
[Still not sure what VBP is? Check here.]
Because my human has a cold (again!) and because of a funny thing she told me recently, I decided that I would use my polyglot (VBP) skills to do my post. Of course, right now, you can’t see the link with my human’s cold and the funny thing she told me, but keep reading.
When my human went to the Architects for Animals event, she met one of my favorite human bloggers, ailurophile (VBP) Layla, of Cat Wisdom 101.
I’ll spare (VBP) you the details, but at one point, my human learnt a new expression:
To have a frog in one’s throat
Well, guess what kitties? In French, the exact translation of this expression is:
Avoir un chat dans la gorge
or “to have a cat in one’s throat.”
You’d think the French would prefer the frog! You’d be wrong!
There are a couple of other French expressions using the word cat. In the comments of my last post, Sparky Spitfire asked me how to say “peek a boo” in French. There is no exact translation for it (something like “jouer à/faire coucou” would do), but it made me think of another expression.
“Play tag” translates into… you guessed it! “Jouer à chat” or “jouer à chat perché” (literally “play cat” or “play off-ground cat”).
I knew that my smart readers would not simply “give up” and… “donner sa langue au chat” (“give one’s tongue to the cat”)!
Can you think of other expressions with the word cat, in English or another language?



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Brilliant, a bilingual vocab builder post. Well that’s got us all trying to learn something new now. We use “a frog in the throat” often in South Africa. I just assumed everyone new it. Funny that the French would call it a cat (bit bigger and rather furry, so must be even worse over there :) ).
Wow! Mes did not knows all those french sayings about cats! (And me lives in Canada).
Cool!
Thanks Texas! And a GREAT VPB!
Kisses
Nellie
Great post, Texas… I know one too: to put a spoke in somebody’s wheel. – jeter le chat aux jambes de quelqu’un ;o)<— poor kitty
Thanks, we will add it next week!
Purrs
What an interesting post. It is so fun to find out the origin of some of the sayings we use all the time. Love the frog hat, mes amis! MOL. Purrs and hugs, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Josette
Cool post Texas! Sorry your Mum’s got a bad cold….yuck. A human expression that makes ME laugh is “what’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?”……….HAHAHAHAHA………
Kitty Hugs, Sammy
It is close to “donner sa langue au chat” actually. I have to investigate this. I will definitely add it to next week’s post! Thanks!
Purrs
This is a fun post. I hope your mum feels better soon.
I laugh when my bipeds say, “When the cat’s away the mice will play”.
Oh yes! This is a good one too! Thanks!
Purrs
Sometimes people say, “it is the cat’s meow” when they like something. We think you blog today is the cat’s meow.
Mistletoe & Hitch
RWB
Awww, thank you! I will post this one next Thursday too!
Purrs
Bilingual is good, my sister and I are trilingual…dog, English and German. Most of our commands are German and mom talks to us in German a lot, kind of fun to see the reaction of people :)
Well, I do speak cat too ;-) And a little bit Polish (my cat sitter, my human’s Mom used to sing me songs in Polish!)
Purrs
Got one ” Don’t buy a cat in the bag” and I have a game..Cat’s Cradle..I’m on a roll :) Hope Mom feels better soon, we have all had it :( xx00xx
Mollie and Alfie
True. I posted about this one already but I will definitely add it to next week’s post!
Purrs
That’s so funny! We loved this post.
Oink oink,
Katie and Coccolino the mini pig
Glop cette rubrique où l’on appelle un chat un chat.
Graous graous.
Eheheh! Il faudra aussi que je rajoute celle-ci ! Merci !
Ronrons
MOLMOL we have the expression “a cat can look at a queen!!” Great post. Sorry about the cold! A cat in the throat would be very uncomfortable!!
I had never heard about this one! Will add it to the list! Thanks!
Purrs
Very interesting Texas. I love the picture of the kitty dressed like a frog too. Thanks for the French lesson!
Those are funny sayings with cats! A cat in the throat is weird! Hmm, a frog in your throat is pretty weird as well.
Your post made me grin “like a Cheshire Cat!” It is “the cat’s meow!” Touche! Looking forward to your next post – “Let’s see which way the cat jumps!” meow…
Thanks for all of these! I will add them!
Purrrrrrs
Ah! Merci mille fois! un jour nous viendrons chez vous pour jouer à cou-cou! et maintenant – y-a-t’il un phrase comme “the cat’s pajamas” en français? you know: “that Sparky, she’s the Cat’s Pajamas…” qui veut dire “ce Sparky, qu’elle est Super!” existe-t-il, ce phrase?
merci encore pour ce blog intérssante et éducatif!
(now Mrs. Whatsername has to take a nap as she has used up all her college french brain cells for one afternoon. but she thanks you just the same)
Nous ne connaissions pas celle-ci non plus ! We’ll have to look into this and we will post about it next week! Thank you! Merci beaucoup !
Ronrons
dood…seer ee iz lee…tell yur mom ta eat sum trout N we wood like ta noe how ta say:
burds R stoooooooooooooooooooooopid
in french :)
“the cat’s pajamas'”
:)
Yes and give me some too ;-)
Thanks!
Purrs
We like how things never translate from one language to another , in exactly the same way ! Very fun post :)
the critters in the cottage xo
P.S. Hope your Maman feels better soon :)
Jouer à chat is actually one of my favorite games!
Bilingual VBP is pawsome…Gotta get Momz to work on that fur me this week…L
My favorite is “don’t let the cat out of the bag!” Really, can I put June Buggie in a bag?
No, you cannot, Rumpy! Thanks anyway ;-)
Purrs
What fun! In Dutch it would be “kikker in de keel” It’s a phrase that doesn’t exist – but maybe it should!
MOL! Better a frog than a kitty, as far as I’m concerned ;-)
Purrs
Hmmm.. I think they should stick to the frogs and keep us kitties out of the throats!
Yep, I agree.
Purrs
Donner sa langue au chat, I love this expression! I know most of the English ones mentioned, but there’s a couple of Dutch ones I was taught: De kat uit de boom kijken (To watch the cat out of the tree) and Een kat komt altijd op z’n pootjes terecht (A cat will always land on its feet again).
Oh! I’ll have to check those ones! Thank you so much!
Purrs
It’s Kyla ( the Scotty dog), Alfie and king Spitty fighting for Pope..BOL xxooxx
Mollie and Alfie
Oh wow! It promises to be interesting!
Purrs
J’adore les expressions en relation avec les chats. J’en ai quelques unes dans mon p’tit univers. Bon week-end Taxas. Bisous. CricriCat
CriCriCat – wow you speak French! OK Texas my blog post has been submitted, I hope its OK for you. Loving VBP!
Purrfect! Thanks!
Purrs
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Hello! merci d’avoir partagé cet article et aussi toutes ces belles photos sur ton blog. je suis également passionné par les animaux et j’ai même débuté un blog y’a peu de temps. a bientôt, Julie
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