Enfoncer des portes ouvertes
Josette and François are in a business meeting. François, looking unusually serious for a discussion about email etiquette, stands up and clears his throat like he’s about to announce a merger. “I think we need to make sure our emails are written in a language our clients can understand.” A respectful silence settles over the room. François, sensing momentum, continues: “Also, I propose that we avoid sending blank emails… because, you know… they contain no information.” He pauses, letting the gravity of this insight land. Then adds, almost as an afterthought: “And I would like to recommend that when we attach files… we actually attach them.” Long silence. Josette slowly turns her pen between her fingers like she’s defusing a bomb. François, now fully committed to his role as pioneer of the obvious, concludes: “And finally, I suggest we continue existing… at least during working hours.” Without looking up, Josette whispers: “Congrats. You’ve just enfoncé des portes ouvertes… and then raising her hand: “We should schedule a follow-up meeting to review whether that’s feasible.”
Enfoncer des portes ouvertes is a French expression that literally means “to force open already open doors.” It describes someone who states the obvious as if it were groundbreaking, argues against things nobody disputes, or presents “insights” that require no insight at all.
The expression is mildly ironic and amused rather than insulting. It suggests wasted intellectual effort rather than stupidity. While the standard idiomatic expression uses the plural form for doors, you can also occasionally hear enfoncer une porte ouverte, where only one door is being kicked in. The latter tends to feel more situational or specific.
Origin
The expression comes from a simple metaphor rooted in everyday experience. Whereas a closed door represents something difficult, resistant, or contested, an open door represents something already accessible or agreed upon.
Enfoncer des portes ouvertes literally means to apply force, argument, or enthusiasm where nothing is actually blocking the way.
The phrase became common in French rhetorical and philosophical criticism, especially to point out empty arguments or unnecessary demonstrations. It is often used in intellectual debate, journalism, and everyday conversation to highlight redundancy or lack of substance. And meetings like François’s, which appear to be running a parallel reality where facts require official re-approval.
Examples
Il a passé dix minutes à enfoncer des portes ouvertes en expliquant qu’il faut dormir pour être reposé.
He spent ten minutes stating the obvious by explaining that you need to sleep to be rested.
Le coach a enfoncé des portes ouvertes en réitérant que pour gagner, il faut marquer plus de buts que l’adversaire.
The coach stated the obvious by repeating that to win, you have to score more goals than the opponent.