je m’en doutais – I to me it doubted. s’en douter is a reflexive verb that means ‘to realize’, especially when it’s not used in the imparfait. However, in everyday French, je m’en doutais as is is an idiomatic expression that means ‘just like I suspected’, ‘I thought so’.
Je m’en doute bien. — I realize that.
Tu ne t’en doutais pas ? — You didn’t realize it?
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« Ils ne viendront pas voir le nouveau film de François Ozon. Je m’en doutais. »
“They won’t want to come and see the new François Ozon movie. I thought so.”
à la belle étoile – at the beautiful star. And just like in English, une étoile is a star in the sky and in the movies. In everyday French, à la belle étoile means ‘outside’, ‘out in the open’, ‘under the stars’. This expression is often used with the verb COUCHER, to sleep.
« Les enfants sont tout contents, car ils vont coucher dans le champ, à la belle étoile. »
“The children are very happy, for they are going to sleep in the field, under the stars.”
ne pas voir en peinture — can’t stand — Mot du Jour
ne pas voir en peinture – to not see in painting. In everyday French, ne pas voir en peinture means to not be able to stand, I can’t stand, I hate the sight of…
« J’ai hâte de déménager. J’peux plus voir cette maison en peinture. »
“I can’t wait to move. I can’t stand this house anymore.”
faire le mur – to do the wall, faire le mur means to escape, to sneak out of a place. This expression is mostly used with teenagers sneaking out when parents don't realize it.
The expression ‘faire le mur’ is also the name of a yearly movie event that takes place in Cannes during the Cannes Film Festival. It’s called ‘Cannes fait le mur’ - ‘The Cannes Film Festival does the wall’. It’s a spectacular event presenting huge photographs hanging on high building walls throughout town. It’s really impressive. I hope you get to visit Cannes during 'Cannes fait le mur’.
« La maison qu'ils ont achetée est vraiment faite pour que les enfants puisse faire le mur. »
"The house they bought makes it easy for their children to sneak out."
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