In 15 Seconds
- To struggle financially and barely make ends meet.
- Living paycheck to paycheck with great difficulty.
- A vivid way to say you are broke and struggling.
Meaning
This phrase describes someone who is struggling to make ends meet or barely surviving financially. It is the French way of saying you are living paycheck to paycheck and finding it hard to pay for the basics.
Key Examples
3 of 7Discussing the cost of living with a friend
Avec l'inflation, beaucoup de gens commencent à tirer le diable par la queue.
With inflation, many people are starting to struggle to make ends meet.
Explaining why you can't go on vacation
Je ne peux pas venir à Ibiza, je tire le diable par la queue en ce moment.
I can't come to Ibiza, I'm really struggling for money right now.
Talking about a struggling artist
Il est peintre, alors il tire souvent le diable par la queue.
He is a painter, so he is often struggling to get by.
Cultural Background
En France, on n'aime pas beaucoup parler d'argent de façon directe. Utiliser cette expression permet de parler de ses problèmes sans être trop cru. Au Québec, l'expression est également très utilisée, souvent avec un accent sur la solidarité entre les gens qui travaillent dur. Les Belges utilisent cette expression de la même manière, parfois en lien avec le coût élevé de la vie dans les grandes villes comme Bruxelles. Même dans un pays riche comme la Suisse, l'expression est utilisée pour parler de la 'pauvreté cachée'.
Use for empathy
This phrase is great for showing you understand someone's struggle without being too clinical.
Don't change the animal
It's always a 'diable'. Using 'chat' or 'chien' will make the phrase meaningless.
In 15 Seconds
- To struggle financially and barely make ends meet.
- Living paycheck to paycheck with great difficulty.
- A vivid way to say you are broke and struggling.
What It Means
Imagine you are so broke that you have to chase the devil himself. You are grabbing his tail just to get by. It means you have very little money. You are struggling to pay your bills. It is a vivid way to describe financial hardship. You aren't just poor; you are actively fighting to survive.
How To Use It
You use this phrase like a regular verb. The verb is tirer. You conjugate it based on who is broke. For example, je tire, nous tirons, or ils tirent. It usually describes a long-term situation. It is not just about forgetting your wallet. It is about a difficult season of life.
When To Use It
Use it when talking about the cost of living. It works well when discussing low salaries. You can use it with close friends. It is great for complaining about high rent. Use it when you feel the weight of inflation. It adds a bit of drama to your financial woes.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this in a job interview. It sounds a bit too desperate or informal. Avoid using it to describe a billionaire's minor loss. That would sound very sarcastic or rude. If you just want to say something is 'accurate,' do not use this. The prompt's initial 'accurate' translation was a false friend. This is strictly about money and survival.
Cultural Background
This expression dates back to the 17th century. In old folklore, the devil was the provider of wealth. If you were 'pulling his tail,' you were desperately trying to get his attention. You wanted him to share some gold. Today, it has lost the religious weight. It remains one of the most common idioms for poverty. It reflects the French habit of using colorful imagery for life's struggles.
Common Variations
You might hear joindre les deux bouts. That means 'to make ends meet.' It is a bit more neutral. Être fauché is the slang version. It means 'to be broke.' But tirer le diable par la queue is more descriptive. It implies a constant, exhausting effort. It is the 'marathon' of being broke.
Usage Notes
This is an informal but widely accepted idiom. It is perfect for venting about money with friends or family, but avoid it in high-stakes professional settings unless you are being intentionally dramatic.
Use for empathy
This phrase is great for showing you understand someone's struggle without being too clinical.
Don't change the animal
It's always a 'diable'. Using 'chat' or 'chien' will make the phrase meaningless.
Combine with 'fin de mois'
It sounds very natural to say 'tirer le diable par la queue à chaque fin de mois'.
Taboo money
Remember that in France, this is a safe way to talk about a sensitive topic.
Examples
7Avec l'inflation, beaucoup de gens commencent à tirer le diable par la queue.
With inflation, many people are starting to struggle to make ends meet.
A general observation about society.
Je ne peux pas venir à Ibiza, je tire le diable par la queue en ce moment.
I can't come to Ibiza, I'm really struggling for money right now.
Personal and honest admission of financial trouble.
Il est peintre, alors il tire souvent le diable par la queue.
He is a painter, so he is often struggling to get by.
Describing someone else's lifestyle.
Les familles monoparentales sont les premières à tirer le diable par la queue.
Single-parent families are the first to struggle to make ends meet.
Used in a serious, journalistic context.
Ma voiture est en panne et je tire déjà le diable par la queue... la poisse !
My car broke down and I'm already broke... what bad luck!
Short, punchy, and venting frustration.
En tant qu'étudiant, je tire tellement le diable par la queue qu'il n'a plus de poils !
As a student, I pull the devil's tail so much that he has no hair left!
A common joke to lighten a heavy subject.
Si je perds mon emploi, on va vraiment tirer le diable par la queue.
If I lose my job, we are really going to struggle to survive.
Expressing fear and vulnerability.
Test Yourself
Complétez la phrase avec les mots corrects.
Depuis qu'il a perdu son travail, il tire le _______ par la _______.
L'expression exacte est 'tirer le diable par la queue'.
Quelle est la signification de cette expression ?
Marie tire le diable par la queue.
L'expression signifie avoir des difficultés financières.
Complétez le dialogue.
A: Tu viens au cinéma ? B: Je ne peux pas, je _______.
C'est la forme correcte et le contexte approprié pour refuser une dépense.
Associez la situation à l'expression.
Un étudiant qui n'a plus que 2 euros sur son compte en banque.
La situation décrit une pauvreté extrême, ce qui correspond à l'expression.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Money Status
Practice Bank
4 exercisesDepuis qu'il a perdu son travail, il tire le _______ par la _______.
L'expression exacte est 'tirer le diable par la queue'.
Marie tire le diable par la queue.
L'expression signifie avoir des difficultés financières.
A: Tu viens au cinéma ? B: Je ne peux pas, je _______.
C'est la forme correcte et le contexte approprié pour refuser une dépense.
Un étudiant qui n'a plus que 2 euros sur son compte en banque.
La situation décrit une pauvreté extrême, ce qui correspond à l'expression.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, it is not offensive. It is a sympathetic way to describe financial hardship.
Yes, it is very common to use it to describe your own budget struggles.
No, you can also use it for small businesses or even countries in economic crisis.
'Être fauché' means you have zero money right now. 'Tirer le diable par la queue' means you are struggling over a long period.
Not at all. It is still very common in modern newspapers and daily talk.
Yes, 'tirer' is a normal verb and changes with the subject and tense.
No, the word order 'le diable par la queue' is fixed.
No, despite the word 'diable', it is purely secular and financial today.
It is used in journalism and literature, but avoid it in legal contracts.
You can say 'Je suis en galère' or 'Je suis dans la dèche'.
Related Phrases
joindre les deux bouts
synonymTo make ends meet
être fauché
synonymTo be broke
être dans la dèche
synonymTo be in a state of poverty
rouler sur l'or
contrastTo be rolling in money
avoir le diable au corps
similarTo have a lot of energy
