/kʁwaze lɛ dwa/
French idiom, everyday. To hope that things turn out well.
Draft Not yet checked by a native French speaker.
How do people use Croiser les doigts
?
Everyday French, used with anyone. As in English, people say it as often as they do the gesture: “je croise les doigts” (I’m keeping my fingers crossed), “on croise les doigts”, “croisons les doigts”. It’s what you say before an exam result or a job interview.
Also said se croiser les doigts
Croiser les doigts
in real sentences
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Je croise les doigts.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
Tatoeba, sentence by Toynop, translation by CK, CC BY 2.0 FR
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On croise les doigts.
We’re keeping our fingers crossed.
Tatoeba, sentence by lbdx, translation by CK, CC BY 2.0 FR
Where does Croiser les doigts
come from?
French Wiktionary says it’s a religious gesture from medieval England, a small cross meant to keep off the evil eye or bad luck, but it cites no source for that. Treat it as a likely story rather than an established fact. The French and English gesture are the same, while German speakers press their thumbs instead.
Mistakes learners make with Croiser les doigts
Using a possessive: “je croise mes doigts” sounds off. French uses “les” with body parts when it’s clear whose they are, so it’s “je croise les doigts”.
Other French idioms like Croiser les doigts
Spot a mistake in Croiser les doigts
?
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