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Absurd French 200 Trivia Quiz

Here is yet another absurd French quiz for those of you who need something beyond 'comment allez-vous?'. After all, what if a chicken alights on your head, or a frog in your soup? Pour maman, de sa bruyere, bon anniversaire.

A multiple-choice quiz by Bruyere. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Bruyere

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
52,031

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
12 / 15

Plays
7332

Awards
Top 10% Quiz

Last 3 plays: wellenbrecher (15/15), mungojerry (14/15), alythman (12/15).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. M. Maupin promenait son caniche quand soudain l'autruche est apparue sur l'horizon. Hint

Mr. Maupin was walking with his pocketknife when suddenly the ostrich appeared on the horizon.

Mr. Maupin was walking his ostrich in Sudan when suddenly Austria was invaded horizontally.

Mr. Maupin was walking his poodle when suddenly the ostrich appeared on the horizon.

Mr. Maupin was taking his poodle to the prom when suddenly Austria was on the horizon.

NEXT>

Question 2 of 15

2. Le perroquet de ma voisine sait chanter la Marseillaise. Hint

My parrot's neighbor can sing the Marseillaise.

My neighbor's wig sings the Marseillaise.

My neighbor's parrot can sing the Marseillaise.

Your neighbor's parrot wears a wig from Marseille.

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Question 3 of 15

3. Jean a rempli la cafeti�re d'eau. Hint

Jean entered the flooded cafeteria.

Jean washed the coffee pot with water.

Jean, fill that coffee pot up with water.

Jean filled the coffee pot up with water.

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Question 4 of 15

4. Jeanne a rempli son reservoir d'essence avec de l'huile. Hint

Jeanne filled up her gas tank with oil.

Jeanne went to the reservoir to get some oil.

Jeanne filled up her coffee pot with gas.

Jeanne filled her salad bowl with oil.

NEXT>

Question 5 of 15

5. Les vieilles dames tricotaient sur le banc devant la boulangerie. Hint

The old ladies were hitchhiking in front of the bowling alley.

The old ladies were knitting on the bench in front of the bank.

The old ladies were knitting on the bench in front of the bakery.

The old ladies were tending geese in the barnyard.

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Question 6 of 15

6. Mme Henri a fait une tarte aux pommes pour son mari. Hint

Madame Henri made an apple pie for her husband.

Mme Henri would have made an apple pie for her husband.

Mme Henri will make an apple pie for her husband.

Mme Henri's husband is making her an apple pie.

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Question 7 of 15

7. Vous n'auriez pas un balai � me preter? Hint

You wouldn't happen to have a broom you could loan me?

Do you have a ticket to the ballet you could sell me?

You don't have a whale I could borrow?

Have you seen a whale with a broom go by?

NEXT>

Question 8 of 15

8. Excusez moi, mais votre chat vient de manger mon cale�on. Hint

Excuse me, but your cat is eating my boxer shorts.

Excuse me, but your cat's just eaten my boxer shorts.

Excuse me, your cat has eaten my hamster.

Excuse me, but your cat's eating my fishhook.

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Question 9 of 15

9. Avez-vous lu 'la Guerre et la Paix'? Hint

Have you read 'War and Peace'?

Have you seen the 'Brothers Karamosov'?

Have you seen my 'War and Peace'?

Are you reading 'War and Peace'?

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Question 10 of 15

10. Prete-moi ton stylo, j'en ai besoin. Hint

The priest needs your pen, and so do I.

Loan me your pen, I need it.

Can you style my hair? I need it!

The priest has a great hairstyle, I wish I did.

NEXT>

Question 11 of 15

11. La propret� de sa voiture laisse un peu � desirer. Hint

The cleanliness of his car leaves something to be desired.

He has no desire to own a car.

The ownership of his car is greatly desired.

The cleanliness of your car fills me with desire.

NEXT>

Question 12 of 15

12. Chaque fois qu'il y a un courant d'air, j'attrape un rhume! Hint

Every time he is there in the stream, I trap a fish.

Every time there's an air current, I catch a shock.

Every time there's a draft, I catch a cold.

Every time he has a cold, I have a draft beer.

NEXT>

Question 13 of 15

13. Quand la nuit tombe, les oiseaux se couchent. Hint

When night falls, birds hide.

When nighttime fell, the birds went to bed.

When night falls, the birds go to bed.

When the damage is assessed, the birds will fall.

NEXT>

Question 14 of 15

14. Veuillez ne pas pi�tiner les plantations. Hint

Please do not rollerskate on the plantations.

Please don't feed the plants.

Please don't plant the pedestrians.

Please do not trample the flower beds.

NEXT>

Question 15 of 15

15. Savez-vous planter les clous? Hint

Do you know how to hammer in nails?

