
IdiomThe Absurd
French
Être aux anges
Meaning: To be overjoyed, in raptures.
Literally: To be at the angels
Example: “Avec son nouveau vélo, le petit est aux anges.” — With his new bike, the little one is on cloud nine.
English equivalent: To be on cloud nine
Equivalents in other languages
English: be on cloud nine
Turkish: Etekleri zil çalıyor Literally: Their skirts are ringing bells
German: Aus dem Häuschen sein Literally: To be out of your little houseEnglish: be over the moon
Origin: From the mystical language of ecstasy, in which the soul rises to the company of angels. The phrase kept the elevation and dropped the theology, so it now describes anyone delighted out of all proportion.
More French idioms
- Être aux abonnés absents To be unreachable, or to fail to show up when needed.
- Accuser réception To acknowledge that something has been received.
- Par acquit de conscience To do something merely to be sure, so as to leave nothing on your conscience.
- La perfide Albion A hostile nickname for England, cast as habitually treacherous in its diplomacy.
- Alea jacta est The decision is irrevocable and there is no turning back.
- De bon aloi Genuine and of good quality; its opposite, de mauvais aloi, means dubious or in poor tast…
Explore another collection: Untranslatable Words
Words that capture a feeling or idea English needs a whole sentence for.
- L'esprit de l'escalier Thinking of the perfect comeback only after the moment has passed — on your way down the…
- Terroir The unique character that a place — its soil, climate and tradition — gives to a wine or…
- Râler To complain and grumble with a certain national flair — a beloved French pastime.
Keep exploring