IdiomThe Absurd
French
FrenchAux calendes grecques
Meaning: Never — used of something postponed indefinitely.
Literally: At the Greek calends
Example: “La rénovation de la piscine municipale a été renvoyée aux calendes grecques.” — The renovation of the town pool has been put off until who knows when.
English equivalent: When hell freezes over
Other ways to say this
Russian: Когда рак на горе свистнет (Kogda rak na gore svistnet) Literally: When a crayfish whistles on the mountain- French: Quand les poules auront des dents Literally: When hens have teeth
- Russian: После дождичка в четверг (Posle dozhdichka v chetverg) Literally: After the little rain on Thursday
Portuguese: Nem que a vaca tussa Literally: Not even if the cow coughs
English: at latter Lammas
Italian: alle calende greche Literally: On the Greek calends- English: when hell freezes over
- French: À la Saint-Glinglin Literally: On Saint Glinglin's day
- English: when pigs fly
Origin: The calends were the first day of the Roman month and the date debts fell due. The Greek calendar had no calends at all, so a payment promised for them is a payment promised for a date that does not exist. Suetonius attributes the joke to Augustus.
More French idioms
- Scier la branche sur laquelle on est assis To destroy the thing your own position depends on.
- Tomber de Charybde en Scylla To escape one danger only to meet a worse one.
- Proposer la botte à quelqu'un To proposition someone sexually.
- Pousser le bouchon un peu loin To go too far; to overstep.
- Tirer à boulets rouges To attack someone ferociously and without restraint.
- Sans bourse délier Without spending a penny.
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