Et voilá!

No need to pardon our French! We use these expressions every day

Image: Etienne Girardet

Did you know you’re probably speaking French without even realizing it? That’s right! From wine to wardrobes, French and its elegance have slipped into our everyday conversations, with words and expressions that make us feel très sophisticated. If you’ve ever met a sommelier, or if you’ve bought a prêt-à-porter item for that special summer holiday, these French words have had your back without you even noticing. Let’s explore these borrowed terms, uncover their origins, and see how they’ve seamlessly blended into our English chatter. Grab your beret, it’s time to feel fancy!

Image: Anton Mislawsky

Ever wondered who that poised, polished person recommending wine at a fancy restaurant is? That’s your sommelier: A wine expert whose job is to make you look like a connoisseur without lifting a finger.

The word comes from Old French, originally referring to someone who managed wine supplies. These days, it’s all about pairing your steak with the perfect cabernet. Who doesn’t love a nice pairing? Cheers to that, or to put it better, santé!

Image: Aneta Pawlik

What’s purple, pear-shaped, and sounds way fancier in French? The aubergine, of course! While Americans call it eggplant, the French (and British too) stick with "aubergine," a word derived from Arabic and filtered through French.

It’s a favorite in dishes like ratatouille, making it a star of French cuisine. Even if you’re not a fan of its slightly spongy texture, you have to admit the name gives it an air of culinary sophistication. Saying "aubergine" instead of "eggplant" just makes you feel fancier, don’t you think?

Image: Camille Brodard

We don’t know about you, but this one puts a smile on us just when reading it. A "boutique" isn’t just any old shop; it’s a small, stylish space brimming with unique finds.

The word literally means "shop" in French, but here, it’s used to describe those cozy little stores that make you want to browse for hours.

On a similar note, its use in tourism has grown popular, since "boutique hotels" are small but exclusive accommodations. You see? It only takes a French word to make it luxurious!

Image: Austin Tate

You probably use this one more than you think. Why, you may ask? Because it’s not the same to say something is small as to say something is "petite."

Used in all kinds of contexts, like a dainty piece of jewelry, a tiny home, or even someone who is of a smaller height, it sprinkles the object with elegance.

Fun fact: In French, "petite" is the feminine form, while "petit" is masculine. Either way, it’s proof that good things often come in small (and chic) packages.

Image: Joshua Rodriguez

Hiring an au pair isn’t just about childcare; it’s about cultural exchange, and it’s quite a common practice in our country.

This French term means "on equal terms," highlighting the idea that au pairs become part of the family while they’re learning the language and helping out at the house.

It originated in Europe, but the tradition has spread worldwide. If you’ve ever met an au pair, you know they’re like a babysitter, language tutor, and cultural ambassador all rolled into one. Très international!

Image: Laura Gariglio

Chauffeur is a word that screams luxury, doesn’t it? Well, it’s more luxurious than saying "taxi driver." This French term originally meant "stoker," referring to the person who kept early steam-powered cars running.

Nowadays, it’s all about a nice ride and comfort, and even if it is more commonly used to talk about a private chauffeur, it can also describe public transport drivers. So, we can say we all have one, right?

Image: Florian Siedl

Whether you’re stuck on a crossword puzzle or facing a tricky decision, you might need an impasse. That is, take a break, breathe in, and face the fact that there’s no clear solution at that point.

This word is French for "dead end," which feels fitting when you’re going in circles, right? Thankfully, most impasses are temporary; give it time, and you’ll find a way forward. And hey, using a fancy word to describe your predicament might just make it feel a little less frustrating.

Image: Clark Street Mercantile

Prêt-à-porter is fashion talk for clothes you can buy off the rack. Literally meaning "ready to wear," it’s the opposite of haute couture (also French), where outfits are custom-made.

This term gained popularity in the mid-20th century as fashion houses began offering stylish yet accessible options for the masses.

All the clothes we buy today are prêt-à-porter; who needs a tailor when the French have already thought of everything?

Image: Helcim Payments

If you’ve ever been to a hotel, you’ve met a concierge. Need dinner reservations, theater tickets, or directions to the best local café? They’ve got you covered.

The word itself comes from Old French, meaning "keeper of keys," which makes sense given their knack for unlocking great experiences. Don’t forget to tip them, and your stay will go smoothly!

Image: Nathanaël Desmeules

Ever get into a playful debate and have to admit your opponent made a zinger of a point? That’s when you drop a well-timed "touché."

Borrowed from fencing, where it means "touched," this French term signals that someone has landed a verbal hit. Kind of like saying "Mic-drop," you know? When you say it, you’re allowed to feel a little smug afterward; it’s all part of the fun.

Image: Nick Fewings

In French, chapeau means "hat," but it’s also a way of saying "well done" or "kudos." And if you’re wondering what these two concepts have to do with each other, think of the tip-of-the-cap gesture we do when we want to acknowledge someone’s effort or brilliance.

Like many other expressions, using the foreign version gives it an extra something, especially if it is a compliment! Plus, it’s fun to say. Try it out, and you’ll feel like you’re straight out of a Parisian café.

Terms of venery

Ever been tortured by a pandemonium? Decoding animal collective nouns

Image: Junchen Zhou

Have you ever, while taking a nightly stroll, found yourself in front of a "parliament"? You might have, if there are owls where you live. Or maybe you laughed at an "embarrassment" video online, lovingly filmed by giant panda caretakers. These strange, arguably poetic names assigned to groups of different types of animals are called "terms of venery," and they have long puzzled and fascinated people. What about a herd of wildebeest that inspired the name "confusion"? Let’s look at the stories behind these names and try to decide our favorite.

