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chercher midi à quatorze heures

“Chercher midi à quatorze heures” is a comical French expression that translates literally to “to look for noon at 2.00pm”. Here are some English meanings:

  • to complicate things
  • to do things the hard way

Basically, the idiom means to complicate an issue that should be very simple in the first place.

Here’s an example sentence:

  • Pourquoi est-ce que tu cherches midi à quatorze heures? D’abord tu fais la pâte et ensuite tu fais la pizza! Why are you complicating things? First make the dough, then make the pizza!

Here are some synonyms:

  • compliquer la vieto complicate life
  • embrouillerto muddle, confuse
  • tout compliquerto complicate everything

more French expressions

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David Issokson

David Issokson is a lifelong language learner and speaks over seven languages. Of all the languages he speaks, he's the most passionate about French! David has helped hundreds of students to improve their French in his private lessons. When not teaching or writing his French Word of the Day lessons, David enjoys his time skiing, hiking and mountain biking in Victor, Idaho.

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