Monkey business (level=advanced)

Phrases or proverbs involving animals are common in English and French - sometimes they are identical, but not always. See below, for example, to find out how you would complain of a frog in your throat in French.

Comparisons with animals are often fairly crude in any language, so faîtes attention! Those marked (*) are particularly colloquial and risk giving offence if used incorrectly.

LES CHATS
le chat échaudé craint l'eau froide - once bitten, twice shy
avoir un chat dans la gorge - to have a frog in one's throat
il n'y avait pas un chat dehors - there wasn't a soul (anyone) outside

LES CHIENS
*les chien écrasés - human interest stories
arriver comme un chien dans un jeu de quilles - to turn up when least wanted (jeu de quilles = skittles)

LES AUTRES
malin comme un singe - smart / crafty as a monkey
*faire le singe - to monkey about
une ânerie - stupid remark, nonsense (un âne = a donkey)
monter sur ses grands chevaux - to get on one's high horse