How do you say “A taste of your own medicine” in French?
The closest natural French equivalent is La monnaie de sa pièce, which literally means “The change of one's coin”. English speakers use a taste of your own medicine to mean this means experiencing the same bad or unfair treatment that you have given to others. Most commonly heard within the verbal phrases 'rendre la monnaie de sa pièce' (to give a taste of one's own medicine) or 'recevoir la monnaie de sa pièce' (to get a taste). It is informal, neutral and common in everyday French.
Closest natural French
La monnaie de sa pièce
/la mɔ.nɛ də sa pjɛs/
- Literal meaning
- “The change of one's coin”
- Register
- informal, neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
92 out of 100
What a native French speaker would actually say
While English relies on a medical metaphor, forcing someone to swallow the unpleasant remedy they prescribed to others, French turns to commercial and financial imagery with 'la monnaie de sa pièce' (the change from one's own coin). Both idioms convey poetic justice through exact reciprocity: subjecting a person to the same unpleasant treatment they routinely dish out.
In French, this expression is rarely used alone as an isolated noun phrase; instead, it almost always pairs with verbs like 'rendre' (to give back) when retaliating, or 'recevoir' / 'avoir' (to receive / get) when experiencing the consequences. It carries the exact same blend of satisfaction and mild vindictiveness as the English phrase without being vulgar or overly formal.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in French?
L'arroseur arrosé
Literally: “The sprinkler sprinkled”
Refers to someone falling victim to their own trap or prank, akin to 'the biter bit'.
Un retour de bâton
Literally: “A return of the stick”
Emphasizes the blowback or backlash of one's own bad actions.
Payer de la même monnaie
Literally: “To pay with the same currency”
Very close synonym focusing directly on retaliating in exact kind.
Don't translate it literally
Un goût de sa propre médecine
A blatant calque from English, frequently heard in low-budget film dubbing but never used spontaneously by native French speakers.
Word-for-word versions like these are understood as literal statements in French, not as expressions.
In context
English
He kept interrupting everyone, so I gave him a taste of his own medicine.
French
Il n'arrêtait pas d'interrompre tout le monde, alors je lui ai rendu la monnaie de sa pièce.
English
She's finally getting a taste of her own medicine after being so rude to her colleagues.
French
Elle reçoit enfin la monnaie de sa pièce après avoir été si désagréable avec ses collègues.
Related expressions
Last reviewed 2026-09-11