Provençal expressions

This collection gathers 432 Provençal expressions in Mistralian spelling, each with its meaning in English.

Expressions are organised by theme. Use the search box or the thematic links below to browse the collection.

Sociability

coume vai ? balin-balan !how are you? so-so! e patin coufin…and blah blah blah… qu'es acò ?what is that? noun saiI don't know osco Manosco !long live Manosque! à la couchado !off to bed! i'a dégun !nobody's here! à la revisto !goodbye! adessias !goodbye! longo mai !a wish or toast, literally "long may it last" urous anniversàri e longo mai !happy birthday! bon Nouvè !merry Christmas! bòni Pasco !happy Easter! bono annado !happy new year! À l'an que vèn…best wishes for the coming year Bounjou bràvi gènt…good day, good folk, forgive me if I'm mistaken Douna la manto lend a hand Ma bellomadam, miss Tèn-ti ei branco !take care, look after yourself Touca la manto shake hands Touca lei cinq sardinoto shake hands

Feelings

oh ! qu'acò's bèu !oh, how beautiful! aqui n'y a proun !enough of that! osco !well done! bravo! que couiounado !what nonsense! (milder than its French equivalent) es un Fènis !it's a wonder, something extraordinary lou souleou mi fa cantathe sun puts me in a singing mood acò metè fiò is estoumpothat lit the fuse ié vai gai au brandehe throws himself into it wholeheartedly estre urous coume un Diéuto be happy as a god lou Rèi es pas soun cousinhe envies no one, not even the king a fa peta li cartohe blew it, broke the deal sian dins lou jambinwe're in a real fix nous embouio lou cabedèuit's throwing a wrench in our plans me fai veni rababèuit drives me up the wall me seco lou fegeit eats away at me, torments me ai de cascavèu en tèstoI'm worried sick, my mind won't rest siéu dins l'òli bouièntI'm on pins and needles vòu ana plus vite que la musicohe wants to rush ahead, skip the steps es pressa coume un lavamenhe's in a great hurry siéu dessus-dessoutoI'm shaken, turned upside down ai lou bate-cormy heart is pounding moun sang faguè lou viro-passomy blood ran cold, I was shocked instantly s'as pòu, bouto-te uno pèiro à la pochoif you're scared, find your own comfort de pòu de se bagna, s'es pissa i braiofearing a small harm, he caused a worse one m'a fa dreissa li chivu sus la tèstoit made my hair stand on end à l'aise coume un pèis dins l'aigoas comfortable as a fish in water li bras m'en toumbèronI was flabbergasted bada coume un limbertgaping in astonishment veni rouge jusqu'au blanc dis ueito blush from head to toe resta em' un pan de nasto be left looking foolish es vengu me dansa davanshe came on to me, made advances Agué crentoto feel shy or ashamed Agué la tressusour/lei tres susourto be scared stiff Aquelo empego !what a surprise! Bouano maire/mèro !an exclamation of surprise, anger, or impatience Caga ei braioto be scared, a coward D'uno óulivo au cuou, ti fa un litro d'òlihe's terrified, a real coward Èstre gounfle/gounfloto feel heavy-hearted, sad, anxious Faire de conte/de comte de Mèste Arnaudto make muddled, misleading calculations Rire à si peta l'emboulìgouto laugh long and loud S'estrassa dóu rireto laugh until one can't breathe Si faire uno fourro de rireto have a good laugh Si faire uno pèu de rireto have a good laugh Si prene uno estoumagadoto suffer a bitter disappointment, an emotional blow Toumba de la figuieroto be caught completely off guard, a little disappointed

