Why do I need to know les carottes sont cuites?
Because this expression might signal the end of something.
What does it mean?
Les carottes sont cuites – roughly pronounced lay ca-rote sohn queet – translates as ‘the carrots are cooked’.
While you might use this literally when preparing a meal, the phrase is also an old-fashioned idiom.
Figuratively, it means ‘the situation is hopeless’ or ‘the decision is final’. The expression is very similar to ‘your goose is cooked’ or ‘your tea is out’ in English. It can also just mean ‘it’s over’.
Generally it has a negative connotation, which might be explained by the phrase’s origins.
There are a few guesses – the first involves the word carrotte having a close pronunciation to crotte (poop). The second evokes a phrase used in the 18th and 19th centuries.
At the time, avoir ses carottes cuites meant ‘to be dying’ or close to death. It was a bit of gallows humour – carrots were usually accompanied by meat dishes, so the joke is that the dying person would soon be meat themselves, ready to be eaten alongside some carrots.
Over time, les carottes sont cuites went on to describe hopeless or unchangeable situations.
That said, it has been used for some optimistic moments, notably during the D-Day landings, when les carottes sont cuites was a coded message from Radio Londres announcing the imminent landings to their listeners.
Use it like this
Les carottes sont cuites. L’homme d’affaires a déjà décidé de le licencier. – It’s over. The businessman already decided to sack him.
Maman a déjà décidé de te punir ! Les carottes sont cuites. – Mummy already decided to punish you! Your goose is cooked.
C’est terminé. Les carottes sont cuites. Il a fait son choix. – It’s over, my goose is cooked. He made his choice.
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