French Expression · Native
De fil en aiguille
One thing leading to another / Gradually
Pronunciation: duh FEEL ahn eh-GWEE-yuh
Meaning
Describes a sequence of events where one naturally leads to the next, often unexpectedly.
Example
De fil en aiguille, nous nous sommes retrouvés à voyager ensemble.
One thing led to another, and we ended up traveling together.
Common mistakes & tips
- Practice De fil en aiguille out loud — read the pronunciation guide above and repeat.
- Use it in your own sentence today; reuse beats rereading.
- Pay attention to context: this is a native-level French expression.