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se faire un sang d’encre

The French expression “se faire un sang d’encre” translates literally to “to turn your blood into ink”. This is an idiom which has a meaning that’s impossible to guess. It means:

  • to be worried sick
  • to be worried to death

A French definition is simply “s’inquiéter beaucoup”, which means to worry a lot.

Here’s an example sentence:

  • Jacques faisait de l’alpinisme dans l’Himalaya et quand il n’a pas contacé sa famille apres une semaine, ils se faisaient un sang d’encre. Jacques was mountain climbing in the Himalayas and when he didn’t contact his family after one week they were worried sick.

There are some synonymous expressions:

  • se faire du mauvais sang – Literally “to make bad blood”
  • se faire du souci – Literally “to make worries”

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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.

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