Tongue twisterFiendish
French
FrenchSi six scies scient six cyprès, six cents scies scient six cents cyprès.
Meaning: An 's' / 'si' minefield.
Literally: If six saws saw six cypresses, six hundred saws saw six hundred cypresses.
Origin: A fiendish French numbers twister.
More French tongue twisters
- 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…
- 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'.
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- Tu as de la répartie You're brilliantly quick-witted — always ready with the perfect comeback.
- T'as pas inventé le fil à couper le beurre You're not exactly a genius — the wire to cut butter is about the most obvious tool imagi…
- Tête de mule An impossibly stubborn person who refuses to change their mind no matter what.
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