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Être au four et au moulin (To wear too many hats)

The French expression “être au four et au moulin” translates literally to “to be at the oven and at the mill”.

English meanings:

  • to wear too many hats
  • to have too many irons in the fire
  • to burn the candle at both ends

French meanings:

  • être débordé de travailto be overwhelmed with work
  • courir partout, s’occuper de toutto run around everywhere, taking care of everything

Example sentence:

  • Je travaille jour et nuit. Je ne dors pas assez et je suis très fatigué. Je suis au four et au moulin et je devrais me reposer un peu. I’m working night and day and I’m very tired. I have too many irons in the fire and I should rest a bit.
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David Issokson Founder & French Teacher at FrenchLearner.com
David Issokson is the founder of FrenchLearner.com, where he’s been helping students master French through vocabulary, grammar, and cultural lessons since 2012.

    David Issokson

    About the Author – David Issokson David Issokson is the founder and French teacher behind FrenchLearner.com. He’s been teaching French online since 2014 and brings over 30 years of experience as a passionate French learner and fluent speaker. David is dedicated to making the language clear, practical, and enjoyable for students at all levels. 📘 About David » 🌐 David’s personal site » 👍 Follow on Facebook »

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