The most popular idioms or proverbs

[bmo]

What would you say are the five most popular idioms or proverbs in use today? Would "Raining cats and dogs " be one of them?

Thanks.

BMO

 

[RonBee]

I am not at all sure what the most popular idiom is, but I am sure it is not raining cats and dogs, perhaps because it doesn't rain that hard that often.

 

[RonBee]

How about:

• It takes two to tango.

Or:

• Kill two birds with one stone.

:?:

 

[Tdol]

'Raining cats and dogs' is a strange idiom- every student in the world knows it, yet I never hear any native speaker use it here in the UK.;-)

 

[Susie Smith]

'Raining cats and dogs' is a strange idiom- every student in the world knows it, yet I never hear any native speaker use it here in the UK.;-)

What do you say when it's pouring?

 

[Tdol]

It's pouring, chucking it down, or p*ss*ng it down. :lol:

 

[P. Fogg]

It's pouring, chucking it down, or p*ss*ng it down. :lol:

What about:

It´s bucketing down.

P. Fogg

 

[Tdol]

We do say that and just 'coming down'. ;-)

 

[Susie Smith]

We do say that and just 'coming down'. ;-)

I say it's coming down hard or pouring, but I've heard a lot of native Americans say it's raining cats and dogs, mostly the "older" generation, I guess. Brazilians say "it's raining pocketknives", which makes more sense than cats and dogs, at least to me. It's interesting how an idiom varies from country to country, isn't it? I myself love idioms. They make languages so much more colorful, especially when you hear one that is not so common.

 

[Beeuurkes]

"When the pigs will begin to fly". Is it a common idiom in English ?
Or is it just the same as "It's raining cats and dogs" : well-known abroad but never used ?
In French, the equivalent idiom is very often used (at least in Belgium) and sounds like this :
"When the hens will have teeth". :wink:

 

[RonBee]

"I'll do that when pigs fly" (or some variation of that) means that the speaker believes that it (whatever "it" is) will never happen.

 

[Beeuurkes]

Than, you tends to use that idiom, don't you ?

 

[RonBee]

Than, you tends to use that idiom, don't you ?

• Then you tend to use that idiom, don't you?

I don't remember ever using it, but I might have. I'm sure I have heard it.

 

[Beeuurkes]

Idiom : "When pigs fly"

I'm sure I have heard it.

Thank you RonBee, that's all I wanted to know. :wink:
It's one of my favourite. I use it quite often in French.

 

[RonBee]

You're quite welcome.

 

[Susie Smith]

Re: Idiom : "When pigs fly"

I'm sure I have heard it.

Thank you RonBee, that's all I wanted to know. :wink:
It's one of my favourite. I use it quite often in French.

Brazilians use an identical expression: "quando as galinhas criarem/tiverem dentes" (when the hens grow/have teeth)

There's another Brazilian one with a similar meaning - "no dia de São Nunca" (on St. Never's Day) Do you have that one in French too?

In English, when we think something will never happen, a common response might be "That'll be the day!". There's a better one on the tip of my tongue. I know it's there - I can feel it there - but I just can't remember it. Help, please"

 

[Beeuurkes]

Re: Idiom : "When pigs fly"

There's another Brazilian one with a similar meaning - "no dia de São Nunca" (on St. Never's Day) Do you have that one in French too?

Yes, we have that one : "la semaine des quatre jeudi" or "The 4 Thursday week" or something like that.

 

[Firelord]

What would you say are the five most popular idioms or proverbs in use today? Would "Raining cats and dogs " be one of them?

Thanks.

BMO

raining cats and dogs?!
i don't know this idiom!
what's it talks about?

 

[Tdol]

It means 'raining heavily'.

To rain cats and dogs (c.1652) is probably an extension of cats and dogs as proverbial for "strife, enmity" (1579)
http://www.etymonline.com/c2etym.htm

I have also heard that it refers to winds, but cannot find my source at the moment- I have to search my house. ;-)

 

[RonBee]

Never has it rained cats and dogs,
But sometimes it rains frogs.

:wink: