IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchC'est la Bérézina
Meaning: A total, chaotic disaster.
Literally: It's the Berezina
Example: “Grève des trains et tempête de neige le même jour : c'est la Bérézina.” — A train strike and a snowstorm on the same day: it's a total disaster.
English equivalent: A train wreck
Equivalents in other languages
English: train wreck
Origin: From the crossing of the Berezina river in November 1812 during Napoleon's retreat from Russia. The army got across on hastily built bridges under fire and lost tens of thousands doing it — a technical feat remembered as a catastrophe.
More French idioms
- Avoir la bosse de To have a natural gift for something, as in avoir la bosse des maths.
- Rabattre le caquet à quelqu'un To shut someone up; to take an insolent person down a peg.
- Caracoler en tête To lead by a wide margin, especially in a race or in polls.
- Muet comme une carpe Completely silent; saying absolutely nothing.
- La caque sent toujours le hareng However far you rise, low origins always show through.
- Aller à Canossa To humble oneself completely before someone; to submit and beg forgiveness.
Explore another collection: Proverbs
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- C'est dans les vieux pots qu'on fait la meilleure soupe Experience, and older people, often do things best.
- Un chien regarde bien un évêque Even the humblest person has some rights in front of the powerful.
- Un coup de langue est pire qu'un coup de lance Hurtful words do more harm than physical blows.
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