French idioms about the body and sleep

Each French idiom below comes with what its words literally say, what it means and how other languages put the same idea. To see every language at once, open the side-by-side page for the body and sleep.

  1. Dormir comme un loir

    lit. ‘sleep like a dormouse’

    To sleep very deeply and soundly, without waking up.

  2. La nuit porte conseil

    lit. ‘the night brings advice’

    To wait until the next day before making a decision.

  3. L’avenir appartient à ceux qui se lèvent tôt

    lit. ‘the future belongs to early risers’

    People who get up or get started early are the ones who get the best chances.

  4. Avoir un chat dans la gorge

    lit. ‘a cat in your throat’

    Your voice has gone rough or croaky for a moment, so it's hard to speak clearly.

  5. Tomber dans les pommes

    lit. ‘fall in the apples’

    To faint or pass out.

  6. Avoir la gueule de bois

    lit. ‘have a wooden mouth’

    To feel ill the morning after drinking too much alcohol.

    Elsewhere

  7. Casser sa pipe

    lit. ‘break your pipe’

    To die (said in a casual, joking way).

Phrases in bold with a red marker are written up. The rest are waiting for their own page and a check by a native speaker.