FrenchPéter la balloune
Meaning: (Quebec French) To cause deep disappointment; to shatter someone's illusions or hopes.
Literally: To burst the balloon
Example: “Désolé de te péter la balloune, mais le concert est annulé.” — Sorry to burst your bubble, but the concert is canceled.
English equivalent: To burst someone's bubble
Equivalents in other languages
English: burst someone's bubble
Origin: Quebec French. Balloune (also spelled baloune) is the Quebec form of ballon, a balloon, and péter is the familiar verb for to burst. Popping someone's balloon lets the air, and the excitement, out of it all at once, just like English "burst someone's bubble." It is also heard as péter sa balloune à quelqu'un. In Quebec a balloune is also the breathalyzer, so péter la balloune can mean failing a breath test.
More French idioms
- Être du propre Used ironically to criticize something as morally or physically filthy.
- Remuer ciel et terre To exert all possible effort and use every available means to achieve a goal.
- Joindre le geste à la parole To back up what you say with action; to keep your promises.
- Faire dresser l’oreille To catch someone's attention or spark their interest.
- Renaître de ses cendres To rise again and flourish after near-total destruction.
- Se payer la tête de quelqu'un To mock or ridicule someone.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
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- Didon dîna, dit-on, du dos d'un dodu dindon dont le dodu dos dodine. A 'd' / 'din' / 'dod' avalanche that seems designed to jam the tongue in third gear.
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- Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches, archi-sèches? A merciless duel between 'ch' and 's'.
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