Character

The Provençal expressions on the theme “Character” gather 170 traditional sayings, presented in Mistralian spelling with their meaning in English.

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