French Sayings and Their Meanings

The people of France have one of the most romantic languages in the world. Whenever you think of French cities like Paris, Cannes, Marseilles, Nice and Bordeaux it brings before you the fashionable ladies, elegant cafes on the curb, exquisite food, vast vineyards and beautiful paintings.

It is a country that is synonymous with love and longing and there are many French phrases that will prove this. Let us take a look at some of the most famous French sayings.

La coeur a ses raisons que la raison ne connait point. ~ Pascal
The heart has its reasons that reason ignores completely.

J'aime deux choses, toi et la rose. la rose pour un jour, et toi pour toujours ~ Anonymous
I love two things, you and the rose. The rose for one day, and you forever.

J'ai découvert le vrai bonheur le jour vous avez marché dans ma vie. ~ Anonymous
I discovered true happiness the day you walked into my life.

Le prix d'Amour, c'est seulement Amour ...Il faut aimer si l'on veut etre aime. ~ Voltaire
The price of Love is simply Love. One must love if one wants to be loved. I should like to lie at your feet and die in your arms.

Quand il me prend dans les bas. Il me parle tout bas. Je vois la vie en rose. ~ Anonymous
When he takes me in his arms, and speaks to me softly. I see the world through rose-colored glasses.

L'amour vainc tout. ~ Anonymous
Love Conquers All.

Aimer et être aimé sera la grande affaire de toute notre vie. ~ Rousseau
To love and be loved will be the greatest event in our lives.

Je t'aime du plus profond de mon âme. ~ Anonymous
I love thee with the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach.

Le seul vrai language au monde est un baiser. ~ Musset
The only true language in the world is a kiss.

Dans tes bras c'est mon destin. ~ Anonymous
My destiny is in your arms.

Le plus grand faible des hommes, c'est l'amour qu'ils ont de la vie. ~ Moliere
Man's greatest weakness is his love of life.

La vérité vaut bien qu'on passe quelques années sans la trouver. ~ Renard
Truth is more valuable if it takes you a few years to find it.

J'ai toujours vu que pour réussir dans le monde, il fallait avoir l'air fou et être sage. ~ Montesquieu
I have always believed that to succeed in life, it is necessary to appear to be mad and to act wisely.

Qui craint de souffrir, il souffre déjà de ce qu'il craint. ~ La Fontaine
He who fears suffering is already suffering that which he fears.

Il y a deux manires d'tre malheureux: ou dsirer ce que l'on n'a pas, ou possder ce que l'on dsirait. ~ Louys
There are two ways to become unhappy: to desire what you don't have or to have finally gotten what you have desired.

Comprendre, c'est pardoner. ~ De Stael.
To understand is to forgive.

L'orgueil est le consolateur des faibles. ~ Vauvenargues
Pride is the consolation of the weak.

Ce n'est pas tant d'être riche qui fait le bonheur, c'est de le devenir. ~ Stendhal
It's not so much being rich that makes one happy, it's becoming rich that does.

Il est difficle de vaincre ses passions, et impossible de les satisfaire. ~ De La Sabliere
It is difficult to master your passions and impossible to satisfy them.

Les vrais paradis sont les paradis qu'on a perdus. ~ Proust
True paradise is the one that you have lost.

Chacun l'artisan de sa fortune. ~ Anonymous
Every man is the architect of his own fortune.

C'est en forgeant qu'on devient forgeron.
Due to practicing a thing (matter), we become skillful there.

Il faut tourner sa langue sept fois dans sa bouche avant de parler.
You should turn your tongue 7 times in your mouth before you speak.

Poisson sans boisson--c'est poison!.
(To eat) fish without drinking wine is poison!

Le temps est un grand maître, dit-on, le malheur est qu'il tue ses élèves. ~ Berlioz
We say that time is a great teacher. It's too bad that it also kills all its students.

Méfiez-vous de tout le monde, et particulier de ceux qui conseillent de vous méfier. ~ La Robertie
Don't trust anyone, especially those who advise you not to trust anyone.

If you want to proclaim your love to someone or simply show off your knowledge of the French language, then these French quotes would definitely prove to be useful.