Improve Your Spanish With These 32 Fun Animal Idioms

From cats and dogs to bugs and birds, discover the fascinating world of Spanish animal expressions. 

Are you a lion in bed? Have you become a seal and could stand to lose a few pounds? Maybe you’re a dead mosquito who keeps everyone guessing. The age of the turkey is always an awkward time. Just remember, no one likes a toad!

Here are some wild Spanish expressions involving animals. And if you shit the fly, don’t worry! –Wally

Buggin’ Out

Cagar la mosca

What it translates to: To shit the fly

What it means: To make a small mistake

Ser un bicho

What it translates to: To be a bug

What it means: To be a strange or eccentric person

Ser una mosquita muerta

What it translates to: To be a dead mosquito

What it means: To be a person who seems innocent or harmless but is actually cunning or deceitful

Tener malas pulgas

What it translates to: To have bad fleas

What it means: To be irritable or have a bad temper

Pet Sounds

Dar gato por liebre

What it translates to: To give a cat instead of a hare

What it means: To deceive someone by substituting one thing for another

Dormir como un lirón

What it translates to: To sleep like a dormouse

What it means: To sleep deeply

Estar como el perro y el gato

What it translates to: To be like the dog and the cat

What it means: To be in a constant state of conflict

Llevarse como el perro y el gato

What it translates to: To get along like the dog and the cat

What it means: To have a hostile relationship

Ser un perro viejo

What it translates to: To be an old dog

What it means: To be an experienced or wise person

Ser un ratón de biblioteca

What it translates to: To be a library mouse

What it means: To be a person who spends a lot of time studying or reading

Tener un humor de perros

What it translates to: To have a dog’s humor

What it means: To be in a bad mood

All Wet

Estar como una foca

What it translates to: To be like a seal

What it means: To be overweight or to have gained a lot of weight

Ser un pez gordo

What it translates to: To be a fat fish

What it means: To be an important or influential person

Ser un sapo

What it translates to: To be a toad

What it means: To be a snitch or a tattletale

Bird-Brained

Estar en la edad del pavo

What it translates to: To be in the age of the turkey

What it means: To be a teenager and going through a difficult or awkward phase

Ser un búho

What it translates to: To be an owl

What it means: To be a night owl, someone who stays up late

Ser un loro

What it translates to: To be a parrot

What it means: To be someone who talks a lot or repeats what others say

Ser un pavo real

What it translates to: To be a peacock

What it means: To be arrogant or to show off

Tener ojos de águila

What it translates to: To have eagle eyes

What it means: To have great vision or to be very observant

Tener pájaros en la cabeza

What it translates to: To have birds in your head

What it means: To be absent-minded (bird-brained) or to have unrealistic ideas

Animal Farm

Estar como una cabra

What it translates to: To be like a goat

What it means: To act crazy

Ponerse como un burro

What it translates to: To become like a donkey

What it means: To become very angry

Ser un burro

What it translates to: To be a donkey

What it means: To be stubborn or slow-witted

Ser un cabrón

What it translates to: To be a big goat

What it means: Depending on the context, it can be used to describe a jerk or a dumbass

Ser un gallina

What it translates to:  To be a chicken

What it means: To be a chicken, a coward

In the Wild

Ser un león en la cama

What it translates to: To be a lion in bed

What it means: To be good in bed

Ser un lince

What it translates to: To be a lynx

What it means: To be very perceptive or to have a sharp mind

Ser un ratón de campo

What it translates to: To be a field mouse

What it means: To be shy or introverted

Ser un tigre

What it translates to: To be a tiger

What it means: To be very strong, brave or skillful

Ser una víbora

What it translates to: To be a viper

What it means: To be a malicious or treacherous person

Ser un zorro

What it translates to: To be a fox

What it means: To be sly or cunning

Tener memoria de elefante

What it translates to: To have an elephant’s memory

What it means: To have a great memory

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Me cago en la leche!

Learn some essential Spanish swear words and vulgar expressions!

Where the Heck Did the Easter Bunny Come From?

Hopping through the history of the Easter Bunny, from pagan rituals to modern-day celebrations. Along the way, we’ll make some egg-citing discoveries about his birth as a fertility symbol and the origin of dyed eggs and Easter baskets.

Who knew the Easter Bunny evolved from the animal companion of a pagan goddess?

