Example: Il y a anguille sous roche dans cette affaire mystérieuse.
Definition
"Il y a anguille sous roche" is a French expression meaning there is something suspicious or hidden beneath the surface, suggesting that not everything is as it seems in a situation. For example, it implies a secret or deceit in a mysterious matter.
Translations
Something fishy is going on
Aquí hay gato encerrado
Er is iets niet pluis
Hi ha gat amagat
Da ist etwas faul
Etymology
The phrase "Il y a anguille sous roche" literally translates to 'there is an eel under the rock.' It likely originates from the idea that eels hiding under rocks are hard to see and catch, symbolizing hidden trouble or deception. Did you know that the expression uses the eel as a metaphor for something slippery or elusive?
Learn to use this expression actively
"Il y a anguille sous roche" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
Would you like to not only understand these expressions, but also remember them and use them actively? Create a free account and select French as the language you want to learn.