Favourite german colloquialisms and idioms
Ein Freund zum Pferdestehlen (lit: a friend to steal horses with) A reliable, loyal, and trustworthy friend, someone you can depend on 100%
Mit jemandem ein Hühnchen zu rupfen haben (lit: to have a chicken to pluck with someone) to have an unfinished argument/dispute/disagreement with someone that one will finish as soon as they see the person again, who will then probably “experience their blue miracle” (sein/ihr blaues Wunder erleben): get their ass handed to them.
Die Sau rauslassen (lit: to let the sow loose) To throw down at a party
Sows are generally an intensifier. Either in wie Sau (as fuck), the adverb saumäßig, or just add the prefix sau- to an adjective of your choice.
Auf dem Teppich bleiben (lit: to stay on the carpet) to quit being overdramatic, to stay grounded in reality and not let emotions take over a debate. Same meaning: Die Kirche im Dorf lassen (lit: to leave the church in the village)
Das geflügelte Wort (lit: the winged word) Figure of speech, idiom
Sich etwas ans Bein binden (lit: to tie something to one’s leg) To burden oneself with something that’s more trouble than it’s worth
Das Leben ist kein Ponyhof (lit: life is no pony farm) Life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows
Jemandem den Marsch blasen (lit: to blow the march for someone) to scold someone very harshly. Also: jemandem die Meinung geigen (to play someone one’s opinion on the violin), jemanden anscheißen (to shit on someone)
Auch ein blindes Huhn findet mal ein Korn (lit: even a blind chicken sometimes finds a seed) A stopped clock is right twice a day
Backfisch (m.) (lit: baked fish) teenage girl; this one’s a bit old-fashioned
Nicht alle Tassen im Schrank haben (lit: to miss some cups from the cupboard) To be crazy, insane, idiotic. The things people can miss to express this sentiment are quite diverse (and this is something people really like to get creative with): needles from the fir tree, battens from the fence, lightbulbs from the chandelier, cookies from the jar…
Die Radieschen von unten ansehen (lit: to view radishes from below) To be dead. Variations exist with almost any plant imaginable, most notably tulips and grass
Was die Sonne nicht heilt, deckt die Erde zu (lit: what the sun can’t heal, the earth shall cover) This health problem will either resolve itself or the speaker will die from it, in any case it will be over eventually
Da warst du noch Quark im Schaufenster (lit: Back then you were curd in the shop window) Back then, you weren’t even conceived
Eine (neue) Sau durchs Dorf treiben (lit: to drive a (new) sow through the village) to manufacture short-lived public outrage that will soon be replaced by a new scandal
Hanswurst (m) (lit: Hans Sausage) a ridiculous, funny person, fool, clown (but not an actual clown from the circus)
Man hat schon Pferde (vor der Apotheke) kotzen sehen (lit: horses have been seen vomiting (in front of the pharmacy)) stranger things have happened
wilde Ehe (lit: wild marriage) to live together/have a family together without being actually married
Bauernfänger (m.) (lit: farmer catcher) Conman. Not to be confused with:
Rattenfänger (m.) (lit: rat catcher) political agitator, demagogue
Noch feucht hinter den Ohren sein (lit: to be still wet behind the ears) to be inexperienced/a newbie
Du hast wohl den Schuss nicht gehört (lit: Have you not heard the shot?) Are you out of your fucking mind?
Da sind Hopfen und Malz verloren (lit: hops and malt are lost here) A hopeless case
Völkerverständigung (f.) (lit: understanding between peoples/nations) Getting to know people from other nations, making an effort to understand their culture and showing them yours in turn. The building of international relationships based on mutual respect and equality. Diplomacy. Also: Völkerfreundschaft (friendship between peoples/nations)
Sich den Arsch aufreißen (lit: to rip one’s ass open) to work very hard
Es ist noch kein Meister vom Himmel gefallen (lit: no master has fallen from the sky yet) nobody is born an expert; keep trying and you’ll get there!
Mach mal die Augen zu, dann siehst du was deine ist (lit: close your eyes then you’ll see what’s yours) I heard this a lot as a child and now I never feel entitled to anything, ever
Da geht mir das Messer in der Tasche auf (lit: this opens the knife in my pocket) I think this is infuriating and I’m about to figuratively stab you (loads of expressions for this sentiment but this is my fave)
Kinderstube (f) (lit: children’s chamber) upbringing, education. Someone who doesn’t have Kinderstube has no manners
Waisenknabe / Chorknabe (m) (lit: orphan boy / choir boy) someone who is innocent, virtuous, well-behaved and an all-around lovely person. Often used ironically.
Maulaffen feilhalten (lit: to sell mouth monkeys) to stand around gaping with your mouth open instead of doing something useful
Ach du grüne Neune/liebes Lieschen (lit: oh you green nine/dear Lieschen) oh my!
Käseblatt (n) (lit: cheese sheet) a newspaper of very poor journalistic quality
Jemandem ein X für ein U vormachen (lit: to try to sell an X as a U) To scam or trick someone. Same meaning: Jemanden über den Tisch ziehen (to drag someone over the table). Not to be confused with:
Jemanden/etwas durch den Kakao ziehen - (lit: to drag someone/something through the cocoa) To make fun of or parody someone/something
Steckenpferd (m.) (lit: stick horse) hobby
Da will man nicht tot überm Zaun hängen (lit: where one doesn’t want to hang dead over the fence) Just to make sure you know exactly how awful this town/village and its inhabitants are
Schnapsidee (f) (lit: schnapps idea) an idea that only a very drunk person would conceive of or consider good
Held im Erdbeerfeld (lit: hero in the strawberry field) Someone who sees themself as a great hero without any real skills/achievements to back this up
Leben wie Gott in Frankreich (lit: to live like God in France) to live the high life
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