Provençal expression

à l'aise coume un pèis dins l'aigo

Feelings

Literal translation

as at ease as a fish in the water

Meaning

as comfortable as a fish in water

Explanation

This comparison describes a state of perfect ease, whether physical or moral, within a given situation. The image is plain and transparent: the fish moves through water without the slightest effort, in its natural element, and that ease becomes the model for any human ease, whether it concerns comfort in a place, mastery of a skill, or the feeling of well-being among familiar people. Literal and figurative meaning coincide almost entirely, which makes this an everyday comparison used in ordinary conversation without any particular register. It typically follows a verb of state or motion (to feel, to be, to find oneself) to underline how well a situation suits someone. The construction rests on the preposition dins followed by the elided article, and on the comparative coume, both very regular features of Provençal that present no difficulty to a learner of the language.

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Other expressions on the same theme

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