their knowledge. The book is also a wealth of cultural information and original facts about the origins of some of these idioms and, as such, will also be of interest to native speakers, French learners of English and anybody more generally interested in the oddities of translation. As a lecturer in French and Francophone Studies and Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, I can vouch for the thorough research work that has been carried out for the completion of this book and can anticipate a lot of interest in its future readership."

Dr Marion Krauthaker, Lecturer in French and Francophone Studies, Head of French, School of Arts, University of Leicester

"I like the drills in your book. It is great fun and highly entertaining."

Dr Michael Abecassis of the University of Oxford Language Centre, 12 Woodstock Road Oxford OX2 6HT England