Money

fan de chichourlo !a mild oath, roughly "good grief" Noun es pas riche qu'a de bèn, mai aquéu que se contèntorich is not who owns much, but who is content Qu toujour pren e rèn noun douno, a la fin cadun l'abandounowho always takes and never gives ends up abandoned by all estaco pas soun chin emé de saussissohe's not one for generosity, he watches his pennies tuarié uno niero pèr n'en vèndre la pèuhe's exceedingly stingy a de bèn au soulèuhe has property, he owns land saup mounte dor Janohe knows every nook and every secret a mai de sòu qu'un chin de nierohe's extremely wealthy rastello li sòu à la palohe's raking in the money es riche coume Crèsushe's as rich as Croesus cop d'argènt es pas cop de morta loss of money is never a fatal blow es nus e crushe has absolutely nothing coucho lou merlushe's broke, chasing after money es paure coume un gàrri de glèisohe's as poor as a church mouse es au nis de la serphe's in a dangerous spot a plus que lis uei pèr plourahe's lost everything li sòu venon pas en picant dóu pèdmoney doesn't fall from the sky es paure coume Jobhe's as poor as Job tiro lou diable pèr la cohe's struggling to make ends meet es dins la debinohe's down on his luck, broke danso davans l'armàrihis cupboard is bare paga 'me de mounedo d'Arlequinto pay with worthless coin faire St Miquèu à la candèloto move house at night, sneaking away sènso argènt te couneissieran pas, emé d'argènt te couneissiras paswithout money nobody knows you, with money you no longer know yourself es verd coume uno coua de sèbohe's in fine fettle, full of energy Agué d'óussin dins lei pochoto be stingy Agué de sòu coumo un chin de nieroto be extremely wealthy Agué lou pougnet coupato claim generosity while actually being stingy Es pas douna !it's expensive Èstre riche coumo la marto be immensely rich Èstre sourd(o) coumo un toupinto be stone deaf Faire aigreto hurry, to make an effort Faire garda lei cabroto keep someone stuck up a tree or ladder L'aigo es d'orwater is a precious resource La pèiro vai au clapiémoney flows to those who already have it Lou coust lèvo lou goustwhen it costs too much, it kills the desire for it Metre d'òli ei ceseto bring a bit of comfort and ease Qu pago tard pago largthe longer you delay payment, the more it costs Quicha l'anchoioto be poor, short of food Tira soucitto cause worry Tirarié de pessu au mabre/ei vitrohe's exceedingly stingy Trouvarié pas d'aigo à la marsaid of someone who can't find what's plainly in front of them

