FRENCH METAPHORS??

Don't confuse metaphor and idiom. Some idioms are metaphors but most idioms aren't.

For example, "parler français comme une vache espagnole" is not a metaphor but a comparison because you are comparing two explicit elements (which are both present in the idiom) with a comparative adverb (comme)

"être une tête de mule" (to be a mule head) is a metaphor because one element (the person) is absent from the idiom and is completly replaced by the other one (the mule head) and there is no comparison.

However, this idiom has a version which is a comparison. It's "être têtu(e) comme une mule" (to be stubborn like a mule)

Both means "to be stubborn"

Now, here are some French idioms (because I know you didn't post this question to have a lesson about metaphors).

Here are some comparisons :

- être copains comme cochons (to be friends like pigs) = to be very good friends

- Comme le nez au milieu de la figure (like the nose in the middle of the face) = very obvious

- bête comme ses pieds = (stupid like his/her feet) stupid

- être comme un poisson dans l'eau (to be like a fish in water) = to be perfectly at ease

- simple comme « bonjour » (easy as "hello") = easy

- fumer comme un pompier (to smoke like a fireman) = to smoke like a chimney

- Il pleut comme vache qui pisse (It's raining like a pissing cow) = It's raining a lot

- s'ennuyer comme un rat mort (to be bored like a dead rat) = to be super bored

Some others idioms which are not comparisons :

- Passer l'éponge (to clean with the sponge) = to forget

- Jeter l'éponge (to throw the sponge) = to give up

- Avoir un poil dans la main (to have a hair in the hand) = to be lazy

- Avoir une faim de loup (to have a wolf's hunger) = to be hungry

- Avoir les dents longues (to have long teeth) = to be ambitious

- Sucrer les fraises (to put sugar on the strawberries) = to shake/to be dying

And if you want more, here are some websites :

http://french.about.com/library/express/blexdico-a...

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:French_idio...

And if you want to go even further, you can look for random idioms here (refresh the page for a new idiom) : http://www.expressio.fr/hasard.php

It's in French but it gives an explanation, the origin of the idiom and some similar idioms in other languages (so you can find the equivalent English idiom)

Youc an also look on google, there are plenty of other websites which are excellent.

French Metaphors

The bee's knees is not a metaphor. It is a shortened version of "the be-alls and end-alls" [Bs & Es], meaning les raisons d'être, not "les genoux de l'abeille".

If it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twere well

It were done quickly. If th' assassination

Could trammel up the consequence, and catch

With his surcease, success: that but this blow

Might be the be-all and the end-all here...

Shakespeare, Macbeth