IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchLe benjamin
Meaning: The youngest member of a family, team or group.
Literally: The Benjamin
Example: “Le benjamin de l'équipe n'a que dix-sept ans.” — The youngest member of the team is only seventeen.
Origin: From Benjamin, the last-born of Jacob's twelve sons in Genesis and his father's favorite. French uses it neutrally for age alone, though the biblical figure carries the sense of a cherished youngest.
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- Au petit bonheur la chance Haphazardly, leaving the outcome entirely to chance.
- 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.
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