Character

estre la couioto be a laughing stock peta plus aut que soun cuouto be full of oneself, pretentious es vièi coume un banche's as old as a bench es vièi coume Erodehe's as old as Herod a un caratère d'orhe has a heart of gold a la bounta sus la figurokindness is written on his face a lou cor sus la manhe wears his heart on his sleeve es marrit coume la grelohe's as nasty as hail s'es leva dóu pèd gauchehe got up on the wrong side of the bed fai la bèbohe's sulking, pouting saup lou viéure dóu moundehe has good manners, knows how to behave es groussié coume un pan d'òrdihe's as coarse as barley bread sucra la baloto manto sugarcoat the pill vougne lou façunto grease someone's palm faire li dos manto keep both sides happy es uno fino lamohe's a sharp, cunning fellow vai te faire leva lou soulèugo away, leave me alone cerco soun ai e l'es dessushe's looking for what's right under his nose es badau coume la lunohe's a gawking, idle onlooker a pas inventa la poudrohe's not the sharpest tool in the shed ié farien crèire que li lèbre fan d'iòuyou could make him believe anything es bon ni pèr bouli, ni pèr roustihe's good for nothing at all a l'agnèu mort dins lou vèntrehe's nursing a hidden sorrow sant estève, qu t'a planta que te lèvea formula used to tell someone to get up me fariés toumba la pèiro dóu fusiéuyou really surprise me testard coume Tistetas stubborn as Tistet cerco de péu sus un iòuhe's nitpicking, splitting hairs avé coume Sant Toumasto be a doubting Thomas se mounta la tèstoto get carried away, work oneself up a un brave toupethe has some nerve a passa la regohe went too far es faus coume Judashe's as false as Judas ié dounarias lou bon Diéu sènso counfessohe looks as innocent as can be fai l'ase pèr agué de brenhe plays dumb to get what he wants es jalous de soun oumbrohe's jealous even of his own shadow es embarrassa coume un gàrri entre dos nosehe's as stuck as a rat between two walnuts es l'aucèu sus la branco qu'au mendre brut s'en vaihe's ready to flee at the slightest noise me n'enchau coume de mi proumié souliéI couldn't care less fai coume li cacalaus que canton quand soun oustau se brulohe acts carefree even as danger looms ié fai tant coume la pèsto i catit leaves him completely unmoved se garça de quaucarèn coume de l'as de picohe couldn't care less about it a perdu la boussolohe's lost his bearings s'es enana emé la co entre li cambohe left with his tail between his legs es uno galino bagnadohe's a coward, a wet hen vèi tout en negrehe sees everything in a negative light fai d'uno mousco un tavanhe makes a mountain out of a molehill se fai de mountagno de touthe makes a big deal out of everything tranquile coume Batistoas calm and easy-going as can be es la cinquiemo rodo dóu càrrihe's a fifth wheel, of no real use se crèi mai que Mèste Mouchohe thinks he's more important than he is se vèi lou bout dóu nashe can't see past the end of his nose vòu se mouca pu aut que soun nashe wants to rise above his station jito de poudro is ueihe's putting on a show to impress dounarié sa camisohe'd give you the shirt off his back es sarra coume uno pigno verdohe's tight-fisted, stingy parla cor sus manto speak openly, from the heart farci coume uno tóutenostuffed full of lies a plus canta tant authe's toned down his boasting se crèis qu'es arribahe thinks he's made it aquéu a de cascavèu dins sa tèstohe's got some odd ideas, a bit crazy bèsti coume un cadèuas silly as a puppy aquèu es franc coum'un ai que reculohe's as honest as a donkey backing up (not honest at all) es uno limo douçohe's sly beneath a soft, gentle manner aquèu a fouaço nàrrothat one is proud, full of himself A coumo la fusto de Cabassoit's an absurd, unsolvable problem À Gounfaroun, leis ai volonI don't believe a word of it, mere hot air À La Ciéutat/à Carpentras, aimon miés tout que la mitain La Ciotat as in Carpentras, they'd rather have it all than half À la descèndo lei cougourdo li vananyone, even the dullest, can manage an easy task Agué d'uei bourda d'anchoioto have eyes red-rimmed from tears or fatigue Agué de sang de cougourdoto be weak-willed, spineless Agué la crespinoto be lucky Agué la malautié dóu gabianto have an imaginary or faked illness Agué lou biaisto have the knack, the know-how Agué lou blanc dóu pòrrito be lucky, well off Agué lou pan e lou coutèuto have everything needed to succeed Agué un èr de dous èrto have an ambiguous, unreadable expression Aquéu de còup !well I never! As peta l'armàri ?to be dressed to the nines Balin-balan/ Balalin-balalanswaying gently, to and fro Bèn/mau encapato show up at the right or wrong moment, depending on