Why do I need to know prendre son courage à deux mains?
This French expression is good to use when you need to handle a situation.
What does it mean?
The expression prendre son courage à deux mains, roughly pronounced prahn-dr sohn koo-razh ah duh mehn (listen here) translates literally to "take one's courage in both hands". It means "to gather up courage".
It is used when someone finally decides to face a fear, say something difficult or take action despite anxiety or hesitation.
This expression first emerged in the mid-19th century and is based on the idea of courage as something almost tangible, which can be physically grasped and then put into action.
In English, the equivalent would be "to take the bull by the horns", which conveys the idea of tackling a problem head-on. It's the same in Spanish - "tomar el toro por los cuernos". French, on the other hand, tends to use a more psychological metaphor, focused on self-control rather than overcoming an external opponent.
Use it like this
J’ai pris mon courage à deux mains et je lui ai tout avoué. - I gathered up my courage and confessed everything to her.
Elle a pris son courage à deux mains pour quitter son mari. - She summoned all her courage to leave her husband.
Prends ton courage à deux mains et appelle-le. - Come on, face your fears and call him.
More expressions with mains (hands) in French
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