Être bête comme ses pieds is a French expression that literal translation is “to be stupid like his (or her) feet” and means “to be very stupid”.
Être bête comme ses pieds
to be very stupid
Example sentences
Le président avait plusieurs mois pour répondre à la crise sanitaire et il ne fait que nier la situation. Il est bête comme ses pieds!
The president has had several months to respond to the health crisis and all he’s done is deny the situation. He’s as dumb as bag of nails.
Le maire de cette ville est bête comme ses pieds. Ça fait quatre ans qu’il a son poste et il n’a rien fait!
The mayor of this city is dumb as rocks. He’s been in his position for four years and he hasn’t done anything!
Expression origin
This expression dates from the nineteenth century, where the feet were said to be the body part the furthest from the head or “seat of thoughts”, and thus associated with total stupidity.
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