Do you know how to solve clues?

Do you know how to plant cabbage?

Do you know how to paint nutmeg?

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 17 2024 : wellenbrecher: 15/15
Nov 13 2024 : mungojerry: 14/15
Nov 13 2024 : alythman: 12/15
Oct 29 2024 : Warrior100: 13/15
Oct 29 2024 : genoveva: 13/15
Oct 25 2024 : Guest 1: 6/15
Oct 24 2024 : Guest 87: 13/15
Oct 22 2024 : ken kramer: 9/15
Oct 18 2024 : Guest 198: 12/15

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. M. Maupin promenait son caniche quand soudain l'autruche est apparue sur l'horizon.

Answer: Mr. Maupin was walking his poodle when suddenly the ostrich appeared on the horizon.

Hope these didn't trip you up: pocketknife = canif, Autriche = Austria. Poodles are rapidly disappearing from the canine horizon, German shepherds have taken over in popularity. Yorkshires and other breeds are a close second.

2. Le perroquet de ma voisine sait chanter la Marseillaise.

Answer: My neighbor's parrot can sing the Marseillaise.

You'd never believe me when I tell you that this is the absolute truth, not if I stand on a stack of Bibles, so I guess I won't! The bird actually does sing the French national anthem, and many other selections such as radio slogans it hears. It has been mentioned in a book or two.

3. Jean a rempli la cafeti�re d'eau.

Answer: Jean filled the coffee pot up with water.

That was boring wasn't it? Had to put a few easy ones or else it would have been totally absurd!

4. Jeanne a rempli son reservoir d'essence avec de l'huile.

Answer: Jeanne filled up her gas tank with oil.

I suppose I shouldn't have chosen a woman to be filling up a gas tank with oil, but it's done. It could happen to a man too!

5. Les vieilles dames tricotaient sur le banc devant la boulangerie.

Answer: The old ladies were knitting on the bench in front of the bakery.

I bet you got this one. The goose tending thing is the origin of the story of Mother Goose supposedly, as the older women told stories and looked after the geese! 'Les contes de la mere oie' by Perrault reflects this. Now they just stuff geese full of food to make foie gras.

6. Mme Henri a fait une tarte aux pommes pour son mari.

Answer: Madame Henri made an apple pie for her husband.

I have never seen a husband making a pie here, there must be some, but I haven't seen one yet. Perhaps they go to the boulangerie!

7. Vous n'auriez pas un balai � me preter?

Answer: You wouldn't happen to have a broom you could loan me?

In case this tricked you, baleine = whale. By the way, a current expression that is popular in France is 'dumb as a broom handle'. I suppose it's about as logical as 'dumb as a doornail'! Or maybe someone missing a few tools from the shed.

8. Excusez moi, mais votre chat vient de manger mon cale�on.

Answer: Excuse me, but your cat's just eaten my boxer shorts.

Boxers are generally called cale�on. Fish hooks are called hame�ons. Vient de manger = just eaten, en train de = is eating.

9. Avez-vous lu 'la Guerre et la Paix'?

Answer: Have you read 'War and Peace'?

Has anyone ever finished it? Honestly?

10. Prete-moi ton stylo, j'en ai besoin.

Answer: Loan me your pen, I need it.

Pretre = priest. Stylographe was the original word, which became 'stylo' and stands for pen. Otherwise you might say 'Bic' as they are the most common ones used in France.

11. La propret� de sa voiture laisse un peu � desirer.

Answer: The cleanliness of his car leaves something to be desired.

The cleanliness of my car left a great deal to be desired, I spent an hour cleaning it, and then found my hubcaps had been stolen overnight! Les enjoliveurs if you ever need to know!

12. Chaque fois qu'il y a un courant d'air, j'attrape un rhume!

Answer: Every time there's a draft, I catch a cold.

Common belief in France. And don't even think about turning on a fan! The French think it's certain death, or that it gives backaches or stirs up the dust. I guess it might be possible, but I prefer a fan!

13. Quand la nuit tombe, les oiseaux se couchent.

Answer: When night falls, the birds go to bed.

14. Veuillez ne pas pi�tiner les plantations.

Answer: Please do not trample the flower beds.

I collect these signs, because French is so often masked in politeness that you have no idea of what they are talking about. 'Keep off the grass' is harsh in comparison.

15. Savez-vous planter les clous?

Answer: Do you know how to hammer in nails?

clou de girofle = nutmeg. 'Chou' as in the song is cabbage. Un marteau is a hammer, but it's not used as a verb. The Word 'Planter' can also be used to ditch a boyfriend or girlfriend, or anyone. It also means 'to get lost' or be mistaken.

Source: Author Bruyere

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