What does the idiomatic French expression avoir le cafard mean? Click to learn all about it, and then come back here to share your thoughts.
More: French expressions |Common French phrases
Subscribe to this French blog: RSS | Twitter | Facebook
More: French expressions |
Subscribe to this French blog: RSS | Twitter | Facebook
Comments
I love that expression. I’m going to try and use it whenever I can!
I’ve also heard, “Le cafard me pourchasse” “Depression is chasing / running after / me” in the sense that I’m fighting to stay ahead (of work, stress, etc.)
I congratulate Laura for this interesting section. Such expressions, proverbs and the so called figures of speech not only truly add to the beauty of a language, but communicate more effectively also.
I request Laura to use this section more & more. We really love it.
I knew what the expression meant but the background, including the Baudelaire reference, was wonderful! Thanks for all the information you share.
No lo sabía. Bueno seguiré aprendiendo expresiones en Francés!
I was reading a history of Napoleon in Egypt recently and it said that “avoir le cafard” originated because Napoleon’s soldiers felt so low when they were invading because the conditions were so bad and that “kafr” meant infidel.
Firstly can I echo the sentiments of the other postings and thank Laura for this section, it stimulates much discussion (and argument!). The cockroach issue is interesting
my OED suggests the English word is derived from the Spanish ‘cucaracha’. My first thought was that the word was compounded from ‘cock’ and ‘roach’, but a ‘roach’ in English is a fish! Elaine’s note is informative and suggests the word came into the French language quite recently. I’m wondering if the same is true of ‘cockroach’ which might then have come into English at a time when British and Spanish cultures were in close contact perhaps during the opening up of the New World.
This in turn suggests the insect was not known in our part of Europe until recently. Once again thank you for all your efforts Laura.
Barron’s “French Idioms” also suggests someone to be “blue” – down in dumps as in:
Il avait le cafard à cause du départ de son amie – he was blue because of his girlfriends departure.
Mais un clou chasse l’autre, nes pas?
theres another expression for feeling blue…____ spleen.
I can’t remember the rest of the phrase.
I think it’s in one of Rose’s songs..
La liste, peut etre…
‘Le Cafard’ became related to both cockroaches and depression in the Foreign Legion. Bored Legionnaires would shoot cockroaches, they also became depressed under their isolated conditions and called this depression ‘le cafard’.
Re: Cafard
The definition of “feeling low” is not quite correct. Cafard additionally involves a feeling of foreboding or inexplicable unease.
Also, amongst teens in France, its quite common to say «ça me fait le cafard» or «ça me donne le cafard» used in the same way English-speaking teens say “That’s depressing”
I was never certain what the meaning of the word “cafard” was, though I have heard it used several times.
As a very young man, my boss’s wife would frequently make excuses for his indifference at times, by telling me:
“fais croire qu’il n’est pas ici aujourd’hui.
Il a le cafard à cause des carafs de vin hier soir”.
I always thought it had something to do with wine.
Thanks for the clarification, LKL.
J’ai le cafard when i have a bug
–> Brittney
«ça me fait le cafard» or «ça me donne le cafard» are used, but the difference is that «ça me donne le cafard» is correct, «ça me fait le cafard» is not.
the second one is more “teens”
I love this saying ‘avoir le cafard’. I’m going to pass it onto friends. They are always amazed with the things that I come out with in French, thanks to you’re posting’s Laura.
I always thank & thank and congratulate Miss Laura!!.The expressions she offers me are always great!.I am Kenyan but most of my people think that I’m from France!.Je te remercie Laura,n’hesite pas à m’éduquer!.Moyo
Sidney Bechet composed a lovely tune called “As-tu le cafard?” which takes its meaning close to the blues ; several recordings .