Lost in Translation

English Stuff is a blog about the English language, culture and history, and we often feature posts about idioms in English – idioms being those linguistic gems of expressions that frequently don’t have a direct translation into another language, and they are often rooted in an interesting origin or piece of unusual history.

But today we’re going to turn it around and look at idiomatic expressions from other countries that would make no sense at all if they were translated into English.

France

Idiom – pédaler dans le choucroute

Literal translation – to pedal in sauerkarat. ( If you don’t already know, sauerkraut is a fermented cabbage dish eaten on the continent, and would definitely be a slippery, hazardous surface to travel on )

Real meaning – to go round in circles and get nowhere

If it existed in English – I explained it to him several times, but I was pedalling in sauerkraut.

Idiom – avoir la patate

Literal translation – to have the potato

Real meaning – to be full of beans (obviously English kids are fed baked beans whilst French kids enjoy gourmet carbohydrate)

If it existed in English – I can’t control these kids, they’re full of potato today.

Idiom – Poner un lapin

Literal translation – to put up a rabbit

Real meaning – to stand someone up

If it existed in English – She was supposed to meet me for dinner, but she put up a rabbit and never showed up.

Germany

Idiom – tomaten auf den augen haben

Literal Translation – to have tomatoes on your eyes

Real meaning – to be unaware of what’s happening around you

If it existed in English – She walked straight into a tree as she had tomatoes on her eyes.

Idiom – Wie eine beleidigte Leberwurst

Literal Translation – Like an offended liverwurst

Real meaning– someone who is offended very easily

If it existed in English – He acted like an offended liverwurst when I asked for his name.

Idiom – Es ist mir Wurst

Literal meaning – It’s sausage to me.

Real meaning – I don’t care one way or the other

If it existed in English – I’m not worrying about it, it’s all sausage to me.

Spain

Idiom – se me ha ido la olla

Literal Translation – my pan has gone

Real meaning – to lose your marbles

If it existed in English – I was so exhausted that my pan went.

Idiom – vete a freír espárragos

Literal Translation – go away and fry asparagus

Real meaning – Get lost

If it existed in English – He spoke to me rudely so I sent him away to fry asparagus.

Idiom – tela marinera

Literal Translation – material for sails

Real meaning – this is very complicated

If it existed in English – Solving this problem is a nightmare, like material for sails.

These are a tiny, hand-picked selection of the immense amount of idioms out there,and they exist in practically every language. Idioms may have different literal translations but we can all relate to the concepts they express. Idioms are an illiustation of how we feel about situations in life, no matter where we are or which language we speak.

Which one do you like the best?

Do you know any idioms from another language?