In 15 Seconds
- Used to describe having a huge amount of work to finish.
- Best for casual or semi-professional conversations with friends and colleagues.
- Implies you are overwhelmed and busy with many different tasks.
Meaning
This phrase is used to describe having a massive amount of work or tasks piled up. It's like saying you have a mountain of chores waiting for you outside your door.
Key Examples
3 of 6Declining a coffee invitation
Désolé, je ne peux pas venir, j'ai trop de boulot à mettre dehors.
Sorry, I can't come, I have too much work to get through.
Discussing a big project with a teammate
Avec ce nouveau client, on va avoir du travail à mettre dehors !
With this new client, we're going to have a lot of work to do!
Complaining about household chores
Regarde cette maison, j'ai tout ce ménage à mettre dehors avant ce soir.
Look at this house, I have all this cleaning to get done before tonight.
Cultural Background
While 'mettre dehors' literally means to put someone or something out, in this specific idiomatic context, it refers to the volume of work produced. It likely stems from the idea of finishing products and putting them outside the workshop for delivery. It reflects the industrial and artisanal history of French towns where finished goods lined the streets.
The 'Pain' Connection
If you want to sound more traditional, combine it with bread! 'Avoir du pain sur la planche' is the classic version every French person knows.
Don't be too literal
Be careful! 'Mettre quelqu'un dehors' means to kick someone out of a house or fire them. Context is everything here!
In 15 Seconds
- Used to describe having a huge amount of work to finish.
- Best for casual or semi-professional conversations with friends and colleagues.
- Implies you are overwhelmed and busy with many different tasks.
What It Means
Imagine you have so many tasks they are literally spilling out of your house. That is the vibe of avoir du pain sur la planche or the colloquial mettre dehors. When you say you have work to mettre dehors, you are swamped. You aren't just busy; you are overwhelmed by a long to-do list. It implies a sense of urgency and volume. It is the French way of saying your plate is overflowing.
How To Use It
You use this when someone asks you to hang out. You can say, "I'd love to, but I have work to mettre dehors." It functions as a valid excuse for being unavailable. You can also use it to describe a project's scale. If a task is huge, it requires you to mettre dehors some serious effort. It usually follows the verb avoir (to have). Use it to express that your schedule is completely booked.
When To Use It
Use it when you are talking to colleagues about a deadline. It works great when venting to a friend about your boss. It is perfect for those Sunday nights when chores pile up. Use it when you need to justify why you are stressed. It fits well in a professional but relaxed office setting. It is also common when discussing home renovations or big life changes.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this in a very formal legal document. Avoid it when speaking to a high-ranking official you don't know. It is a bit too colorful for a strictly academic essay. Don't use it if you only have one small task. It implies a large volume, so don't exaggerate too much. If you use it for a five-minute email, people might laugh. It is meant for significant workloads or long days.
Cultural Background
This expression is deeply rooted in the French work ethic. It reflects the reality of the busy modern lifestyle in France. While the French value their leisure time, they take pride in hard work. The phrase has evolved from older agricultural or artisanal roots. It suggests that work is a physical thing you must move out. It captures the universal feeling of being buried under responsibilities. It is a very relatable sentiment across all of France.
Common Variations
You might hear avoir du pain sur la planche more often. That is the traditional version of this sentiment. Some people might say avoir du boulot par-dessus la tête. This means having work over your head. Another variation is être débordé, which simply means being overwhelmed. Mettre dehors is a more active, punchy way to say it. It emphasizes the need to get the work finished and out.
Usage Notes
This phrase is mostly used in spoken French. It sits in the informal register, so use it with people you know or in relaxed professional environments.
The 'Pain' Connection
If you want to sound more traditional, combine it with bread! 'Avoir du pain sur la planche' is the classic version every French person knows.
Don't be too literal
Be careful! 'Mettre quelqu'un dehors' means to kick someone out of a house or fire them. Context is everything here!
The Monday Blues
French people love to use this on Monday mornings. It’s a standard way to bond over the shared struggle of the work week.
Examples
6Désolé, je ne peux pas venir, j'ai trop de boulot à mettre dehors.
Sorry, I can't come, I have too much work to get through.
A very common way to decline social plans due to work.
Avec ce nouveau client, on va avoir du travail à mettre dehors !
With this new client, we're going to have a lot of work to do!
Used here to anticipate a busy period ahead.
Regarde cette maison, j'ai tout ce ménage à mettre dehors avant ce soir.
Look at this house, I have all this cleaning to get done before tonight.
Applies to domestic tasks as well as professional ones.
Encore au bureau, j'ai un dossier énorme à mettre dehors.
Still at the office, I have a huge file to finish up.
Short and efficient for a quick text message update.
Je suis épuisé, j'ai tellement de révisions à mettre dehors.
I'm exhausted, I have so much studying to get through.
Shows the weight of academic responsibilities.
On met tout dehors pour finir le projet à temps.
We are doing everything we can to finish the project on time.
Slightly more formal but still uses the idiom's energy.
Test Yourself
Choose the correct verb to complete the expression.
J'ai beaucoup de rapports à ___ dehors ce matin.
The idiom is 'mettre dehors' when referring to completing a volume of work.
Select the best context for this phrase.
Tu utilises cette expression quand tu es ___.
This phrase specifically describes being very busy with tasks.
🎉 Score: /2
Visual Learning Aids
Formality of 'Mettre Dehors'
Talking to siblings or close friends.
J'ai trop de trucs à mettre dehors.
Chatting with a coworker you like.
On a du pain sur la planche à mettre dehors.
Writing a letter to a CEO.
Not recommended; use 'surchargé' instead.
When to say you have work to 'Mettre Dehors'
Office Deadline
Finishing a report.
Spring Cleaning
Cleaning the whole garage.
Exam Season
Studying for 5 tests.
Event Planning
Organizing a wedding.
Practice Bank
2 exercisesJ'ai beaucoup de rapports à ___ dehors ce matin.
The idiom is 'mettre dehors' when referring to completing a volume of work.
Tu utilises cette expression quand tu es ___.
This phrase specifically describes being very busy with tasks.
🎉 Score: /2
Frequently Asked Questions
11 questionsNo, it usually means 'to put outside.' However, in the context of tasks, it means completing a large volume of work, like j'ai du travail à mettre dehors.
It is more informal/colloquial than slang. You can use it with your boss if you have a friendly relationship, like saying on a du boulot à mettre dehors.
Not really. It implies a 'pile' or a 'load' of work. If you just have one email, just say j'ai un mail à envoyer.
The most common version is avoir du pain sur la planche. It is the standard idiom for having a lot of work to do.
It is understood all over France, though some regions might prefer avoir du taf or other local slang for 'work'.
Usually, it's about being overwhelmed, but it can be positive if you're excited about a big project, like on va mettre du lourd dehors (we're going to put out something great).
You conjugate the verb mettre normally. For example: je mets, tu mets, nous mettons.
Probably not. It's a bit too casual. Stick to Je suis prêt à m'investir pleinement to show you're ready for work.
Similar, but déborder is a state (being overwhelmed), while mettre dehors focuses on the action of getting the work done.
Yes! Students often say j'ai trop de devoirs à mettre dehors during finals week.
If you say je mets dehors without mentioning work/tasks, people will think you are literally putting trash or furniture outside.
Related Phrases
Avoir du pain sur la planche
To have a lot on one's plate
Être débordé
To be overwhelmed/snowed under
Avoir du boulot par-dessus la tête
To be up to one's neck in work
Ne plus savoir où donner de la tête
To not know which way to turn (too busy)
