HOME > FRENCH SAYINGS

The French saying "Avec des si on mettrait Paris en bouteille"

On this page, we are going to explain you all the things you ever wanted to know about the basic proverb "Avec des si, on mettrait Paris en bouteille". More precisely, it includes a detailed definition of what it mean and how to use it in a conversation with an audio example. Not to mention the cool things we sprinkled like slow pronunciation audio, synonym, dialogue example and more!

French to English

• 

  Translation : If if's and and's were pots and pans there'd be no work for tinkers' hands

• 

  Literal meaning : With ifs, one would put Paris in a bottle

• 

  Register : Informal - Basic

Audio pronunciation

Slow

Normal

• 

  IPA : / avɛk de si, ɔ̃ mɛtʁɛ paʁi ɑ̃ butɛj. /

Learn French
with Audio Stories

Try for Free

What does it mean?

Definition

"If only I was immortal." or "If only I could fly." or even "If only I was smarter than Einstein". We all tend to say some crazy sentences starting with "If" like these.

Then, the purpose of this proverb is basically to discredit them and remind us that only (practical/tangible) actions matter. Need proof? Try to say: "Si seulement je pouvais mettre Paris en bouteille." ("If only I could put Paris in a bottle").

Chances are that you can say it, but can you do it?

No.

Because with "Ifs" we could do anything, even putting Paris in a bottle, but it's only with actions that we can make the world.

How to use

Let's imagine you are talking with someone who often uses "If" sentences to make unfounded assumptions.

In this case, you can use "Avec des si on mettrait Paris en bouteille." to remind this person that only action matter.

You can also add "Attention" ("Be careful") at the beginning of the sentence if you want to emphasize the warning.

Fun fact

You probably wonder about the origin of this saying, well... it is unclear.

In fact, the most famous theory claims that it's coming from "Avec des si on mettrait Lutèce en amphore".

"Lutèce" (Lutecia) being the former name of Paris during the Roman empire. And "Amphore" (Amphora) being the name of antic vases used during this period.

Synonyms

• Avec des si on refait le monde. ("With ifs we could change the world")
• Avec des si on aurait un monde parfait. ("With ifs we would have a perfect world")
• Avec des si on mettrait Paris dans sa poche. ("With ifs we could Paris in our pocket")
• Si le ciel tombait, il y aurait bien des alouettes de prises. ("If the sky was falling, many birds would get caught.")
• (Haïti) Si la mer bouillait, il y aurait bien des poissons de cuits. ("If the sea was boiling, many fishes would get cooked")
• * Avec des scies on coupe du bois. ("With saws we can chop woods")
• * (Canada) Si les chiens avaient des scies, il n'y aurait plus de poteaux. ("If dogs had saws, there would be no more poles")

* The French word "Scie" ("Saw" in English) is pronounced exactly like "Si" ("If" in English), adding a pun into the proverb.

Example in a dialogue with French audio

Dialogue

Si seulement j'étais plus grand et plus fort

If only I was taller and stronger

Avec des si, on mettrait Paris en bouteille.

With ifs, one would put Paris in a bottle.