IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchOn lui donnerait le Bon Dieu sans confession
Meaning: He looks completely innocent — with the implication that he is not.
Literally: You would give him the Lord without confession
Example: “Avec ses boucles blondes, on lui donnerait le Bon Dieu sans confession, mais c'est lui qui a caché les clés.” — With his blond curls, you'd think butter wouldn't melt in his mouth, but he's the one who hid the keys.
English equivalent: Butter wouldn't melt in someone's mouth
Other ways to say this
Japanese: 猫をかぶる (Neko wo kaburu) Literally: To wear a cat on your head- French: Sainte Nitouche Literally: Saint Touch-Not
English: butter wouldn't melt in someone's mouth
Origin: Communion is withheld until sins are confessed, so administering it without that step means judging someone guiltless on appearance alone. The phrase is almost always a warning.
More French idioms
- À son corps défendant Reluctantly; against one's own will.
- Corvéable à merci Available to be worked without limit and without recourse.
- Avoir la cote To be well regarded; to be popular.
- Sans coup férir Without any resistance at all; effortlessly.
- Un coup de fil A telephone call.
- Tomber comme un couperet To land suddenly and irrevocably, as of bad news.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- Dans ta tente ta tante t'attend. A gentle 'ta / ten / tan / t'' warm-up that sounds faster than it reads.
- Seize chaises sèches sur seize arches sèches. A relentless collision of 'sei', 'sèch', and 's' — the tongue can't find traction.
- Un beau ver vert dans un verre vert verra un ver vert. Ver (worm), vert (green), and verre (glass) are near-homophones — distinguishing them at…
Keep exploring