Raconter des salades

Expression: Raconter des salades

Pronunciation: [rah ko(n) tay day sah lahd]

Meaning: to tell stories/lies, spin yarns

Literal translation: to tell salads

Register: informal

Notes: In English, when a person makes up elaborate stories to avoid the truth, we can say that s/he is "spinning yarns," because there's more to it than just a simple lie. The equivalent French expression is raconter des salades, which offers a great image. Start with a bed of lettuce background, add some tomato and carrots for color, flesh it out with a bit of ham or chicken, and dress it up with vinaigrette for a delicious and believable story.

Example:
   Son histoire est incroyable - je suis sûr qu'il raconte des salades.
   His story is incredible - I'm sure he's spinning a yarn.

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