Advertisement

French expression of the day: Ça me barbe

The Local France
The Local France - [email protected]
French expression of the day: Ça me barbe
Photo: Annie Spratt/Unsplash/Nicolas Raymond"

If someone asks you how lockdown was, this could be a fitting way to respond.

Advertisement

Why do I need to know ça me barbe?

It's to be used in those special moments when you're really bored to death. 

What does it mean?

Ça me barbe is a wonderfully literate way of expressing boredom.

Translated to 'it beards me', the expression is literally saying that something is so dull that it makes you grow a beard that even Gandalf could be proud of.

Ça me barbe - It bores me to death.

There are several theories as to how barbe came to signify boredom.

One theory bases itself on the expression faire la barbe à quelqu'un - 'making someone grow a beard' - which originally referred to a war practice during the Middle Ages where the winners shaved the loser's head and mocked them. Faire la barbe à quelqu'un meant 'making someone look like a fool'.

It may well also be linked to the gesture where you stroke your index finger and thumb down your cheek like you're stroking your beard.

Use it like this

 

Advertisement

La barbe ! - What a drag!

On regarde Mad Men ce soir ? Non, franchement cette serie me barbe. - Should we watch Mad Men tonight? No, really, that series bores me witless.

J'en peux plus de confinement, ça me barbe. - I can't stand lockdown anymore, it bores me to death.

Ouf, c'était vraiment barbant. - Ouf, that was a real bore.

Synonyms

Ça m'ennuie - it bores me

Ça me fait chier - it bores me (vulgar version)

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also