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European American Travel, Naples, FL (2026)

03/07/2026

FRENCH PHRASE OF THE DAY...
"Coûte que coûte" (roughly pronounced koot-keh-koot) directly translates as 'costs what costs', but means 'at all costs' or 'whatever it takes' and this doesn't just encompass financial costs.
It is a phrase to use about tasks that look difficult to accomplish, but which you're willing to get done - no matter what.
The government wants to avoid mass bankruptcies, 'coûte que coûte'. If that means pumping out state money to keep business afloat throughout the crisis, then so be it.
Ski enthusiasts want to take their winter holiday in the mountains, 'coûte que coûte'. It doesn't matter that the lifts are closed, strap your skis on the back and walk up the mountain.
Use it like this: Il faut absolument qu'on s'achête un appartement à un moment, coûte que coûte. On ne pourra pas louer eternellement. - We absolutely have to buy an apartment at some point, whatever it takes. We can't rent forever.
Qui va payer pour cette politique de 'coûte que coûte' ? - Who will pay for this politics of 'whatever the cost'?
Synonyms:
À tout prix - at all costs
Quoi qu'il en coûte - whatever it costs
europeanamericantravel.com

03/04/2026

FRENCH PHRASE OF THE DAY...
"Tu exagères" (roughly pronounced too-eggs-ah-jayr) can be used when you believe someone is amplifying something, that this person is giving it too much importance. - J’ai beaucoup grossi tu ne trouves pas ? - Oh non tu exagères, juste un peu !
I put on a lot of weight, don’t you think? - Oh no, not that much, just a bit!
It can also be used when someone is bragging about something. - Mon fils est tellement intelligent. Je pense qu’il est surdoué. - Tu exagères un peu non ?
My son is so intelligent. I think he’s gifted. – Aren’t you exaggerating a bit?
You can also use that phrase when someone is going too far, and you are disagreeing with what that person is doing or saying. – Je n’aime vraiment pas notre nouvelle voisine, elle est méchante ! – Tu exagères !
I really don’t like our new neighbor, she’s nasty! – You’re exaggerating!
As the use of the informal 'tu' suggests, this is an expression best used for friends, family and people you know well. You wouldn’t say 'tu exagères' to people you don't know well.
Always keep in mind that 'tu exagères' is a phrase you’ll say in a casual situation, when you are not really angry, but just slightly disagreeing. Of course, it all comes down to the way you say it!

europeanamericantravel.com

02/21/2026

FRENCH PHRASE OF THE DAY...
"Trompe-l'œil" (roughly pronounced trump-loy) means 'fool-eye', which is a literal way of saying 'optical illusion' in French.
It can be used to signify an actual optical illusion, but also as a way of saying that something is a 'deception', 'sham', 'bogus', 'illusion', 'false' or a 'hoax'.
Use it like this: C'est un effet trompe-l'œil. Si tu regardes bien tu le verras. - It's an illusory effect. If you look closely you'll spot it.
C'est une baisse en trompe-l'œil du nombre de chômeurs ces derniers mois. - There's been a bogus decrease in the number of unemployed people these past months.
Ce n'est qu'un trompe l'œil. Les statistiques ne servent à rien si on ne comprend pas le contexte. - It's a sham. Stats are useless if we don't understand the context.
Synonyms:
Mirage - Hallucination
Façade - facade
Faux-semblant - Pretense

europeanamericantravel.com

02/20/2026

FRENCH PHRASE OF THE DAY...
"Parigot tête de veau" (roughly pronounced par-ee-go-tett-deh-voh) combines several words. 'Parigot' is a slang term for Parisians and 'tête de veau' (you might be familiar with from menus - calves' head). Put together it is a less than flattering phrase about the inhabitants of France's capital.
It's fair to say that to the rest of France, Parisians have a certain reputation for being rude, grumpy and snobbish. Whether you find this to be generally true or not, depends on your experience with Parisians.
I live in Paris and do not find my fellow Parisians to be better or worse than other large-city dwellers.
Another commonly heard phrase for Parisians is 'Parisien tête de chien' (dog-headed Parisian) which means broadly the same thing and the two phrases are often heard together.
But don't worry, Parisians have a retort - 'campagnarde tête de lard' - broadly implying that people who live in the French countryside are thick and stubborn.
While we don't advise getting caught up in French culture wars (between Parisians and those living outside the region), you should know these phrases as they might be used in conversation.

