French expression: Appeler un chat un chat

Comments

July 25, 2008 at 8:49 am

(1) Robert says:

En espanol -Vino es vino y pan es pan.

July 25, 2008 at 9:07 pm

(2) paul says:

this expression means to be totally honest when giving your opinion on anything.In Australia another way is to say im being fair dinkum about it(aussie expression)

July 26, 2008 at 6:41 pm

(3) Zacharie says:

Your lessons on French familiar expressions are amusing as well as useful. I read the French edition of Reader’s Digest, which I recommend as useful for picking up everyday French vocabulary, particularly in the humorous sections. Each edition has an English lesson on an American expression (i.e., “to beat the band,”) explained in French terms, with a paragraph in both languages clarifying its meaning.

July 26, 2008 at 9:12 pm

(4) Edward says:

There’s a similar expression in Spanish about not getting served cat as rabbit. In a roundabout way it’s also about truth and reality.

October 2, 2008 at 11:36 pm

(5) Magnolia says:

Hi! My native language is spanish, but I also know english (or so I think) and I’ve been studying french for a couple of years. I’ve just discovered this site and it’s awesome; I loved the expressions. Please, keep up this amazing work.

January 31, 2012 at 12:57 pm

(6) jdb says:

The expression, ‘to call a spade a spade” actually started hundreds (maybe thousands) of years ago. It only recently took on a racial sentiment in the 20th century US.
Good link…

call a spade a spade – The Mavens’ Word of the Day

http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19970115Jan 15, 1997

July 9, 2013 at 2:51 pm

(7) Hanke says:

Approximate synonym expressions:
Parler clairement
Parler sans détours
Mettre les pieds dans le plat
Dire franchement ce qu’on pense,ce qu’on a sur le coeur(ou sur la patate)
Ne pas “tourner autour du pot”
Ne pas mâcher ses mots
Ne pas envoyer dire (ce qu’on a à dire à quelqu’un) Ex; je ne lui ai pas envoyé dire ce que je pense de lui ! )
Ne pas déguiser sa pensée

Citation(Boileau) :
“J’ appelle un chat, un chat, et Rollet, un fripon !”

July 12, 2013 at 7:57 am

(8) Hervé says:

there is to add :
Parler franchement,
Y aller franchement ou,pop: Y aller franco
Ne pas y aller par quatre chemins (pour dire ce qu’on veut dire= y aller,parler, sans précautions oratoires,sans prendre de gants )
…bille en tête,
Dire son fait( à quelqu’un)