Didon dîna, dit-on, du dos d'un dodu dindon dont le dodu dos dodine.

Meaning: A 'd' / 'din' / 'dod' avalanche that seems designed to jam the tongue in third gear.

Literally: Dido dined, they say, on the back of a plump turkey whose plump back wobbled.

Origin: One of French's most famous fiendish twisters; a staple of actors' warm-up routines.

More French tongue twisters

Un chasseur sachant chasser doit savoir chasser sans son chien. The classic French 'ch' / 's' tangler.
Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches, archi-sèches? A merciless duel between 'ch' and 's'.
Si six scies scient six cyprès, six cents scies scient six cents cyprès. An 's' / 'si' minefield.
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…

Words that capture a feeling or idea English needs a whole sentence for.

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.
Flemme A total absence of motivation to do anything — a profound, almost existential reluctance…

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