Image: Roshan Dadhe

Maybe it was their silent flight or their ability to see at night that led the Ancient Greeks to associate owls with wisdom. In their myths, these solemn nocturnal creatures were the symbol of Athena, the goddess of wisdom and reason. That bond never went away, and hundreds of years ago, texts started, jokingly and poetically, referring to groups of owls as "parliaments."

What’s worse, owls rarely congregate in large flocks—in general, they are solitary hunters. That’s why their gatherings can feel like eerie, secretive councils.

When they do get together, they can also be called a "hooting," referring to their peculiar call, or a "stare." This one is not surprising—can you imagine 10 pairs of big, unblinking owl eyes fixed on your own?

Image: Danne

What are the wildebeest confused about? Arguably, migration. These mammals from Eastern Africa are known for their erratic movements during their annual treks. They have been observed changing their group direction abruptly and unpredictably, puzzling humans and predators alike.

Their unpredictability has earned them this funny term of venery, but clearly, wildebeest know what they are doing. Each year, they travel between 500 and 1,000 miles to avoid the dry season, and their migration is admired as a spectacular event to witness in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem.

Image: Alexander Savchuk

The association between crows and bad omens is not a 20th-century cinema invention. The term "murder of crows" has been in use since at least the 15th century, backed by superstitions and folklore.

Their black feathers and scavenging habits earned them a bad reputation. They were often spotted near battlefields and cemeteries, which reinforced their association with death.

It is believed that their gatherings began being called "murders" in medieval England. Nowadays, however, we know that crows are friendlier than their reputation suggests—they have been known to defend each other against predators and even bring gifts to humans who feed them.

​

Image: Serrah Galos

The poetic term "cauldron" is reserved for large groups of bats flying in concentrated patterns around a particular area. It refers to the swirling formations they create when they swarm. It also fits perfectly with their association with Halloween. Of course, the term was assigned to them for their association with nocturnal mystery.

Other terms used for groups of bats include "colony," "cloud," "swarm," "flight," and "camp." The most common scientific term is "colony," because they tend to roost together in caves or trees. Also, just so you know, baby bats are called "pups."

Image: Amber Kipp

Why would alligators congregate? Their collective term "congregation" was given because they would gather under very specific circumstances. They are usually solitary creatures, but they come together in larger groups during mating seasons, when resources like food or basking space are limited, or when water bodies shrink.

They aren’t social animals, which means they aren’t there to make friends—they gather purely for practical needs and survival. Aside from "congregation," a group of alligators can also be called a "float" when they are gliding through water, or a "bask" when they are sunbathing on land.

Image: Magda Ehlers

If you’ve ever had the fortune of sitting or walking under a tree full of parrots, you might guess why that group is called a "pandemonium." Their chaotic, loud, and sometimes annoying uproar earned them this term of venery, which compares them to hell.

Pandæmonium was a word coined by writer John Milton in his 17th-century work Paradise Lost to refer to the capital of Hell where all demons resided. In Greek, pan means "all" and daimonion means "lesser god." That is exactly the term that was chosen to refer to an intolerable group of parrots, clever and beautiful as the creatures may be.

Image: Kinø

Stingrays can gather by the thousands during migrations, and most of us can only imagine that subaquatic image. When they navigate currents together, they can resemble what we know above water as bird formations.

This graceful, coordinated frenzy of stingrays was poetically called a "fever." The term comes from Old English, which referred to quick or restless movement. Because they are fish, their groups can also be called a "school" or a "shoal." These terms themselves derive from the Dutch word schole which means a troop or a crowd.

Image: Cristina Andrea Alvarez Cruz

Lemurs—especially species like ring-tailed lemurs—are known for their keen, inquisitive nature, with speed and size perfect for squeezing into whichever scene they choose. This mischievous, coordinated behavior has earned them the collective noun "conspiracy."

Unlike owls or alligators, lemurs are highly social animals. They are also very communicative, using rituals, scents, and calls to convey meaning to each other. That’s another reason humans have imagined they are up to secret plots. Their groups can also be referred to as a "troop" or a "cluster."

Image: Irina Anastasiu

Of all the species in the animal kingdom, lions have always enjoyed the best branding. Their manes, strength, and elegance have earned them a cultural association with royalty since the Middle Ages. While "pride" is the most common and culturally significant term, groups of lions are also referred to as "saults" or "troops" in older texts.

A lion’s pride typically runs like a family, with females and their offspring being led by a few males in the group. Prides usually consist of between 10 and 30 members and roam a territory defended by males, while females serve as the primary hunters.

Image: Pixabay

Geese might look majestic when flying in V-shaped formations, but they can also be a messy lot when chattering on land. When flying, they are called a "skein," "team," or "wedge" (referring to their V-shape). On land, however, their disorganized honking and flapping earned them the term "gaggle."

Like many of these terms, "gaggle" was most likely assigned by Medieval huntsmen, echoing the honking "gagel" sound they made as a group. As admirable as their flying formation and social dynamics are, geese can be very loud and even violent with their feet on the ground.

Image: Greece-China News

Giant pandas are legendarily clumsy. These bamboo lovers are known for their slow movements, goofy tumbles, and a tendency to get themselves into absurd situations—like getting stuck upside down or rolling down hills.

The word "embarrassment" comes from the French word embarras, which means "obstacle" or "hindrance." But the term was likely not adopted for strictly etymological or biological reasons. Instead, it meant to transmit the essence of what 19th-century, English-speaking hunters and naturalists observed when they traveled to China to study and collect pandas. Groups of pandas can also be known as "bamboos" or "cupboards"—the last term remains a still-debated mystery.