I once sponsored a child in India. His name was Papu Magi, and I regularly wrote him letters, sharing U.S. customs. When Easter rolled around, I explained how a giant human-sized bunny sneaks into our homes at night and leaves baskets filled with candy and colored eggs.

It wasn’t until I had written it out that I realized how bizarre some of our holiday traditions truly are. This got me thinking: How did we come up with the Easter Bunny?

“It makes you wonder if most Christians realize the holiday dedicated to the resurrection of their savior is actually named for a pagan goddess.”

Young women dance around a phallic maypole to increase their fertility — another pagan spring tradition.

A Pagan Origin: How the Easter Bunny and Dyed Eggs Became Symbols of Spring Celebrations

The origins of the Easter Bunny, as well as dyed eggs, can be traced back to ancient pagan rituals that celebrated the arrival of spring, including Ostara. Still practiced as a Wiccan holiday, Ostara is a celebration of the spring equinox. It’s named after the Germanic goddess Eostre, who some scholars deduce was associated with the dawn, fertility and new beginnings. (It makes you wonder if most Christians realize the holiday dedicated to the resurrection of their savior is actually named for a pagan deity).

Caveat: Hard evidence about Eostre is lacking, and the goddess remains shrouded in mystery. Much of what’s reported on her is conjecture.

Her first mention comes from a famous monk, the Venerable Bede, in 731 CE, who wrote that the Anglo-Saxons called April Eosturmonath, or Eostre Month, in honor a pagan goddess worshiped at that time.

Easter gets its name from Eostre, a pagan goddess of the spring.

These rites of spring were full of festive merrymaking, including dancing around maypoles, drinking mead and worshiping rabbits.

Yup, that’s right: Bunnies were a key figure in these celebrations. In pagan traditions, the rabbit was seen as a symbol of fertility and new life — no real surprise, given their well-deserved reputation for rapid reproduction.

During these springtime celebrations, people would decorate eggs, believing them to have the power to bring new life and prosperity to those who ate them. Using natural dyes made from flowers and other plants, they created eggs in a variety of hues. And, as crazy as it might sound, rabbits were said to be responsible for laying colored eggs.

Do Jesus and the Easter Bunny belong in the same holiday?

Hopping Into Easter: The Christian Origins of the Easter Bunny and Its Symbolism of Resurrection

The Easter Bunny may have its roots in pagan traditions, but it also had a significant place in Christian beliefs. The early Christians in Europe adopted many pagan customs and blended them with their own religious practices, which is how the Easter Bunny eventually found its way into the Christian tradition.

Much as with Christmas, some Christians bemoan the commercialization of the Easter holiday.

I’m not sure that many Christians today connect the commercial aspects of Easter with the religious ones (there’s a parallel to Santa and Christmas), but back in the day, early Christians associated the rabbit, and all of its spring rebirth symbolism, with Jesus’ resurrection.

It seems that Karen Swallow Prior, a professor of Christianity and culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, agrees. “There’s nothing wrong with dressing up in pastels, hiding eggs or consuming large amounts of chocolate,” she wrote in an op-ed in The Washington Post. “But if the fluffy white bunny takes precedence over the crucified and resurrected Lord, we’ve missed the point.”

Easter baskets came about from a pagan tradition to carry offerings to the goddess of spring.

The History of Easter Baskets: From Pagan Offerings to Sweet Treats

Easter baskets are a staple of the holiday, but how did they become a part of the Easter tradition? It turns out that the origin of the Easter basket is also closely tied to the pagan celebrations of spring.

In pagan traditions, baskets were used to carry offerings to the goddess of spring, including eggs, thought to increase fertility. Over time, the baskets became a symbol of the bounty of spring and were filled with all sorts of goodies, like flowers, fruit and vegetables.

Well, no wonder the Easter Bunny decided to switch to baskets!

As the Easter basket evolved, so did its contents. Today, they’re most often filled with candy (including a chocolate rabbit, which kids will disturbingly bite its ears off of) and other treats, filled by the Easter Bunny himself during a nocturnal visit — again, another connection to Santa Claus. 

It’s hard to tell exactly when the Easter Bunny became adult-sized and anthropomorphic, but it seems like it might have happened around the 1950s.

Hare Today, Easter Bunny Tomorrow: Tracing the Evolution of the Beloved Easter Mascot

The Easter Bunny has been a beloved symbol of the holiday for centuries, but have you ever wondered how it evolved into the oversized, anthropomorphic creature we know today? 

