Some idioms have almost a word for word translation into another language. For example, If you solve two problems with one action, you can use the English idiom ‘to kill two birds with one stone’ or in Spanish ‘Matar dos pájaros de un tiro’. It’s quite similar in French, too; “Faire d’une pierre deux coups”. In Hungarian it’s a similar idiom: “To catch two flies with one slap.”
However, there are many idioms that do not translate well into English. In this episode, we’ve collected some of the funnier ones.
Voice message from Ezequiel from Argentina
Podcast about Astronomy: https://inglespodcast.com/570
Email from Carmen
I’ve created a podcast called Málaga in English, which you can find on Spotify.
This is the link: https://open.spotify.com/show/08xxMN9TZcyfxIXEXsPSyw?si=37b2949fa96d4810
Carmen’s podcast is aimed at expats or foreigners who are curious about, or interested in, living in or visiting Málaga. My goal is to support people who are in a similar situation to yours in Spain.
I’d love to hear your and Reza’s thoughts. Thank you both for the inspiration!
Carmen’s workflow:
- research the topic
- create the script
- check for mistakes
- rehearse the pronunciation
- Record
- Edit (choose the sound effects)
What’s an idiom?
An idiom is a group of words or a phrase that has a figurative meaning different from the literal meanings of the individual words. For example: “It’s raining cats and dogs.”
Literal meaning: Cats and dogs are falling from the sky (which makes no sense).
Idiomatic meaning: It’s raining very heavily.
In Lithuania they say “it’s raining axes.”
Funny idioms from around the world
Sweden: “Now your fishes will be warmed.”
It’s another way of saying someone’s in trouble and they will get what they deserve. “Their goose is cooked.”, “What goes around comes around”
Also Swedish: “Now you have planted your last potato.” – “That’s the last straw”
Dutch: “I can’t make chocolate from it.” – I don’t understand it at all. “I can’t make head nor tail of it”, “double Dutch”.
German: “I only understand train station.” – “It’s all Greek to me.”
Also German: “not my beer, not my worries.”
Polish: “not my circus, not my monkeys”
Italian: “ To have one’s eyes lined with ham.” – When something is obvious. When someone can’t see what’s right in front of them. It can also be used when someone is blinded by love.
“You can’t see the wood for the trees:”
Russian: “To hang noodles on someone’s ears.” – To lie to someone or fool them. “To pull someone’s leg”.
French: “To have a spider on the ceiling.” – To be a bit crazy. “To have a screw loose”, “To be a (few) chip(s) short of a basket”, “To be a sandwich short of a picnic”, “to be an olive short of a pizza”
Spanish: “To give someone pumpkins.” (“dar calabazas a alguien”) To reject someone romantically. “To turn someone down” or “To give someone the brush-off”
Japanese: “My cheeks are falling off.” – The food is delicious. “This is mouth-wateringly good.” or “This is to die for.” In Russian, the same idiom refers to laughter not food. It’s a very strong reaction to something extremely funny. “I’m laughing my head off” or “I’m cracking up” or “I’m in stitches”
Norwegian and Turkish
“To speak directly from the liver.” – When you say something without sugar-coating it. “To call a spade a spade.” “To speak your mind.” or “To speak from the heart.”
German: “To live like a maggot in bacon.” To live a very comfortable life. “To ride the gravy train.”, “To live the high life.” or “To have it made.”
Icelandic: “To walk into a butter mountain.” – You’re very lucky or jammy. “To hit the jackpot.”
Finnish/Danish: “To ride in the basket of someone else’s bike.” – To benefit from someone else’s effort. “To ride on someone’s coattails”, “to freeload.”
Czech, Swedish and German: “To walk around hot porridge.” – To avoid saying something directly. “To beat around the bush.”
Turkish, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi/Urdu: “To dig a well with a needle.” – To do something very difficult. “To bang your head against a brick wall”, “looking for a needle in a haystack”, “To flog a dead horse.”
Thai: “To ride an elephant to catch a grasshopper.” – Using too much effort for something small. “Using a sledgehammer to crack a nut”, “Overkill”
Norwegian and Danish: “To swallow some camels.” – To accept something unpleasant. “To bite the bullet”, “to suck it up”
…and now it’s your turn to practise your English. We think it’s time you swallowed some camels. Do you have a favourite idiom in your language that sounds funny when you translate it literally into English?
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In next week’s episode: What Were They Thinking? 10 Stupid things people do
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The music in this podcast is by Pitx. The track is called ‘See You Later’