Wednesday 26 March 2014

Famous French Quotes


The French are known to be one of the most expressive people in the world. They say that they never keep anything within their hearts, they are loud and open when they love someone, and even if they hate someone! We all know about how romantic the French are and the number of famous French sayings and phrases that they have written about love and life. This article will allow you to re create the same magic of love and life, just as the French see it. Mentioned below is a collection of famous French quotes written beautifully by many French authors. There is a mix of quotes in French language and English.

French Quotes About Life

Life is just one journey! It is a journey with different experiences and different perceptions. Not all have the same eye to feel and see the unseen beauty of life. However, among the various authors who have written different meaningful quotes on life, let us have a look at some beautiful sayings, that to me, were an inspiration to live life in a better way.

  • French: Il y a deux manires d'tre malheureux: ou dsirer ce que l'on n'a pas, ou possder ce que l'on dsirait. Louys
    English: There are two ways to become unhappy: to desire what you don't have or to have finally gotten what you have desired.
  • French: Les homes ne croient jamais les autres capables de ce qu'ils ne le sont pas eux-mmes. De Gondi.
    English: People never believe others capable of doing that which they themselves are not capable of doing.
  • French: Le travail loigne de nous trois grands maux: l'ennui, le vice et le besoin. Voltaire
    English: Work delivers us from three great evils: boredom, vice and want.
  • French: Il est difficle de vaincre ses passions, et impossible de les satisfaire. De La Sablire
    English: It is difficult to master your passions and impossible to satisfy them.
  • French: Il y a des gens qui n'ont de leur fortune que la crainte de la perdre. Rivarol
    English: There are those who get nothing out of their fortune other than the fear of losing it.
  • French: Je me suis souvent repenti d'avoir parl, mais jamais de m'tre tu. De Commynes
    English: I have often regretted having spoken, but never for having not.
  • French: Un sot trouve toujours un plus sot qui l'admire. Boileau
    English: A fool can always find an even bigger fool to admire him.
  • French: Comprendre, c'est pardoner. De Stael
    English: To understand is to forgive.
  • French: A vaincre sans pril, on triomphe sans gloire. Corneille
    English: To win without risk is a triumph without glory.
French Quotes about Life in English

Apart from the aforementioned French quotes which are translated for you in English, mentioned below are some additional quotes written by famous French authors. Have a look!
  • Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her: but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game. Voltaire
  • Come to the edge, he said. They said: We are afraid. Come to the edge, he said. They came. He pushed them and they flew. Guillaume Apollinaire
  • The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be. Marcel Pagnol
  • Everything you want is out there waiting for you to ask. Everything you want also wants you. But you have to take action to get it. Jules Renard
  • Our wretched species is so made that those who walk on the well-trodden path always throw stones at those who are showing a new road. Voltaire
  • We never live; we are always in the expectation of living. Voltaire
  • Life is thickly sown with thorns, and I know no other remedy than to pass quickly through them. The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us. Voltaire
French Quotes About Love

We all are aware of how romantic the French are!!! There are endless songs, poetry and sayings about love. Let's have a look at some of them and get into the feel of love and romance..., all in the French style.
  • French: Le plus grand faible des hommes, c'est l'amour qu'ils ont de la vie. Molire
    English: Man's greatest weakness is his love of life.
  • French: C'est cela l'amour, tout donner, tout sacrifier sans espoir de retour. Albert Camus
    English: That is love, giving away everything without the slightest desire to get anything in return .
  • French: Quand il me prend dans les bras, Il me parle tout bas, Je vois la vie en rose. Edith Piaf
    English: When he takes me in his arms, and speaks to me softly, I see the world through rose-colored glasses.
  • French: Le prix d'Amour, c'est seulement Amour.... Voltaire
    English: The price of love can only be love itself, therefore love others to be showered with love yourself.
  • French: Aimer et tre aim sera la grande affaire de toute notre vie. Rousseau
    English: To love and be loved will be the greatest event in our lives.
  • French: Amour veut tout sans nombre, amour n'a point de loi. Pierre de Ronsard
    English: Love wants everything without condition, love has no law.
French Quotes About Love in English

Love has no language, it is just an expression which is not expressed in words...all you can feel and see are the actions. Mentioned below are some famous love quotes written by french authors in English. Have a look!
  • Love is being stupid together. Paul Valery
  • Love is like an hourglass, with the heart filling up as the brain empties. Jules Renard
  • Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction. Antoine de Saint-Exupery
  • There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved. George Sand
  • There are three things I have always loved, and never understood - painting, music, women. Fontenelle
  • Love is the exchange of two fantasies and the contact of two skins. Chamfort
If you feel like tickling your funny bone, you can also go through these funny French Sayings. I hope you enjoyed having an experience of French thinking through these quotes. I know I did. Enjoy!

Famous French Quotes Rating: 4.5 Diposkan Oleh: Anonymous