French Idioms and Proverbs / A Companion to Deshumbert's "Dictionary of Difficulties"

by de V. Payen-Payne

Je ne sais à quel saint me vouer = I do not know which way to turn.

Vouloir

*Vouloir c’est pouvoir = Where there’s a will there’s a way.

[Also: La volonté rend tout possible.

“Impossible est un mot que je ne dis jamais.”—Collin d’Harleville, Malice pour Malice, i. 8.

Napoléon I., in a letter to Lemarois, 9th July 1813, wrote: “Ce n’est pas possible, m’écrivez vous, cela n’est pas Français.”

“Mirabeau disait un jour à son secrétaire: ‘Impossible! ne me dites jamais ce bête de mot.’”—Dumont, Vie de Mirabeau, quoted in Carlyle’s French Revolution, vol. ii. p. 118.]

Que voulez-vous? = 1. What do you want? What can I do for you? 2. What was to be done? 3. What can you expect?

Vous l’avez voulu! = It is your own fault; You would have it.