He didn’t start out that way. The hare, a smaller relative of the rabbit, was revered by ancient cultures for its speed, agility and ability to reproduce, and was often associated with the moon and the goddess of fertility. A study from 2020 draws a direct connection between Eostre and her association with the hare.

Bunnies and colored eggs have long been symbols of spring, representing new life.

As the hare became associated with pagan spring celebrations, it eventually evolved into the Easter Bunny we know today. This transformation was likely influenced by the German tradition of the Osterhase, a hare who laid eggs for children on Easter morning.

Jacob Grimm, one of the famous Brothers Grimm who collected oral folklore throughout Germany, said in 1835 that the Easter hare was associated with Eostre, or Ostara, as she would have been called in ancient German.

At some point, the Easter Bunny grew in size and children were told he visits their homes at night (much like Santa) to leave them candy-filled Easter baskets.

Vintage cards from the late 1800s to early 1900s show a lot of rabbits, but it seems like it wasn’t until the 1950s or so that the Easter Bunny became more and more human-like. Perhaps families or malls started having someone dress up like the Easter Bunny for photo opportunities. And despite the fact that the Easter Bunny became bipedal and reached 6 feet or so (not counting the ears), most kids believe he can’t actually talk. 

Then again, it might have come down to marketing as a gimmick to help sell candy. “The Easter Bunny was created out of whole cloth by the confectionary industry,” claims David Emery, who writes for the fact-check site Snopes.

In another connection to Christmas, it has become a tradition to terrorize children by making them sit on the Easter Bunny’s lap for a photo.

Today, the Easter Bunny is a staple of the holiday, sometimes depicted wearing clothes — most often a vest and bowtie — and carrying baskets of eggs and treats.

To quote the M&M’s commercial, a fave of mine as a kid in the ’80s: “Thanks, Easter Bunny! Bawk! Bawk!” –Wally

Animal Symbolism in Pre-Columbian Pottery at the Museo Nacional de Antropología

The meanings behind monkeys, jaguars, ducks, bats, dogs and other animals in Mesoamerican myths as depicted in pre-Columbian artifacts at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.

A lot of the exhibits at the National Museum of Anthropology in CDMX depict animals — each of which held symbolic meaning for the ancient peoples of Mexico.

Something that’s always fascinated me about ancient cultures are the similarities in beliefs with other civilizations around the world. Despite being oceans apart, many shared highly developed civilizations and a deep reverence for the natural world. 

We saw this in action during our last visit to Mexico City, when we finally made it to the Museo Nacional de Antropología. The scale and scope of the galleries at the museum is dizzying. Wally and I don’t like to overdo it, so we spent half a day just wandering through the first floor. One of the highlights for me was the large number and variety of Mesoamerican animal-shaped effigy vessels on display. Like other ancient societies, the pre-Columbian peoples believed that certain animals embodied a spiritual energy in which sacred beings manifested themselves. 

“Conquistadors developed such an appetite for Xoloitzcuintli Mexican hairless dogs that they nearly ate them into extinction. ”

These ritual objects were not used in everyday life; they were often placed in tombs as burial goods. Animals played a key role at all levels of society and symbolically linked the three cosmic realms of the universe: the heavens, earth and underworld.

Aztec cosmology posited that time is cyclical — and that we’re in the Fifth Sun, the final cycle of the world.

Here Comes the (Fifth) Sun

According to the Aztec legend of the Fifth Sun, time is cyclical. Four suns, or eras, have passed, created by a different deity and successively destroyed. Each cycle included inhabitants who died or transformed into various creatures, including monkeys, turkeys, dogs and fish. Our present world happens to be the Fifth Sun. 

Brightly colored feathers were used in religious ceremonies.

The pre-Columbian people used animals for a variety of purposes. Parrots and macaws, for example, provided a source of food as well as prized blue-green plumage used to adorn headdresses. However, animals also held great symbolic significance. They served as cultural and cosmic metaphors based on their habitat and natural features. 

Ducks were particularly holy to Mesoamericans, as they moved between three realms: water, the sky and land.

Just Ducky

Birds symbolized the celestial realm, the sun and moon in particular, and were considered messengers between the natural and spiritual worlds. 

