How do you say “Grin and bear it” in French?
The closest natural French equivalent is faire contre mauvaise fortune bon cœur, which literally means “to meet bad fortune with a good heart”. English speakers use grin and bear it to mean to put up with something unpleasant without complaining. A French equivalent for accepting a difficulty with good grace. It can sound more optimistic and proverbial than the English. Register: informal. Usage frequency: occasional.
Closest natural French
faire contre mauvaise fortune bon cœur
/fɛʁ kɔ̃tʁ movɛz fɔʁtyn bɔ̃ kœʁ/
- Literal meaning
- “to meet bad fortune with a good heart”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- occasional
- Equivalence
Close equivalent
88 out of 100
What a native French speaker would actually say
This phrase suggests making the best of an unwelcome situation. The English may instead stress how hard it is to hide your annoyance.
It suits inconveniences and disappointments you decide to accept. Saying it to someone facing a serious problem can sound dismissive.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning4 out of 5
- Tone4 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
The ceremony lasted three hours, so we had to grin and bear it.
French
La cérémonie a duré trois heures ; nous avons dû faire contre mauvaise fortune bon cœur.
English
I hate the uniform, but I will grin and bear it until Friday.
French
Je déteste l'uniforme, mais je ferai contre mauvaise fortune bon cœur jusqu'à vendredi.
Related expressions
- What “Grin and bear it” means in English
- Bite the bullet, To face something unpleasant with resolve.
Last updated 2026-10-01