europeanamericantravel.com

02/17/2026

FRENCH PHRASE OF THE DAY...
"Avoir du pain sur la planche" (roughly pronounced ahv-wahr-doo-pawn-soor-lah-plawn-sheh) literally translates to 'having bread on your board', which is a very French way to say what the Anglophones call 'having a lot on your plate' (in the sense that you're busy).
It's quite interesting as an expression because the actual activity of having 'une planche' in France calls to mind something completely different than being busy with work.
'Une planche' is a popular menu item the French like to order alongside a glass of wine after work.
It literally translates to 'a plank' or 'a board', which is a way of describing what 'une planche' actually is: a bread board topped with delicious goodness, usually charcuterie (slices of assorted hams), patés and/or soft fromage (cheese).
A 'planche' can be shared with others for a nibble, and it always comes with pain (bread) - a mandatory accessory to any food orders in France.
Use it like this: Je ne peux pas venir au bar ce soir, j'ai du pain sur la planche. - I can't come to the bar tonight, I've got a lot on my plate.
Profites bien de tes vacances, on aura du pain sur la planche à la rentrée ! - Enjoy your holiday, we'll have plenty to do when we get back to school!
Je dirais qu'il reste encore du pain sur la planche. - I'd say we still have work to do.
Synonym:
Avoir beaucoup de choses à faire - having a lot of things to do

europeananericantravel.com

02/06/2026

FRENCH WORD OF THE DAY...
"Pourboire" (roughly pronounced poor-bwar).
What does it mean?
If you divide 'pourboire' into two words, you get 'pour' and 'boire', which means 'to' and 'drink'.
Tu as ce qu'il faut pour le pourboire? That sounds a lot like 'have you got what you need to drink?'.
You would be forgiven to think that the person asking you this is offering to pay the next round.
But it really means something very different.
'Pourboire' is really the French word for 'tip', what you give your server if you're especially pleased with your food and the service or give your barman, if you found his or her cocktail-making skills particularly impressive.
Originally, the expression 'pourboire' was used to signify exactly that - giving the receiver enough money so that they could treat themselves to a drink in return for their services.
Tipping is not such a big deal in France (as the service charge or tip is generally included in the bill), as in some other countries, particularly the USA, and the amount tipped generally reflects the phrase's original meaning - enough to buy a drink.
Restaurant menus and bills will usually state "service compris" (service included). You are not obliged to leave an extra tip. However, many people will often leave a few small coins, if paying in cash, for the server, for extra good service.
Unlike in some countries where servers depend on tips; in France, restaurant/bar servers are paid a living wage.

europeanamericantravel.com

01/26/2026

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01/25/2026

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01/25/2026

Arrière-pensée literally translates to 'behind-thought', which is the French way of saying that someone has an 'ulterior motive' or a 'hidden agenda'.

You can't say agenda caché (hidden agenda) or mobile ultérieure (ulterior motive) in French. It doesn't sound too bad, but a French person would not understand what you meant (they would perhaps even think you'd taken their journal and hidden it from them).

When you think about it, arrière-pensée is a pretty good way of phrasing it, as the real thought literally is hidden behind the expressed thought. It's not spoken, it's just a suspicion.

The underlying thought is not necessarily bad - it can also be something nice too - but more often than not the expression is used in the pejorative sense.

Use it like this

Tu es vraiment belle aujourd'hui, et je te le dis sans arrière-pensée. - You're really pretty today, and I'm saying that with no ulterior motive.

Pour ma part, j'entrerai dans cette discussion sans arrière-pensée. - As for me, I'll enter this discussion without a hidden agenda.

Il faut arrêter de penser que tout le monde a une arrière-pensée. - You have to stop thinking that everyone has a hidden agenda.

Synonyms

Sous-entendu is perhaps the closest synonym, but it translates to 'undertone' and means that something is 'implied' rather than hidden.

Another way of saying arrière-pensée is avoir une idée derrière la tête - having a thought behind the head.

europeanamericantravel.com

01/24/2026

FRENCH PHRASE OF THE DAY...
"Prendre la mouche" (roughly pronounced prawn-dreh-la-moosh) literally translates to 'taking the fly', as in the annoying insect that buzzes around your house in the summer.
If someone says 'tu prends la mouche', they are however not asking you to grab a fly, but rather accusing you of being angry - and without a good reason.
'Prendre la mouche' is an old expression dating all the way back to the 16th century when 'mouche' referred to a "a burden, a negative thought that appeared suddenly," according to the dictionary
In addition to indicating that someone is annoyed/upset/angry, 'prendre la mouche' also implies that the reason behind their vexation is 'pour une raison futile' - 'for no good reason'.
So it's a good expression to have at hand if you feel unfairly treated.
Use it like this: Il prend souvent la mouche pour rien - He often gets angry for nothing.
Je lui ai dis ce que je pensais et elle a pris la mouche, elle s'est vexée - I'm told her I thought she was kicking up a fuss without a good reason, and she got mad.
Elle n'a pas à prendre la mouche, tu n'as rien fait ! - She shouldn't get vexed, you didn't do anything!
Pas besoin de prendre la mouche. - No need to get upset.
Synonyms:
Se vexer - get vexed
Se fâcher - get angry
S'énerver - get irritated

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