Ducks were particularly holy, perhaps because they ticked all the boxes: They can fly, walk on land and dive underwater, possessing the ability to travel freely between these different spheres. 

Ducks and related birds were also associated with the wind god Ehécatl (pronounced “Eh-heh-ka-tul”), one of the avatars of Quetzacoatl, the great plumed serpent. The deity was frequently portrayed with a duckbill-like appendage on his face, which he used to summon the winds. 

The Maya considered bodies of water to be pathways to the Underworld. Ducks and other waterfowl were ritualistically sacrificed, eaten and used to ward off demons.

This little guy represents a coatimundi, which figures in a Mayan myth that involved a decapitated head in the Underworld.

Coati Encounters of the First Kind

The coatimundi, or coati, are members of the raccoon family. They have distinct mask-like markings on their faces, resembling a combination of kinkajou, anteater, raccoon and bear cub. 

In the Popol Vuh, the sacred text of the Maya, a bat rips off the head of Hunahpu, one of the Hero Twins, and takes it to the ball court of Xibalbá (the Underworld) to be used in place of a rubber ball. A coati fashions a fake head from a calabash squash and places it on the shoulders of the headless hero. Hanapu’s brother Xbalanque places Hanapu’s head back on his shoulders, and the brothers succeed in defeating the Lords of Xibalbá.

Monkeys represented the good (luck and joy) and the bad (immorality).

Monkeys: Sacred Simians 

Spider and howler monkeys are the two most common species native to the tropical lowlands of Mexico. Playful and social in nature, these nimble primates live in the high forest canopy and are mankind’s closest living relative. They were symbols of good fortune and joy, as well as pleasure and immorality — the latter of which was punishable by death. Monkeys were domesticated and kept as pets by both Zapotec and Aztec nobility and weren’t used for food or sacrifice. 

The “leftovers” of the Second Sun cycle of the universe were turned into jabbering monkeys.

Ehecatl, the Aztec god of the wind, was associated with monkeys.

Monkeys were also associated with the Aztec wind god Ehécatl. According to the legend of the Fifth Sun, the disobedient survivors of the Second Sun, whose cataclysmic end included hurricanes and floods, were transformed into monkeys by Ehécatl. Deprived of the ability to speak, they were condemned to emit meaningless noises for the rest of their existence. 

A person’s spirit would hold onto a Xoloitzcuintli dog’s tail to be guided through the Underworld.

Dogs Truly Are Man’s Best Friend

Before the Chihuahua became the most popular dog breed from Mexico, there was the hairless Xoloitzcuintli (pronounced “Show-low-eats-queent-lee”). This breed got its name from Xolotl, the god of lightning and death, and itzcuintli, dog. To the ancient Aztec and Maya, the canine was created by Xolotl to guard the living and guide the souls of the dead through the perils of Mictlán, the Underworld. Deceased souls held onto the dogs’ tails as they led their owners through the afterlife. They were also bred as a source of food — in fact, the conquistadors developed such an appetite for them that they nearly ate them into extinction. 

The most common depictions of Xoloitzcuintles take the form of small ceramic vessels known as Colima dogs for the modern state of Mexico where they are commonly found. More than a few of these red clay objects are depicted with chubby bodies — this may be an indication that they were fattened up to be eaten.

Frida Khalo and Diego Rivera owned a brood of Xolos, and Wally and I saw a few sunning themselves at el Museo Dolores Olmedo, which houses a large collection of works by this famous duo.

Grasshoppers were associated with agriculture and fertility — but could also mean destruction.

The Grasshopper: the Insect That Sings for Its Supper

The name of Chapultepec Park, where the Museo Nacional de Antropología is located, comes from Náhuatl for “Hill of the Grasshopper.” This hill rises from the center of the park, was a sacred place for the Aztec and is where Chapultepec Castle stands. 

Grasshoppers were associated with agriculture and fertility and were associated with the period following the annual rainfall, which brought an abundance of the insects. 

In addition to their symbolic importance, the Aztec snacked on chapulines, cooking them on clay surfaces with spices. 

To the Mexica, they represented the duality of abundance vs. destruction: Drought triggers the solitary grasshopper to become social, changing color from green to yellow and black. Under such conditions, they move in swarms, devouring crops and vegetation.

Bats were paired with the Underworld, which was accessible via the caves they live in.

Bats Out of Hell

Bats are nocturnal creatures that travel the sky by night and hide in caves by day, which Mesoamericans believed were portals to the Underworld. 

