French Expression of the Day: Nid-de-poule
This French expression is one all motorists should be aware of.
Why do I need to know nid-de-poule?
Because you might encounter one of these when driving around France - and it's not what it sounds like.
What does it mean?
Nid-de-poule - roughly pronounced knee duh pool - translates precisely as ‘hen's nest' or 'chicken's nest'.
In reality, it is not related to farming. It is the French word for ‘pothole’ - those irritating holes that appear in roads or pavements that are not in good repair - and people have been using it for this purpose since at least the mid-19th century.
At the time, the asphalt roads and motorways we are familiar with today did not exist. Roads were makeshift, often poorly maintained, routes which people usually drove horse-drawn carriages over.
As such, it was not uncommon for potholes to form. The working theory is that wild birds came and sat down in the holes - though probably to take dust baths and not to lay eggs.
Use it like this
J'ai crevé après avoir roulé sur un nid-de-poule. - I got a flat tyre after running over a pothole.
Soyez prudent sur les vieilles routes de campagne, il y a beaucoup de nids-de-poule. - Be careful on the old country roads, there are a lot of potholes.
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Why do I need to know nid-de-poule?
Because you might encounter one of these when driving around France - and it's not what it sounds like.
What does it mean?
Nid-de-poule - roughly pronounced knee duh pool - translates precisely as ‘hen's nest' or 'chicken's nest'.
In reality, it is not related to farming. It is the French word for ‘pothole’ - those irritating holes that appear in roads or pavements that are not in good repair - and people have been using it for this purpose since at least the mid-19th century.
At the time, the asphalt roads and motorways we are familiar with today did not exist. Roads were makeshift, often poorly maintained, routes which people usually drove horse-drawn carriages over.
As such, it was not uncommon for potholes to form. The working theory is that wild birds came and sat down in the holes - though probably to take dust baths and not to lay eggs.
Use it like this
J'ai crevé après avoir roulé sur un nid-de-poule. - I got a flat tyre after running over a pothole.
Soyez prudent sur les vieilles routes de campagne, il y a beaucoup de nids-de-poule. - Be careful on the old country roads, there are a lot of potholes.
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