{"id":2562,"date":"2016-09-23T10:26:43","date_gmt":"2016-09-23T10:26:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lawlinguists.com\/?p=2562"},"modified":"2025-11-24T20:49:57","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T20:49:57","slug":"40-idioms-that-cant-be-translated-literally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lawlinguists.com\/fr\/40-idioms-that-cant-be-translated-literally\/","title":{"rendered":"40 brilliant idioms that simply can\u2019t be translated literally"},"content":{"rendered":"

Idioms are those phrases that mean more than the sum of their words. As our\u00a0Open Translation Project volunteers<\/a>\u00a0translate TED Talks into 105 languages, they\u2019re often challenged to translate English idioms into their language. Which made us wonder: what are their favorite idioms in their own tongue?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Below, we asked translators to share their favorite idioms and how they would translate literally. The results are laugh-out-loud funny.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From German translator\u00a0<\/b>Johanna Pichler<\/b><\/a>:<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The idiom: Tomaten auf den Augen haben.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Literal translation<\/b>: \u201cYou have tomatoes on your eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

What it means<\/b>: \u201cYou are not seeing what everyone else can see. It refers to real objects, though \u2014 not abstract meanings.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The idiom: Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Literal translation<\/b>: \u201cI only understand the train station.\u201d<\/p>\n

What it means<\/b>: \u201cI don\u2019t understand a thing about what that person is saying.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The idiom: Die Katze im Sack kaufen.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Literal translation<\/b>: \u201cTo buy a cat in a sack.\u201d<\/p>\n

What it means<\/b>: That a buyer purchased something without inspecting it first.<\/p>\n

Other languages this idiom exists in<\/b>: We hear from translators that this is an idiom in Swedish, Polish, Latvian and Norwegian. In English, the phrase is \u201cbuying a pig in poke,\u201d but English speakers do also \u00a0\u201clet the cat out of the bag,\u201d which means to reveal something that\u2019s supposed to be secret.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From Swedish translator\u00a0<\/b>Matti J\u00e4\u00e4ro<\/b><\/a>:<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The idiom: Det \u00e4r ingen ko p\u00e5 isen.<\/b><\/p>\n

Literal translation<\/b>: \u201cThere\u2019s no cow on the ice.\u201d<\/p>\n

What it means<\/b>: \u201cThere\u2019s no need to worry. We also use \u2018Det \u00e4r ingen fara p\u00e5 taket,\u2019 or \u2018There\u2019s no danger on the roof,\u2019 to mean the same thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The idiom: Att glida in p\u00e5 en r\u00e4kmacka.<\/b><\/p>\n

Literal translation<\/b>: \u201cTo slide in on a shrimp sandwich.\u201d<\/p>\n

What it means<\/b>: \u201cIt refers to somebody who didn\u2019t have to work to get where they are.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The idiom: Det f\u00f6ll mellan stolarna.<\/b><\/p>\n

Literal translation<\/b>: \u201cIt fell between chairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

What it means<\/b>: \u201cIt\u2019s an excuse you use when two people were supposed to do it, but nobody did. It has evolved into the slightly ironic phrase, \u2018It fell between the chair,\u2019 which you use when you want to say,\u2018Yeah, I know I was supposed to do it but I forgot.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From Thai translator\u00a0<\/b>Kelwalin Dhanasarnsombut<\/b><\/a>:<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The idiom: \u0e40\u0e2d\u0e32\u0e2b\u0e39\u0e44\u0e1b\u0e19\u0e32 \u0e40\u0e2d\u0e32\u0e15\u0e32\u0e44\u0e1b\u0e44\u0e23\u0e48\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Literal translation<\/b>: \u201cTake ears to the field, take eyes to the farm.\u201d<\/p>\n

What it means<\/b>: \u201cIt means \u2018don\u2019t pay any attention.\u2019 Almost like \u2018don\u2019t bring your eyes and ears with you.\u2019 If that were possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The idiom:\u00a0<\/b>\u0e44\u0e01\u0e48\u0e40\u0e2b\u0e47\u0e19\u0e15\u0e35\u0e19\u0e07\u0e39 \u0e07\u0e39\u0e40\u0e2b\u0e47\u0e19\u0e19\u0e21\u0e44\u0e01\u0e48<\/p>\n

Literal translation<\/b>: \u201cThe hen sees the snake\u2019s feet and the snake sees the hen\u2019s boobs.\u201d<\/p>\n

What it means<\/b>: \u201cIt means two people know each other\u2019s secrets.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The idiom:\u00a0<\/b>\u0e0a\u0e32\u0e15\u0e34\u0e2b\u0e19\u0e49\u0e32\u0e15\u0e2d\u0e19\u0e1a\u0e48\u0e32\u0e22 \u0e46<\/p>\n

Literal translation<\/b>: \u201cOne afternoon in your next reincarnation.\u201d<\/p>\n