The stuck-out tongue on this bat statue hinted at the creature’s blood-sucking nature and connected it to the practice of human sacrifice.

The Zapotec venerated the god Camazotz, who had the head of a bat and was associated with night, death and sacrifice. Most likely due to the sanguinary diet of the vampire bat, native to most regions of Mexico, where it feeds on the blood of mammals, the creature became associated with rites of bloodletting and human sacrifice practiced to honor the gods and secure bountiful harvests. 

A common symbol in ancient Mesoamerica, the jaguar was linked to power and protection from evil.

Jaguars Hit the Spot(s)

The jaguar was one of the most important sacred symbols of power, ferocity and protection from evil. According to Mexica lore, a jaguar and an eagle both sacrificed themselves to bring light to the world, and in doing so became gods. 

Jaguars were believed to have the ability to travel between the worlds.

The Maya connected the jaguar’s spots with heavenly lights.

The jaguar is closely associated with the “night sun” (the sun during its nightly trip through the Underworld) and darkness as well. As such, the big cat was thought to have the ability to move between the worlds of the living and the dead. The Maya venerated the feline, seeing heavenly lights in its spots. –Duke

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RELATED: Death Cults of Ancient Mexico

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The Mummified Animals of Ancient Egypt

4 reasons Egyptian animal mummies were created — and what the mummification process involved. (Spoiler alert: Think turpentine enemas.)

One wing of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo contains animal mummies like this baboon

When they hear the word “mummy,” most people think of the bad horror movies of the past that starred a reanimated corpse wrapped in what looks like toilet paper. Those of us who have visited Egypt have been lucky (or perhaps unfortunate) enough to have seen rooms full of the dark-skinned, twisted, desiccated remains of the ancient pharaohs.

But humans weren’t the only ones who were mummified by the Ancient Egyptians: Animal mummies were produced from about 800 BCE to 400 CE. This included all sorts of creatures, from cats and dogs to bulls, crocodiles, birds and more. They even mummified hippos!

“The animal’s butt was then plugged with a “linen tampon” until all internal organs had softened and would flow out when uncorked.”

There were four types of animal mummies in Ancient Egypt:

1. Food for the deceased in the hereafter

Leg of goat or duck breast, anyone?

Ancient Egyptians expected (or at least hoped for) an afterlife much like their time on Earth. They wanted to play with their toys, ride chariots, go hunting and perform other activities they enjoyed while alive. And that of course included eating. So the mummified remains of animals found in some tombs were there to provide sustenance in the next world. 

Ancient Egyptians wanted their pet kitties to be with them in the afterlife, so they were mummified and put into their tombs (let’s hope they were at least allowed to live out their natural lives)

2. Pets of the deceased

It’s not clear if these pets were killed or allowed to live out their natural lives. But who doesn’t want to play with their pet gazelle or dog in the afterlife? I know my version of heaven would include my cats, Co-Co, Norman and Bowzer, all lounging with me while I watch new episodes of Gilmore Girls and Jane the Virgin. 

Part of Egypt was home to a cult that worshiped (and mummified) bulls

3. Cult animals

Some animals were thought to house the spirit of a god during its life. Bull cults were particularly popular, but other animals joined the minor pantheon. People could predict the height of the Nile flood based on where crocodiles built their nests. Baboons were associated with Ra, the sun god, because every morning they face the east and raise a racket, which Ancient Egyptians believed helped the sun rise. And sacred ibises, now extinct since the 19th century, with their crescent moon-shaped beaks, were connected to the god of wisdom, Thoth, who bears an ibis head. 

This falcon mummy was a cult animal or an offering to a deity like Horus

4. Votive offerings 

This is similar to a candle lit in a church — only it’s an offering of something like a desiccated corpse of a crocodile instead.

Votive offerings weren’t considered divine — they were simply offerings to the gods. It strikes me as a bit odd that you’d offer up a dried-up dead cat to honor the feline-headed Bast, for instance. It seems she might take offense, but I’m assuming she didn’t. The Egyptian gods are an odd bunch. 

Animal votive offerings packed prayers with an added punch. The animals were believed to gain access to the realm of the afterlife to carry pleas to the gods.

