Faut pas pousser mémé dans les orties: Fun French expression no.7
If you actually did what this expression suggests, you would not be popular…
We advise against pushing your grandmother, or anyone else for that matter, into a patch of stinging nettles
Halfpoint / Lipatova Maryna / Shutterstock
French expressions can be original, funny and even shocking - just take a look at our seventh entry in our series of some of the more amusing ones.
Faut pas pousser mémé dans les orties
Literal translation: You should not push granny in the stinging nettles
It would be bad to push anyone into stinging nettles but doing it to your defenceless and potentially frail grandmother is even worse.
This expression is often said in anger at someone who is taking liberties or behaving badly. An English equivalent would be ‘do not push it’ or, depending on the level of anger, a more vulgar expression.
For example, if you are upset with your partner and they give you a shoddy excuse for something they have done, you could say faut pas pousser mémé dans les orties, meaning ‘do not test my patience’. It could also be said in response to an outlandish suggestion.
You may notice that there is no pronoun at the start of this sentence. Like with many French expressions that are said out loud, words and sounds are dropped to make it shorter and snappier.
With correct grammar, it would be Il ne faut pas pousser mémé dans les orties.
It is thought that the expression was simply faut pas pousser (do not push) at first. The ‘grandmother in the nettles’ words were allegedly added to give it a bit more spice and to leave more of an impact.
Read more: C'est pas le pingouin qui glisse le plus loin sur la banquise: Fun French expression no. 6
Read more: Péter dans la soie: Fun French expression no. 3
Do you have a favourite amusing French expression? Share it with us at feedback@connexionfrance.com
