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Donner des noms d’oiseau (To call names)

The French expression “donner des noms d’oiseau à quelqu’un” translates literally to “to give somebody birds names”. Here are some English meanings:

  • to call somebody names
  • to insult somebody
  • to call somebody every name in the book

The meaning really is simply to insult by calling names. Here’s an example sentence:

  • Les gens en avaient tellement marre du president qu’ils on fini par lui donner des noms d’oiseaux. People were so fed up with the president that they ended up calling him every name in the book.

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David Issokson
David Issokson is the founder and French teacher of Frenchlearner.com. With over 30 years of experience as a French learner and speaker, he is passionate about making the language accessible and enjoyable for everyone. David is dedicated to providing clear, practical, and effective resources to help you master French. Learn more about FrenchLearner on our about us page. Visit davidissokson.com, David's personal website.

David Issokson

David Issokson is the founder and French teacher of Frenchlearner.com. With over 30 years of experience as a French learner and speaker, he is passionate about making the language accessible and enjoyable for everyone. David is dedicated to providing clear, practical, and effective resources to help you master French. Learn more about FrenchLearner on our about us page. Visit davidissokson.com, David's personal website.

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