Provençal expression

Agué lou bòmi

The Body

Literal translation

to have the vomit

Meaning

to feel nauseous

Explanation

The word bòmi refers directly to nausea and vomiting, with no figurative detour: agué lou bòmi simply means feeling sick to one's stomach, having that urge to throw up that comes with physical discomfort. The expression is pronounced with strong stress on the o, which sets it apart to the ear from similar-sounding forms and makes it easy to recognize in conversation. It belongs to the everyday vocabulary of the body and its discomforts, alongside expressions describing fever, headache, or fatigue, and is used in a strictly descriptive way, carrying no particular judgment about the person affected. It can describe a child carsick on a trip just as well as an adult upset by a smell or overeating. The register is neutral and practical, typical of everyday Provençal used to signal a precise physical state to those around.

Browse all 432 Provençal expressions

Other expressions on the same theme

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