Deuxième Jeu de Mots Trivia Quiz

Answer: trois

'Le mènage à trois' is a typical feature of a French film, a woman with two love interests, or a husband with two love interests. 'Ménage' means household, housekeeping. 'Un restaurant trois étoiles' is a three star restaurant in the coveted Guide Michelin, unlike a three star hotel which isn't as good as a four star. There are very few of the former in France.

Answer: coup

'Un coup' is a blow. 'Un coup d'état' is literally 'stroke of state'. 'Un coup de grâce' is the last decisive blow that makes the opponent lose. 'Un coup de pompe' is a sudden feeling of tiredness. 'Coup de bambou' is a rip-off in terms of price (it also means the same as 'coup de pompe').

Answer: mousse

'Le pamplemousse' is grapefruit, 'mousse à raser' is shaving cream, 'passer une mousse' is to beat up.

Answer: vol

Un vol au vent is a pastry shell into which savory fillings are put and baked. Un anti-vol is a lock for your bike or motorcycle. A vol d'oiseau means a short distance. Un vol de voiture is a car theft. The word vol (the verb is voler) can mean both flight and theft.

Answer: quatre

'Un quatre-quarts' is a cake, like a pound cake, with equal weight of butter, sugar, flour and eggs; 'couper les cheveux en quatre' is to split hair. 'Si tu dis les quatre verités à quelqu'un', you're telling them no holds barred the truth as you see it. 'Si tu ne vas pas par quatre chemins', you're not beating around the bush, you are getting straight to the point. 'Le quatre heures' is a snack as it was eaten at four traditionally after school. 'Quatre feuilles' is the quatrefoil or four-leafed ornament or symbol.

Answer: deux

'Deux avis valent mieux qu'un' is two heads are better than one; in this sentence, 'un avis' is an opinion. 'Un pas de deux' is a dance with a couple in a ballet. 'Tenir et promettre sont deux', translates as 'to promise and to maintain a promise are two distinct things', meaning actions speak better than words; 'j'habite à deux pas d'ici' is 'I live a short way from here' (a hop, skip and a jump).

Answer: sept

The seven cardinal sins, seven days a week, 'The Seven Year Itch' in French, famous film by Billy Wilder starring Marilyn Monroe in 1955. 'Le septennat' is the seven year presidential term.

Answer: peau

'Faire peau neuve' is to turn over a new leaf, 'je t'ai dans ma peau' translates as I've got you under my skin, 'Son fils est mal dans sa peau' would mean her/his son is very awkward or mentally not in good shape. 'Peau de serpent' is snakeskin, thankfully the fashion seems to be waning for the snake print lingerie, why, you could barely fit a snake's stripes on some of those items! 'Vendre la peau d'ours' is to count your chickens before they've hatched, or literally, to sell the bearskin before you've killed the bear.

Answer: blanc

A chicken breast is 'blanc de poule', never ever say 'le sein de poulet' as you'll get a big laugh. True, they use 'je voudrais travailler au sein de votre enterprise' for 'I'd like to work in your company'. Black and white is 'noir et blanc', 'le drapeau blanc' is of course the white flag. 'Un marriage en blanc' is a marriage for appearances only and not consummated.

The marriage of Andie McDowell and Gérard Depardieu in 'Green Card' was one. 'Le blanc de l'oeuf' is eggwhite, as opposed to 'le jaune d'oeuf'.

Answer: orange

'Peau d'orange' means cellulite, which the French are constantly terrorized about 'catching' - every spring they get out a campaign with a slim lady still finding it by pinching herself with a clothespin. 'Amer, amère' means bitter, orange marmelade is 'confiture d'orange', 'écorce' is peel, Guillaume d'Orange is of course William of Orange.