Fiche à imprimer : Raining cats and dogs : les expressions avec des animaux (4e)

Anglais	Français
It's raining cats and dogs.	Il pleut des cordes.
to let the cat out of the bag	vendre la mèche
the elephant in the room	le sujet qu'on évite (alors que tout le monde y pense)
I've got butterflies in my stomach.	J'ai le trac (des papillons dans le ventre).
like a fish out of water	pas dans son élément (comme un poisson hors de l'eau)
as busy as a bee	très occupé(e)

L'anglais adore les expressions avec des animaux ! Elles ne se traduisent jamais mot à mot : It's raining cats and dogs veut dire « il pleut des cordes », to let the cat out of the bag veut dire « vendre la mèche ». D'autres ressemblent au français : to kill two birds with one stone (faire d'une pierre deux coups). Pour les retenir, le mieux est de les imaginer en dessin !

Mise en situation : dans la cour

Lily : Look outside! It's raining cats and dogs!

Regarde dehors ! Il pleut des cordes !

Max : Great... and I've got butterflies in my stomach. I've got my drama exam this afternoon.

Super... et j'ai le trac. J'ai mon examen de théâtre cet après-midi.

Lily : Don't worry! By the way, it's Sam's birthday tomorrow. We're planning a surprise party.

Ne t'inquiète pas ! Au fait, c'est l'anniversaire de Sam demain. On prépare une fête surprise.

Max : Shh! Don't let the cat out of the bag! He's right behind you!

Chut ! Ne vends pas la mèche ! Il est juste derrière toi !

Lily : Oops! I hope he didn't hear. I'm as busy as a bee this week.

Oups ! J'espère qu'il n'a pas entendu. Je suis débordée cette semaine.

Max : Me too. At the new club, I feel like a fish out of water!

Moi aussi. Au nouveau club, je ne me sens pas dans mon élément !

À retenir

an idiom, an expression, a cat, a dog, an elephant, butterflies, a fish, a bee, a bird.
raining cats and dogs ; let the cat out of the bag ; the elephant in the room ; butterflies in my stomach ; a fish out of water ; as busy as a bee ; kill two birds with one stone.

Exercice 1 : Les expressions avec des animaux : exercice 1 (QCM)

« Il pleut des cordes. »
1. It's raining cats and dogs.
2. It's raining cows and pigs.
3. It's raining fish and birds.
« vendre la mèche »
1. to let the cat out of the bag
2. to let the dog out of the box
3. to put the cat in the bag
« J'ai le trac. »
1. I've got fish in my stomach.
2. I've got bees in my head.
3. I've got butterflies in my stomach.
« le sujet qu'on évite »
1. the mouse in the house
2. the lion in the kitchen
3. the elephant in the room
« pas dans son élément »
1. like a cat on a mat
2. like a bird in the sky
3. like a fish out of water
« très occupé »
1. as busy as a cow
2. as busy as a sloth
3. as busy as a bee
« faire d'une pierre deux coups »
1. to kill two birds with one stone
2. to kill two cats with one stone
3. to throw two stones at a bird
Une expression idiomatique se traduit...
1. jamais
2. toujours mot à mot
3. rarement mot à mot
« Au fait »
1. By the road
2. By the way
3. On the way of
« une expression idiomatique »
1. an idiom
2. an idol
3. an idiot

Exercice 2 : Les expressions avec des animaux : exercice 2 (à compléter)

It's raining cats and .......................... !
I've got butterflies in my .......................... .
Don't let the cat out of the .......................... !
I'm as busy as a .......................... .
I feel like a fish out of .......................... .
the .......................... in the room
to kill two .......................... with one stone
By the .......................... , it's Sam's birthday.
I hope he didn't .......................... .
We're planning a surprise .......................... .

Exercice 3 : Les expressions avec des animaux : mise en situation

Il pleut des cordes !
1. It's raining dogs and cats of!
2. It raining cats and dogs!
3. It's raining cats and dogs!
J'ai le trac.
1. I've got butterflies in my stomach.
2. I got butterflies on my stomach.
3. I've got butterfly in my stomach.
On prépare une fête surprise.
1. We planning a surprise party.
2. We're planning a surprise party.
3. We're planing a surprise party.
Ne vends pas la mèche !
1. Don't let the cat out of the bag!
2. Not let the cat out of the bag!
3. Don't let the cat in the bag!
Il est juste derrière toi.
1. He's right before you!
2. He's right behind you!
3. He right behind you!
J'espère qu'il n'a pas entendu.
1. I hope he didn't heard.
2. I hope he didn't hear.
3. I hope he don't hear.
Je suis débordée cette semaine.
1. I'm so busy as bee this week.
2. I'm as busy like a bee this week.
3. I'm as busy as a bee this week.
Je ne me sens pas dans mon élément.
1. I feel as a fish out water.
2. I feel like a fish out of water.
3. I feel like a fish in the water.
Personne ne parle du problème évident.
1. Nobody talks about the elephant in the room.
2. Nobody talks about the mouse in the room.
3. Anybody talks about the elephant in the room.
J'ai fait d'une pierre deux coups.
1. I kill two birds with one stone yesterday.
2. I killed two birds with one stone.
3. I killed two cats with one stone.

Corrigé

Exercice 1

1. a) It's raining cats and dogs. · 2. a) to let the cat out of the bag · 3. c) I've got butterflies in my stomach. · 4. c) the elephant in the room · 5. c) like a fish out of water · 6. c) as busy as a bee · 7. a) to kill two birds with one stone · 8. c) rarement mot à mot · 9. b) By the way · 10. a) an idiom

Exercice 2

1. dogs · 2. stomach · 3. bag · 4. bee · 5. water · 6. elephant · 7. birds · 8. way · 9. hear · 10. party

Exercice 3

1. c) It's raining cats and dogs! · 2. a) I've got butterflies in my stomach. · 3. b) We're planning a surprise party. · 4. a) Don't let the cat out of the bag! · 5. b) He's right behind you! · 6. b) I hope he didn't hear. · 7. c) I'm as busy as a bee this week. · 8. b) I feel like a fish out of water. · 9. a) Nobody talks about the elephant in the room. · 10. b) I killed two birds with one stone.