Learn French Idioms with Me #5/100
Avoir le beurre et l’argent du beurre
Learning a new language can be really exciting, but the leap from the conversational level to fluency can seem to last forever.
However, understanding and mastering common idioms can be the key to unlocking fluency and gaining true proficiency in a foreign tongue.
Idiomatic expressions tremendously enhance your communication skills, make you sound more natural, and provide important cultural hints. This is the case with today’s French expression, which points to the popularity of butter in French cuisine: avoir le beurre et l’argent du beurre.
Meaning and examples
This idiom literally means “to have the butter and the money from (selling) the butter.” In English, one would say “to have your cake and eat it, too.” Variations in this expression can include the verbs vouloir (to want), obtenir (to obtain), or réclamer (to claim) le beurre et l’argent du beurre.
In other words, this idiom suggests the necessity of making a choice: you can either have the butter or can sell it and have the money for it, but not both. For example:
« Justement, tu en profites. Tu as le beurre et l’argent du beurre ! »