luck Bèu camin caminoon a good road, the walking is easy Boulegues pas lou batèu !don't move! Carga coumo uno abiho/un aiheavily loaded Chanja l'aigo eis óulivoto relieve oneself Chasque/cade toupin trovo sa cabucelloeveryone finds the partner who suits them Couioun de la lunoa fool, an idiot …Coumo d'anchoio…packed like sardines …Coumo uno gamatovery badly De longoall the time, constantly De parpello d'agassosmall, insignificant things Dre coumo moun bras quouro mi móuquinot straight in the least E lou chèchou… !and a little more besides Es de figo d'une autre paniéthat's a different matter entirely Es lou tambour de Cassishe's a chatterbox, hard to stop once started Es pas bèu ce qu'es bèu, es bèu ce qu'agradobeauty is not what is beautiful, but what pleases Es un cuou-cousuhe's a stiff, affected sort Es un remèdihe's a very ugly person Es uno arrapèdohe's a clingy sort of person Es uno pastohe's a really kind, gentle person Èstre dóu Martegueto be a simpleton Èstre dre coumo uno bigoto stand bolt upright, stiff as a post Èstre un pau momòto be a bit foolish, briefly unreasonable Èstre uno brocoto be a worthless, untrustworthy person Facho de ~ !inside of Fai tira, Marius !go for it! Fai-ti gras !enjoy yourself, indulge Faire d'ouratòrito stop at every step along the way Faire d'uei de sùpito gaze admiringly, a little foolishly Faire figuroto stand out, clash with the rest Faire gambeto/cambetoto trip someone up Faire la bèboto pout, sulk Faire la damototo put on the airs of a lady Faire la figoto make a rude insulting gesture, the fig Faire lou clerc e lou capelanto ask the questions and answer them oneself Faire lou gafètouto play the role of apprentice or helper Faire lou mourreto sulk Faire lou pessuto throw in a little extra for free Faire lou rabaio-petoto come last Faire pacheto strike a deal Faire Sant-Michèu/Sant Miquèuto move house Faire un àrri/un nàrrito place a boule badly, in pétanque Faire un chapleto cause a massacre Faire un estampèuto cause a scandal Faire uno bouano manieroto do someone a good turn, a friendly gesture Faire uno cagadoto make a blunder Faire uno partido de cabanounto spend a day at the cabanon (country cottage) Faire uno sardinoto make a crease or fold badly Faire vèntreto bulge, be swollen or prominent Fan de ~ !a mild oath Festeja Pasco avans Rampauto have sexual relations before marriage Fuma lei mauvoto be dead and buried Gavouot, l'es pas qu vouòone doesn't simply choose to be a highlander Gros coumo un estocafissoextremely thin L'aigo fai veni poulitwater makes you beautiful La castagno tubo/vai petatension is rising, it's about to blow up Lou bèu proumiéthe very first Lou bouon Diéu l'a passa que de nueit's a forsaken, poverty-stricken place Lou mourtié sènt toujou à l'aietyou can never fully shake off where you come from Lou peiròu mascaro la sartanto mock a fault one shares oneself Lou se gasto l'aubretdon't count too much on how things will turn out M'as coumprés !you've understood me M'en fóuti, siéu d'AuruouI don't care, it's none of my concern Marca bèn/mauto look good or bad, cut a fine or poor figure Mena la biassoto take along a picnic Mounta l'aiòlito make an aïoli Ni parlo ni siblohe or she says absolutely nothing Parla pounchuto speak French with a northern accent Parti/s'enana en biberinoto fade away, weaken, wither Pèr davala, tóuti lei sant ajudonit's easy, everything falls into place on its own Pèr Toussant, l'óulivo à la manolives are harvested around All Saints' Day Peta lou mabreto go mad Péu à cha péu la perruco si falittle by little, great things get done Prene lou camin deis endéutato take the long way round, with many detours Qu pinto vèndea good pitch makes the sale Qu roumpe pago e lei moussèu soun siéuwhoever breaks it, pays for it Qu sameno d'espino vague pas descauswho sows thorns should not walk barefoot: wrongdoing comes back on you Qu si lèvo de Touloun/d'Avignoun, si lèvo de la resounwho rushes off from Toulon or Avignon has lost their senses Quand as d'òli fas fregione must make the most of opportunities Resta couiounto be left dumbfounded, sheepish Se fa pas de bèn fa pas de mauit does no harm and no good, so why not do it Sèmblo un Caramentranto be dressed like a scarecrow Si faire cridato get told off Si faire vèireto see a doctor Si leva de davansto clear off, disappear Sian poulit !we're in a real mess Tant que viro fai de touras long as he's at it, he does nothing else Testard coumo un aias stubborn as a mule Tourna-virato do nothing, to dither Trepa sus d'óussinto be in a situation calling for great caution Un còup fa pas putoto err is human, but don't do it twice

