How do you say “An axe to grind” in French?
The closest natural French equivalent is prêcher pour sa paroisse, which literally means “to preach for one's own parish”. English speakers use an axe to grind to mean a personal interest or grievance that influences someone's views or actions. Fits arguing for your own interests; a grievance needs a different expression. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural French
prêcher pour sa paroisse
/pʁeʃe puʁ sa paʁwas/
- Literal meaning
- “to preach for one's own parish”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Close equivalent
88 out of 100
What a native French speaker would actually say
“Prêcher pour sa paroisse” means arguing for your own interests, even when you claim to speak for everyone. It can refer to your group’s interests too.
For an old grievance, use “avoir un compte à régler.” The two expressions are not interchangeable: wanting a benefit is different from wanting to settle a score.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning4 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context4 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in French?
avoir un compte à régler
Literally: “to have an account to settle”
Use when an old grievance is motivating the person.
In context
English
He has an axe to grind in this debate: he owns the land.
French
Dans ce débat, il prêche pour sa paroisse : le terrain lui appartient.
English
She has an axe to grind with her former boss after he took credit for her work.
French
Elle a un compte à régler avec son ancien patron, qui s'est attribué le mérite de son travail.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-09-19