être soupe au lait
To be depressed
Littéralement: to be soup with milk
Use it to describe someone who flips from calm to furious over the smallest things.
En 15 secondes
- Describes someone who gets angry very quickly and suddenly.
- Compares a temper to milk boiling over on a stove.
- Used for touchy, moody, or short-tempered individuals.
- Not for depression, despite common translation errors.
Signification
Actually, it doesn't mean to be depressed! It describes someone who has a very quick temper and gets angry in a flash, just like boiling milk overflows.
Exemples clés
3 sur 6Warning a new coworker about the boss
Fais attention, le patron est un peu soupe au lait le lundi matin.
Be careful, the boss is a bit short-tempered on Monday mornings.
Talking about a friend who can't take a joke
On ne peut plus rien lui dire, il est devenu tellement soupe au lait !
We can't say anything to him anymore, he's become so touchy!
Texting a partner about a bad interaction
Ma mère est hyper soupe au lait aujourd'hui, j'abandonne.
My mom is super moody today, I give up.
Contexte culturel
The expression originates from the 19th-century kitchen observation that milk expands and overflows almost instantly when it reaches boiling point. It captures the French tendency to use domestic and culinary metaphors for human psychology. While old, it remains one of the most common ways to describe a 'hot-headed' person in modern France.
Don't confuse with sadness
Even though 'milk' sounds soft, this is about anger, not depression. Don't use it for someone who is crying!
The gender rule
Even though `soupe` is feminine, the whole phrase acts as an adjective that doesn't change. `Il est soupe au lait` and `Elle est soupe au lait` are both correct.
En 15 secondes
- Describes someone who gets angry very quickly and suddenly.
- Compares a temper to milk boiling over on a stove.
- Used for touchy, moody, or short-tempered individuals.
- Not for depression, despite common translation errors.
What It Means
Imagine a pot of milk on a stove. One second it is calm. The next second it boils over and makes a mess. That is exactly what être soupe au lait describes. It refers to someone who is short-tempered or touchy. They flip from calm to furious in an instant. It is not about deep sadness or depression. It is about volatility and sudden mood swings.
How To Use It
You use it as an adjective to describe a personality trait. You can say il est soupe au lait or elle est soupe au lait. It stays the same for men and women. It functions just like saying someone is 'grumpy' or 'irascible'. Use it when someone snaps at a small joke. Use it when a boss overreacts to a tiny typo.
When To Use It
Use this when you are venting to a friend about a difficult person. It works perfectly in the office when a colleague is being difficult. You can use it at home if a sibling is being moody. It is great for describing that one relative who can't take a joke. It is a vivid way to warn someone about a person's temper. 'Watch out, he is very soupe au lait today!'
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this for long-term clinical depression. It is for temporary flashes of anger, not deep sadness. Avoid using it in very formal legal or medical settings. Do not say it directly to the angry person unless you want a fight! It is a bit too descriptive for a formal performance review. Stick to 'impatience' or 'reactivity' in those professional cases.
Cultural Background
This phrase dates back to the 19th century. It relies on the kitchen experience of boiling milk. In French tradition, many soups were milk-based. If you have ever boiled milk, you know it rises suddenly. It is a classic 'homely' metaphor that every French person understands. It reflects the French appreciation for culinary analogies in daily life. It is a staple of French literature and film dialogue.
Common Variations
You might hear monter comme une soupe au lait. This means 'to flare up like milk soup'. It emphasizes the action of getting angry quickly. Sometimes people just say il est très soupe au lait. There aren't many slang versions because the image is already so perfect. It is a timeless expression that hasn't aged a day.
Notes d'usage
This is a neutral-to-informal expression. It is very common in spoken French but rarely used in formal writing like academic papers or legal contracts.
Don't confuse with sadness
Even though 'milk' sounds soft, this is about anger, not depression. Don't use it for someone who is crying!
The gender rule
Even though `soupe` is feminine, the whole phrase acts as an adjective that doesn't change. `Il est soupe au lait` and `Elle est soupe au lait` are both correct.
Soften the blow
If you want to be polite, add `un peu` (a bit). Saying someone is `un peu soupe au lait` sounds much more diplomatic.
Exemples
6Fais attention, le patron est un peu soupe au lait le lundi matin.
Be careful, the boss is a bit short-tempered on Monday mornings.
Used to warn someone about a predictable mood swing.
On ne peut plus rien lui dire, il est devenu tellement soupe au lait !
We can't say anything to him anymore, he's become so touchy!
Expressing frustration with a friend's sensitivity.
Ma mère est hyper soupe au lait aujourd'hui, j'abandonne.
My mom is super moody today, I give up.
The word 'hyper' adds emphasis in a text context.
Ne parle pas de politique à Jacques, il est soupe au lait sur ce sujet.
Don't talk politics with Jacques, he has a short fuse on that topic.
Used to avoid a potential social explosion.
Il est fatigué, c'est pour ça qu'il est soupe au lait.
He's tired, that's why he's being so cranky.
Attributing a quick temper to a physical state like fatigue.
Je sais que je suis soupe au lait, je devrais apprendre à me calmer.
I know I have a short fuse, I should learn to calm down.
Self-reflection on one's own volatility.
Teste-toi
Choose the correct word to complete the idiom describing a quick-tempered person.
Mon frère s'énerve pour un rien, il est vraiment ___ au lait.
The full idiom is `être soupe au lait`, referring to the sudden boiling of milk.
Which verb is typically used with this expression?
Elle ___ très soupe au lait en ce moment.
We use the verb `être` (to be) to describe this personality trait.
🎉 Score : /2
Aides visuelles
Formality of 'Soupe au lait'
Too descriptive for pure slang.
N/A
Perfect for friends and family.
T'es trop soupe au lait !
Safe for work or general talk.
Il est un peu soupe au lait.
A bit too colorful for a legal document.
Le sujet est soupe au lait.
When to call someone 'Soupe au lait'
Office drama
The boss snaps over a coffee spill.
Family dinner
Uncle gets mad at a small joke.
Traffic jam
A driver screaming at a red light.
Gaming
A friend quitting after one loss.
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNo, it specifically means someone is quick to anger. If someone is sad, you would say they are triste or déprimé.
It is a criticism, but not a vulgar insult. It is like calling someone 'cranky' or 'touchy' in English.
Yes! You can say Je suis un peu soupe au lait le matin to apologize for being grumpy before coffee.
Because milk soup boils over instantly without warning. It is a visual metaphor for a sudden explosion of temper.
Not at all. While it has been around a long time, you will hear it in modern movies and daily conversations.
Use it with caution. It is better for 'water cooler' talk than a formal presentation to a client.
Yes, you add an 's' to the verb but the phrase stays the same: Ils sont soupe au lait.
A common slang word for a quick temper is being quart de tour (like an engine that starts on a quarter turn).
You could say someone is calme or imperturbable (unshakeable).
Usually, it describes a person's character, but you could metaphorically say a relationship is soupe au lait if it's volatile.
Expressions liées
Avoir le sang chaud (To be hot-blooded/quick-tempered)
Prendre la mouche (To take offense easily/get annoyed suddenly)
Démarrer au quart de tour (To react or get angry instantly)
Être d'une humeur de dogue (To be in a terrible, biting mood)
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