And they were a big biz. Massive amounts of animal mummies have been unearthed at Saqqara (8 million dog mummies alone!). That was just one of many sites throughout the country where votive animal mummies were discovered. In fact, it’s thought that up to 70 million animals were turned into votive offerings throughout the Egyptian Empire. 

This votive offering contains dog bones

I don’t like this idea, but researchers think that many of the animals were killed to meet the demand of pilgrims seeking favors from the gods. In fact, millions of animals were victims of breeding farms, raised for the sole purpose of being killed and mummified. I suppose it’s not much different from factory farms or what happens to alligators in New Orleans, where their heads are piled high in every souvenir shop. And something tells me the rabbit once attached to the foot I had as a good luck charm as a kid didn’t die of natural causes. 

The sacred ibis is now extinct, but the long-billed bird was associated with Thoth, the god of wisdom

Researchers from the Manchester Museum and the University of Manchester in England used X-rays and CT scans to examine over 800 Ancient Egyptian animal mummy votive offerings. They found that one-third contained actual mummies of birds, cats, crocodiles and other animals. Another third had only partial remains. And the final third had no animal remains at all: They were linen wrappings stuffed with mud, sticks, eggshells, feathers and herbs.

At first, these offerings were thought to be fakes meant to dupe unsuspecting pilgrims. But the resin and contents found within were different for each type of animal and were actually quite expensive at the time. So the buyers might have been aware that they weren’t getting actual mummies and were OK with that. After all, they still had something of great value — but less expensive than a proper mummy — to offer to the gods.

Below the arches, you can see a variety of animal mummies in this illustration by Giovanni Battista Belzoni, a well-known archaeologist

How Animals Were Mummified

The discovery of sacred bull remains have allowed scientists to figure out how Ancient Egyptians mummified animals. (It’s gruesome but surprisingly similar to what they did to humans who couldn’t afford the royal treatment.)

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ANCIENT EGYPT’S MUMMIFICATION PROCESS EXPLAINED

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Known as Buchis bulls, the holy animals were the center of a cult in Armant, a town south of Luxor. They were associated with Montu, a falcon-headed god of war, and represented strength and fertility.

Turpentine enemas and linen butt plugs were involved in the time-consuming process to make a bull mummy

To mummify one of these beasts, they probably first inserted turpentine or juniper oil into the anus or, ahem, a nearby orifice. Archaeologists have found enemas, douches and vaginal retractors at the excavation site. The animal’s butt was then plugged with what the sign at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo called a “linen tampon” until all internal organs had softened and would flow out when uncorked.

The animal was then packed in natron (hydrous native sodium carbonate — a fancy way to say that it’s a salt). This naturally occurring preservative worked wonders in drying out corpses. Large animals were laid in natron for 40 days (just like humans).

The Buchis bulls were arranged in the position of a sphinx — not natural for the animals, so they had to cut the leg tendons to avoid breaking any bones. 

Animal mummies were ceremonially wrapped in linen, then coated in a resin to help preserve and protect them from disintegration and bug infiltration. This time-consuming and expensive method resulted in a mummy as good as that of any human. –Wally

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CROCODILE MUMMIES AT THE KOM OMBO MUSEUM

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French Phrases About Animals

Why is having the cockroach being depressed? What does it mean when you say a drink is cat pee? Learn these and more beastly fun French expressions!

Just as in English, the French have their own set of colorful phrases that draw upon the animal world for inspiration — I won’t even mention frogs here. Here’s a sampling of phrases and expressions translated to English, inspired by our furry and feathered friends. It should give you an insight into the cultural nuances of French life and will helpfully prevent you from speaking like a Spanish cow! –Wally

“The expression “La nuit, tous les chats sont gris” translates to “At night, all cats are gray.”

It’s attributed to Benjamin Franklin as a reason to take an older woman to bed!”

Don’t waste that good jam on these pigs

Pigs

C’est donner de la confiture aux cochons.

What it translates to: It’s like giving jam to pigs.

What it means: That’s like casting pearls before swine, or that’s giving something valuable to people who won’t appreciate them.
 

Manger comme un cochon

What it translates to: To eat like a pig

What it means: To pig out

Un cochon n'y retrouverait pas ses petits.

What it translates to: A pig couldn’t find its babies here.

What it means: This place is a pig sty, a complete mess.

Would you dare wake up this lil guy if he was sleeping?

Cats

Ne réveillez pas le chat qui dort.

What it translates to: Don’t wake the sleeping cat.

