Se mettre sur son trente et un

Expression: Se mettre sur son trente et un

Pronunciation: [seu me tr(eu) soor so(n) tra(n) tay oo(n)]

Meaning: to get dressed up, dressed to the nines; to put on one's Sunday best

Literal translation: to put oneself on one's thirty-one

Register: informal

Notes: The French expressions se mettre sur son trente et un (to get dressed up) and être sur son trente et un (to be dressed up) use an unusual number to indicate nice clothing. Interestingly, an earlier version of the expression was se mettre sur son trente-six, in which case trente-six indicated nine (out of ten) times four; in other words, "very nice times four."

Examples

   Vas-tu te mettre sur ton trente et un pour la fête ?
   Are you going to get dressed up for the party?

   Jette un œil à Pierre, il est sur son trente et un !
   Check out Pierre, he's dressed to the nines!

Post your comments about the French expression se mettre sur son trente et un on my French blog - just hit "comments" at the bottom of the post.


More

• Expressions with mettre
• Expressions with être
• Expressions with sur
• Son, ton, and other possessive adjectives
• French numbers
• Most common French phrases