Work

avé de pan à la panieroto have a lot on one's plate Fai pas bon travaia quand la cigalo cantoit's no good working while the cicada sings es un miòu de travaihe's a hard worker se met en quatrehe goes out of his way, bends over backwards fai di pèd e di manhe's pulling out all the stops se grata lou davans di cambo pèr se faire veni li bas rougeto scratch one's legs raw to fake an ailment faire tóuti li fèsto de Sant Cabedèuto party endlessly, celebrate nonstop a l'espalo de Carlo-Magno dins l'esquinohe puts on airs of importance faire la semano di sèt dimencheto celebrate non-stop for a whole week a lou sacrebiéu dóu travaihe has the fire of a real hard worker es l'amo de l'oustauhe's the heart and soul of the household es feniant coume un Arlequinhe's extremely lazy fai pas bouen travaia quand la cigalo cantoit's no good working while the cicada sings Agué lei man gòbito have fingers numb from cold or effort Ana/feni ei dàtito fall back on some menial, poorly paid job Ana plan-planto go slowly, gently Cerca Moulinàrito be slow or idle in getting a task done Èstre bèn fatigato be utterly exhausted Èstre santounto be slow, sluggish Faire pu lèu un tour que dousto be slow, sluggish Forces pas !don't strain yourself La matinado fa la jornadothe bulk of the day's work gets done in the morning Li a de grame à triathere's a lot of work still to sort out Pèr tasta lei figo fau manda la manto get what you want, you must dare and take risks Si creba lou bedeletto work oneself to exhaustion Si leva la pèuto wear oneself out working hard Un vènt à derraba la coua eis aian extremely violent wind

The Body

chanja l'aigo dis óulivoto relieve oneself avé lou cuou borda d'anchoioto be very lucky siéu trempa coume uno soupoI'm soaked to the bone Agué de gauto coumo lou cuou d'un paureto have plump, rosy cheeks Agué l'aigo à la pieloto have running water Agué lou bòmito feel nauseous Agué/faire d'uei de bogo/de gòbito gawk wide-eyed, with a blank stare Blaga coumo uno puto borgnoto talk a great deal, and mostly nonsense Es uno basaretohe's an incessant talker Esquicha la gargamelloto grip the throat, strangle Èstre tapa coumo Sant Jòrgito be bundled up in many warm layers Faire esquinetoto give someone a leg up Paraulo longo fan lei jou courttoo much talk wastes the day S'embrassa coumo de cougourdoto embrace warmly, with emotion Sembla l'àngi Boufarèuto have plump, round cheeks Sembla lou ravi de la crechoto stand with arms raised, like the ravi figurine

