French Expression · Advanced
Mettre la charrue avant les bœufs
To put the cart before the horse
Pronunciation: MET-truh la sha-RUE a-VAN lay BEUF
Meaning
To do things in the wrong order; to rush into something without proper preparation.
Example
Si tu commences à acheter les meubles avant d'avoir les clés, tu mets la charrue avant les bœufs.
If you start buying furniture before you have the keys, you're putting the cart before the horse.
Common mistakes & tips
- Practice Mettre la charrue avant les bœufs 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 advanced-level French expression.