être soupe au lait

“Être soupe au lait” is a fun little French expression that translates directly to “to be milk soup”. What the expression really means is to be hot-headed or quick to anger. The expression comes from the 19th century expression “monter comme une soupe au lait” given how instantly milk can rise when it comes to a boil. Here are some other translations:

  • to have a short fuse
  • to get angry over nothing
  • to be easily angered

French-to-French translations include impétueux, impulsif and sanguin, which all translate to hotheaded.

Here’s an example sentence:

  • Papa est tellement soupe au lait, il sénerve toujours pour rien. Dad has such a short fuse. He always gets angry over nothing.

Watch a great video explaining this expression:

Video source: Maintenant Tu Sais

back to main expressions page

Sign Up For A FREE Trial French Lesson On Skype And Get Instant Access To My French Pronunciation Crash Course.

Get the French Pronunciation Crash Course!