Mettre son grain de sel

Imagine you’re cooking soup with friends. Everything’s going great: the broth smells amazing, the veggies are perfectly tender, and everyone’s ready for a cozy meal. Then—bam—someone strolls in like they own the kitchen and casually sprinkles a random pinch of salt into the pot. Everyone freezes, forks mid-air, and thinks, “Wait… who asked you?”

That’s exactly what mettre son grain de sel means: barging into a conversation or situation and tossing in your little “improvement” whether anyone wanted it or not. Literally, it means “to put in one’s grain of salt,” but figuratively it’s the French way of saying, “Here’s my unsolicited opinion; take it or leave it!”

It’s basically the French cousin of the English phrase “to put in one’s two cents,” except instead of money, the French sprinkle salt on everything, from chats to debates to awkward family dinners. Because why just talk when you can season?

Origin

Back in the 16th century, the expression started out as “mettre son sel” (“to put in one’s salt”). Salt back then was gold -  a precious, rare, and heavily taxed treasure. It wasn’t just for taste; it preserved food and made everything better. So, “mettre son sel” meant adding something personal and valuable to a story or situation, like sprinkling just the right seasoning on a dish.

Over time, the phrase morphed into “mettre son grain de sel” (“to put in one’s grain of salt”), highlighting that it’s just a tiny pinch: small but powerful enough to change the flavor. By the 17th and 18th centuries, it had taken on a cheekier meaning: slipping in an unsolicited remark or opinion that wasn’t always necessary, sometimes even annoying, like that friend who can’t help but over-salt the soup you are cooking.

Examples

Elle ne peut pas s’empêcher de mettre son grain de sel dans toutes les réunions.
She can’t help but put in her two cents at every meeting.

Chaque fois qu’on parle politique, il faut qu’il mette son grain de sel.  On ne peut jamais finir une phrase !
Every time we talk politics, he has to put in his two cents.  We can never finish a sentence!