Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»: when and why do we say se fendre la poire?
A fruity phrase for when you cannot stop laughing
Pear-y funny: how to split your sides with joy
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You may be familiar with the popular English text-talk abbreviations LOL (laugh out loud) and ROFL (rolling on the floor laughing).
In France, people are more likely to write MDR (mort de rire).
We take a look at another French expression that suggests someone is killing themselves laughing.
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What does se fendre la poire mean?
The word fendre could be translated as split, crack or slit and generally describes the act of slicing something into smaller pieces.
Se fendre la poire literally translates as ‘to split one’s pear’ and is similar to the English saying, ‘to split your sides.’
You would say this when a person is laughing really hard.
Synonyms include:
Éclater de rire - to burst out laughing
Pleurer de rire - to cry with laughter
Avoir un fou rire - to have a laughing fit
Note that this expression should not be confused with couper la poire en deux (to cut the pear in two), which means to make a compromise.
This phrase is thought to have first appeared in the 1880s, based on the simple image of a sliced pear being shared equally between two people.
What are the origins of se fendre la poire?
This fun, fruity saying can be traced back to the 1800s, when the caricaturist Charles Philipon drew King Louis Philippe with a pear-shaped head.
Since then, pears have been used as a slang way of referring to heads or faces in France.
Se fendre la poire creates the image of a person’s ‘pear’ (face), being figuratively split in two by a huge smile.
When do you say se fendre la poire?
Say this to describe someone who is laughing their head off:
Je me suis fendu la poire en allant voir cet humoriste – The comedian had me splitting my sides.
Lorsque le clown est tombé, l'enfant s'est fendu la poire – When the clown fell over, the child was squealing with laughter.
It can also be employed in a sarcastic or jeering manner:
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To whom do you say se fendre la poire?
It is considered colloquial language that can be used in a range of casual situations with friends and family. You should avoid using it in highly formal or professional contexts.
There is no risk of causing offence with this expression.