What it means: Let sleeping dogs lie, or don’t interfere in a situation that’s going well.

Un chat dans la gorge

What it translates to: A cat in your throat

What it means: A frog in your throat

Appelez un chat un chat

What it translates to: To call a cat a cat

What it means: To call a spade a spade, to speak plainly even if it’ll hurt someone

Quand le chat est parti, les souris dansent.

What it translates to: When the cat’s away, the mice start to play dance.

What it means: When the cat’s away, the mice will play.

Donner sa langue au chat

What it translates to: To give his or her tongue to the cat

What it means: You might think this means “cat got your tongue,” but it actually means to give up.

À bon chat, bon rat

What it translates to: To the good cat, a good rat

What it means: To meet one’s match (some translate this to “tit for tat”)

Avoir d’autres chats à fouetter

What it translates to: To have other cats to whip (they better mean cat o’ nine tails and not actual kitties!)

What it means: To have bigger fish to fry

Les chiens ne font pas des chats.

What it translates to: Dogs don’t have cats.

What it means: The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, like father like son (the kids are like their parents).

C’est du pipi de chat.

What it translates to: It’s cat pee.

What it means: This drink is weak or has no flavor.

Il n’y a pas un chat.

What it translates to: There’s no cat.

What it means: Nobody’s here.

La nuit, tous les chats sont gris.

What it translates to: At night, all cats are gray.

What it means: In the dark, physical appearance isn’t important. (This is often attributed to Benjamin Franklin as a reason to take an older woman to bed!)

Un chat échaudé craint l’eau froide.

What it translates to: A scalded cat fears cold water.

What it means: Once bitten, twice shy, or to have been burned before (to have had a bad experience and be overly cautious in a similar situation).

Would you ever need a drink so badly that you’d harm this adorable Frenchie?

Dogs

À boire, ou j’tue le chien!

What it translates to: A drink — or kill the dog!

What it means: I need a drink!

Un temps de chien

What it translates to: Dog’s weather

What it means: Bad weather

Les chiens aboient, la caravane passe.

What it translates to: Dogs howl, the caravan passes.

What it means: Let them say what they want; I know what I’m doing.

Le chien qui aboie ne mord pas.

What it translates to: The dog that barks doesn’t bite.

What it means: His bark is worse than his bite (he’s all talk and no action).

You can’t drown a fish, sillies!

Fish

Noyer le poisson

What it translates to: To drown the fish

What it means: To bamboozle somebody

Le petit poisson deviendra grand.

What it translates to: The little fish will get bigger.

What it means: The child will grow up one day, or a little bit can go a long way.

Avoir des yeux de merlan frit

What it translates to: To have a fried merlan’s eyes (a merlan is a type of fish — a whiting or merling)

What it means: Bloodshot, runny eyes

Comme un poisson dans l’eau

What it translates to: Like a fish in water

What it means: To be comfortable in a particular situation (funny that we have “like a fish out of water.”)

This gals will grow teeth when Hell freezes over

Birds

Quand les poules auront des dents

What it translates to: When hens have teeth

What it means: When Hell freezes over (or when pigs fly) — that is to say, never

T’es comme une poule qui a trouvé un couteau.

What it translates to: You’re like a chicken that’s found a knife.

What it means: You’re very confused.

Une hirondelle ne fait pas le printemps.

What it translates to: One swallow doesn’t mean it’s spring.

What it means: Don’t jump to conclusions.

Faire un froid de canard

What it translates to: To be duck cold

What it means: To be really cold

Avoir la chair de poule

What it translates to: To have hen’s flesh

What it means: To have goosebumps

Une poule mouillée

What it translates to: A wet hen

What it means: Someone who’s easily scared (we say chicken or scaredy cat as well)

Petit à petit l'oiseau fait son nid.

What it translates to: Little by little, the bird makes its nest.

What it means: A little bit goes a long way.

La bave du crapaud n’atteint pas la blanche colombe.

What it translates to: The toad’s spit doesn’t reach the white dove.

What it means: It’s water off a duck’s back, to not let an insult or criticism affect you.

If you don’t know what “la vache” means, you speak French like a Spanish cow

Livestock (Cows, Horses, Donkeys, Sheep)

Être franc comme un âne qui recule

What it translates to: To be as frank as a backtracking donkey

What it means: To lie
 

Parler français comme une vache espagnole

What it translates to: To speak French like a Spanish cow

What it means: To speak French poorly

La vache!