Wisdom

Mies vau pan à la paniero qu'un bèl ome à la carrierobread in the basket is worth more than a handsome man in the street Qu mies noun pòu èstre, emé sa mouié se couchefor lack of better, one sleeps with one's own wife Se fai pas lou civié avans d'avé la lèbredon't count your chickens before they hatch Jamai sant de païs a fa miracleno one is a prophet in his own land L'esperanço es lou pan di miserablehope is the poor man's bread Es pas bèu ço qu'es bèu, es bèu ço qu'agradobeauty is not what is beautiful, but what pleases Faï de ben a Bertrand, te lou rendra en caguantdo good to Bertrand, he repays it with harm; ingratitude rewards kindness Vau mai èstre ami de luen qu'enemi de prochebetter a distant friend than a nearby enemy Fauto de tourdre, l'on manjo de merlebeggars can't be choosers Urous quau poù se passa de son vessinhappy is he who can do without his neighbour Tout fai ventre mai que i 'entreanything goes, as long as it fills the belly Manjo toun pèis aro qu'es fres, marido ta fiho, aro qu'es jouvoeat your fish while it's fresh, marry your daughter while she's young a cènt an rèn que de dimencheat a hundred, every day is Sunday la vido di gàrrieternal life quand sias nascu pounchu poudès pas mouri carrayou can't change your basic nature fin emé fin valon rèn pèr doublurotwo clever schemers cancel each other out i pu fin li braio ié toumboneven the cleverest can slip up jougariéu ma tèsto à coupaI'd bet my life on it i'ai mes lou noum de la vióuletoI've given up on it for good es pèr trop la sarra que s'escapo l'anguielogrip too tightly and it slips away au bord dóu baus i'a lou debaussadouat the cliff's edge lies the drop a forço de trop courre, vous roumpès pièi lou mourrerun too hard and you'll fall flat on your face cadun pèr sa pèuevery man for himself proumiero carita coumenço pèr l'oustaucharity begins at home dins ma camiso i'a quaucun qu'ame bènthere's someone close to me whom I hold dear quand l'ai a escapa de l'estable, fan la porto novoclosing the barn door after the horse has bolted qu noun met remèdi d'ouro, arribo lou tèms que plourodelay the remedy and tears will follow cat escauda, l'aigo frejo ié fai pòuonce bitten, twice shy se jouinesso sabié e vièiesso poudié, rèn n'arribariéif youth only knew and age only could, nothing would go wrong vèndre la pèu de la bèsti avans de l'agué tuadoto count one's chickens before they hatch au mai boustigas lou femié, au mai sèntthe more you stir the muck, the more it stinks au mai escalo la mounino, au mai mostro la cothe higher the monkey climbs, the more it shows its tail es pas la poulo que canto lou mai que fai li pu bèus iòuit's not the loudest hen that lays the finest eggs qu douno i paure, prèsto à Diéuhe who gives to the poor lends to God un bènfa n'es jamai perdu, s'un ingrat noun l'a reçaupua good deed is never wasted, unless met with ingratitude qu bèn fara, bèn troubarado good and good will come back to you fai de bèn à Bertrand, te lou rènd en cagantantdo good to Bertrand, he repays it with ill treatment l'òci es lou paire de toui li viceidleness is the root of all vices es paraulo d'Evangèliit's the gospel truth acò's un conte de Mèste Arnaudit's a tall tale, hard to believe tóuti li cop que dis uno verita ié toumbo un ueievery time he tells the truth it costs him dearly (said of a liar) meno uno vido que lou bon Diéu sauphe leads a life only God could account for fedo aprivadado de trop d'agnèu es tetadoa too-tame ewe gets suckled by too many lambs: people exploit the easygoing es Sansoun derrabo-ferigoulohe plays the strongman against the weak vau mai teni un passeroun qu'espera uno aucoa sparrow in hand is worth more than a goose you're hoping for qu pito fai gavagesmall gains, gathered often, add up to plenty Dins l'iver, quau l'attrovo, se n'en sèr, dins l'estièu. Quau l'attrovo es sièu, dins l'autounau, quau l'attrovo lou douno. Au printèms, quau l'attrovo, lou tèn.depending on the season it's found, it gets used, kept, or given away Vau miès uno pichoto bono acioun qu'uno grando bono entenciouna small good deed is worth more than a great good intention qu'au bastis sus la graveno, perdi soun tèms emai sa penobuild on gravel and you waste your time and effort de tis amis digo tout bien, de tis enemis digues renspeak only well of your friends, and nothing of your enemies au mai anavo la vieio, au mai appreniéthe older the woman grew, the more she learned vau mai un fais ben lia que dous mal astacaone well-tied bundle beats two poorly fastened ones lou monde es uno escalo que mounto, que devalothe world is a ladder, some climb up, some come down fai de bèn a Bertrand, te lou rènd en cagantdo good to Bertrand, he repays it with ill treatment fai de bèn à Martin, te cago dins la mando good to Martin, he repays it with ill treatment pantaia de tasta de causo douço, enganamendreaming of sweets brings only disappointment qu tèn la coua de la sartan, la viro d'ounte vòuwhoever holds the reins calls the shots qu si fiso au dino deis autre, dino tard emai mauhe who relies on others' meals dines late and poorly gros manjaire n'es pas dounairea big eater is rarely a big giver jamai cassaire a nourri soun paireno hunter ever fed his father from the hunt Fai de bèn à Bertrand…what ingratitude! Qu a vist Paris e noun Cassis a rèn vistwho has seen Paris but not Cassis has seen nothing

