Vivre d'amour et d'eau fraîche

Expression: Vivre d'amour et d'eau fraîche

Pronunciation: [vee vr(eu) da moo ray doh fresh]

Meaning: to live on love alone, to be irresponsible

Literal translation: to live on love and cold water

Register: informal

Notes: Have you ever been truly, madly, deeply in love? Then the French expression vivre d'amour et d'eau fraîche or se nourrir d'amour et d'eau fraîche might describe how you felt, as if you didn't need food, friends, family, or anything else but your love and maybe a bit of water to survive.

More generally, vivre d'amour et d'eau fraîche means to live a carefree existence, with no worries or responsibilities. It's often used in the negative with people who refuse to grow up.

Examples

   J'ai vu les jeunes mariés ce matin ; ils vivent toujours d'amour et d'eau fraîche.
   I saw the newly-weds this morning; they're still living on love alone / still madly in love.

   Tu dois trouver un emploi, on ne peut pas vivre d'amour et d'eau fraîche !
   You have to get a job, you can't live on love alone! (You have to start being responsible!)

Post your comments about the French expression vivre d'amour et d'eau fraîche on my French blog - just hit "comments" at the bottom of the post.

More:: French love language | Expressions with vivre