What it translates to: The cow!

What it means: My god!

Passer du coq à l’âne

What it translates to: To go from the rooster to the donkey

What it means: To jump from one topic to another

Brider l’âne par la queue

What it translates to: To bridle a donkey by the tail

What it means: To do something lacking common sense

Avoir une force de cheval

What it translates to: To have the strength of a horse

What it means: To be strong as an ox

Une queue de cheval

What it translates to: A horse’s tail

What it means: A ponytail

Ce n’est pas la vache qui crie le plus fort qui donne le plus de lait.

What it translates to: The cow that cries the loudest isn’t the one that gives the most milk.

What it means: The ones that protest the most do the least amount of work.

Qui vole un œuf, vole un bœuf.

What it translates to: He who steals an egg steals an ox.

What it means: Stealing is stealing, or a small crime leads to a bigger one.

Revenons à nos moutons.

What it translates to: Let’s get back to our sheep.

What it means: Let’s get back to what we were doing.

Mettre la charrue avant les bœufs

What it translates to: To put the cart before the oxen.

What it means: To put the cart before the horse, do something in the wrong order, or expect too much

On ne fait pas boire un âne qui n’a pas soif.

What it translates to: You can’t make a donkey drink if it’s not thirsty.

What it means: You can’t force a stubborn person to do something they don’t want to do.

Laisser pisser le mérinos

What it translates to: To let the merinos piss (merinos are a type of sheep)

What it means: To not react to a provocation (we might say, “It’s like water off a duck’s back.”)

Are you as depressed as this cockroach?

Bugs

Tirer les vers du nez

What it translates to: To pull worms out of the nose

What it means: To try to get someone to talk, reveal information

Avoir le cafard

What it translates to: To have the cockroach

What it means: To be down in the dumps

Avoir une araignée au plafond

What it translates to: To have a spider on the ceiling

What it means: To have bats in the belfry, to be a little crazy

On n’attrape pas les mouches avec du vinaigre.

What it translates to: You don’t catch flies with vinegar.

What it means: You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar (if you want something from someone, be nice and flattering).

Avoir des fourmis

What it translates to: To have ants

What it means: To feel pins and needles

Une écriture en pattes de mouche

What it translates to: Fly’s leg writing

What it means: Writing that’s too small to read, chicken scratch

Gross! Nobody likes a badly licked bear!

Bears

Vendre la peau de l’ours avant de l’avoir tué

What it translates to: To sell the bear’s skin before you’ve killed it

What it means: To count your chickens before they’re hatched

Un ours mal léché

What it translates to: A badly licked bear

What it means: An unsociable or uncouth person

Speak of the wolf and the Devil appears (or something like that)

Wolves

Quand on parle du loup (on en voit la queue).

What it translates to: When you speak of the wolf (you see its tail).

What it means: Speak of the Devil (and he appears).

J’ai une faim de loup.

What it translates to: I have a wolf’s hunger.

What it means: I’m starving (hungry like the wolf, à la Duran Duran?)

Marmots, like this fellow, really know how to get a good night’s sleep

Miscellaneous Animals

Dormir comme une marmotte

What it translates to: To sleep like a marmot (a giant, chubby squirrel, apparently)

What it means: To sleep like a log

Se faire poser un lapin

What it translates to: To be given a rabbit

What it means: To be stood up

S’ennuyer comme un rat mort

What it translates to: To be as bored as a dead rat

What it means: To be bored to death

Mémoire d’éléphant

What it translates to: An elephant’s memory

What it means: Similar to our expression, “An elephant never forgets.”

C’est la montagne qui accouche d’une souris.

What it translates to: The mountain gave birth to a mouse.

What it means: The big event turned out to be a major disappointment.

Ce n’est pas aux vieux singes qu’on apprend à faire des grimaces.

What it translates to: It’s not with old monkeys that you learn to make faces.

What it means: You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

Apparently the French and English agree that foxes are sly

Same as in English

Rusé comme un renard

What it translates to and what it means: Sly as a fox

Prendre le taureau par les cornes

What it translates to and what it means: To take the bull by the horns

Têtu comme une mule

What it translates to and what it means: Stubborn as a mule

Sources: Babbel, elearningfrench.com, Immersion Place, Voulez Vouloz