Food

Quau à ben dina crèi lis autre sadoua full belly thinks everyone else is fed a Sant Martin, la castagno e lou nouvèu vinat Saint Martin's, it's chestnuts and new wine que si coucho sènso soupa, touto la nue si boulegosleep on an empty stomach and you'll toss all night li a jamai troup de pan e de dènt n'i a de rèstothere's never too much bread, and teeth to spare for it après bouan vin bouan couissinafter good wine, a good pillow vièio oulo, bouono soupoan old pot makes the best soup lou pèis vòu nada tres cop, à la mar, à la sartan e au vèntrefish should swim three times: in the sea, in the pan, and in wine l'aigo boulido sauvo la vidoboiled water saves lives soupo e amour, lei proumiero soun lei meiouroof soups and loves, the first are the best de vièio galino, bouan bouiounan old hen makes the best broth A ni goust ni goustoit has absolutely no flavour Manja de regardelloto eat absolutely nothing

Weather and Time

S'acò's pas vuei, sara demanif not today, then tomorrow n'en passara d'aigo à la ribieroa lot of water will flow under the bridge dins un vira d'ueiin the blink of an eye dins un tourno-manin a trice avé bèu tèms, bello ouroto have all the time in the world duro que duraras, marcho que marcharasas long as it lasts, it lasts tua lou tèmsto kill time siéu dins mi cinq crousto be between forty and fifty years old un an dins l'autreone year with another, on average A toujou un pet que li courrehe's always got some small nagging worry À cado còup, li toumbo un ueiit never happens Agué lou bàti-bàtito have one's heart racing Data de l'an pebreto date back a very long time Es un gros mau-gracioushe's a grumpy, unhelpful sort L'ouro dei broussoa very late hour La verita a coumo l'òli, revèn toujou dessusthe truth always rises to the surface in the end Lou tèms de tua un ai à còup de figo/de poungan extremely long time, an eternity Piéu piéu piéu, toujou viéuhowever small the steps, one always gets there Quand Jèsu pourtavo de braietoa very long time ago Quand lei pijoun tetarannever Ris quouro si brulohe or she never laughs

Nature

plòu e fai soulèu, lou diable bat sa fremosun and rain together: the devil is beating his wife la luno es fousco, deman o plòu o boufowhen the moon is hazy, tomorrow brings rain or wind fai lou tèms di damothe weather is mild and fickle fai soulèu à la Santo-Baumothe sun is shining over la Sainte-Baume quand li gabian vènon en terro, marco de marrit tèmswhen gulls come ashore, bad weather is coming fai un fre de loupit's bitterly cold fai fre que peloit's a freezing, biting cold fai un caud ensucantit's a dazing, heavy heat fai mi vèire uno oulivo à Sant Jean, t'en farai vèire milo à toussantshow me one olive at Saint John's, I'll show you a thousand at All Saints' quand plòu lou proumié de mai, de coudoun n'i a gairain on the first of May means few quinces À-n-Aubagno, quand plòu, si bagnoin Aubagne, when it rains, you get wet (a mock statement of the obvious) Juga à gàrri/à gàrri-babauto play at flashing sunlight in someone's eyes with a mirror Lou soulèu mi fa canta…the sun puts me in a singing mood Miés un que saup que cènt que cerconbetter one who knows than a hundred who search Si gela leis amendounto be freezing cold Toumbo de pèiro de moulinit's raining extremely hard