“Il n’a pas inventé la poudre” is a French expression that translates literally to “He didn’t invent gunpowder”.
English meaning:
- He’s not the sharpest tool in the shed
- He’s not the brightest bulb in the box
- He’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer
A French meaning is simply: “être un peu bête”, to be a bit stupid.
Example sentence:
Thomas n’a pas inventé la poudre mais aujourd’hui il etonne tout le monde: Il est devenu tres riche dans ses affaires. Thomas isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer but he surprised everybody: He became very rich in his business.
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Synonymous expressions:
- Il n’a pas inventé le file a couper le beurre – Lit: He didn’t invent the butter cutting wire.
- Il n’a pas inventé l’eau chaude – Lit: He didn’t invent hot water.
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Bonjour! My name is David Issokson. I'm based in Victor, Idaho (near Jackson, Wyoming) and have helped hundreds of students to learn French online since 2013.