What it means<\/b>: \u201cIt\u2019s never gonna happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Other languages this idiom exists in<\/b>: A phrase that means a similar thing in English: \u201cWhen pigs fly.\u201d In French, the same idea is conveyed by the phrase, \u201cwhen hens have teeth (quand les poules auront des dents).\u201d In Russian, it\u2019s the intriguing phrase, \u201cWhen a lobster whistles on top of a mountain (\u041a\u043e\u0433\u0434\u0430 \u0440\u0430\u043a \u043d\u0430 \u0433\u043e\u0440\u0435 \u0441\u0432\u0438\u0441\u0442\u043d\u0435\u0442).\u201d And in Dutch, it\u2019s \u201cWhen the cows are dancing on the ice (Als de koeien op het ijs dansen).\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From Latvian translator\u00a0<\/b>Ilze Garda<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Kristaps Kadi\u0137is<\/a><\/b>:<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The idiom: P\u016bst p\u012bl\u012btes.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Literal translation<\/b>: \u201cTo blow little ducks.\u201d<\/p>\n

What it means<\/b>: \u201cIt means to talk nonsense or to lie.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other language connections<\/b>: In Croatian, when someone is obviously lying to someone, you say that they are \u201cthrowing cream into their eyes (bacati kajmak u o\u010di).\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The idiom: Ej bekot.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Literal translation:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201c\u2018Go pick mushrooms,\u2019 or, more specifically, \u2018Go pick boletes!’\u201d<\/p>\n

What it means:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cGo away and\/or leave me alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From French translator\u00a0<\/b>Patrick Brault<\/b><\/a>:<\/b>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The idiom:\u00a0<\/b>Avaler des couleuvres.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Literal translation<\/b>: \u201cTo swallow grass snakes.\u201d<\/p>\n

What it means<\/b>: \u201cIt means being so insulted that you\u2019re not able to reply.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The idiom:\u00a0<\/b>Sauter du coq \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e2ne.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Literal translation<\/b>: \u201cTo jump from the cock to the donkey.\u201d<\/p>\n

What it means<\/b>: \u201cIt means to keep changing topics without logic in a conversation.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The idiom:\u00a0<\/b>Se regarder en chiens de fa\u00efence.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Literal translation<\/b>: \u201cTo look at each other like earthenware dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n

What it means<\/b>: \u201cBasically, to look at each other coldly, with distrust.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The idiom: Les carottes sont cuites!\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Literal translation<\/b>: \u201cThe carrots are cooked!\u201d<\/p>\n

What it means<\/b>: \u201cThe situation can\u2019t be changed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other language connections<\/b>: It\u2019s bit like the phrase, \u201cIt\u2019s no use crying over spilt milk,\u201d in English.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From Russian translator\u00a0<\/b>Aliaksandr Autayeu<\/b><\/a>:<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The idiom: \u0413\u0430\u043b\u043e\u043f\u043e\u043c \u043f\u043e \u0415\u0432\u0440\u043e\u043f\u0430\u043c\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Literal translation<\/b>: \u201cGalloping across Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n

What it means<\/b>: \u201cTo do something hastily, haphazardly.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The idiom: \u041d\u0430 \u0432\u043e\u0440\u0435 \u0438 \u0448\u0430\u043f\u043a\u0430 \u0433\u043e\u0440\u0438\u0442\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Literal translation<\/b>: \u201cThe thief has a burning hat.\u201d<\/p>\n

What it means<\/b>: \u201cHe has an uneasy conscience that betrays itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The idiom: \u0425\u043e\u0442\u044c \u043a\u043e\u043b \u043d\u0430 \u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435 \u0442\u0435\u0448\u0438\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Literal translation<\/b>: \u201cYou can sharpen with an ax on top of this head.\u201d<\/p>\n

What it means<\/b>: \u201cHe\u2019s a very stubborn person.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The idiom: \u0431\u0440\u0430\u0442\u044c\/\u0432\u0437\u044f\u0442\u044c \u0441\u0435\u0431\u044f \u0432 \u0440\u0443\u043a\u0438\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Literal translation<\/b>: \u201cTo take oneself in one\u2019s hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

What it means<\/b>: \u201cIt means \u2018to pull yourself together.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Other languages this idiom exists in<\/b>: Translators tell us that there is a German version of this idiom too: \u201cSich zusammenrei\u00dfen,\u201d which translates literally as \u201cto tear oneself together.\u201d And in Polish, the same idea is expressed by the phrase, \u201cwe take ourselves into our fist (wzi\u0105\u0107 si\u0119 w gar\u015b\u0107).\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Idioms are those phrases that mean more than the sum of their words. As our\u00a0Open Translation Project volunteers\u00a0translate TED Talks into 105 languages, they\u2019re often challenged to translate English idioms into their language. Which made us wonder: what are their favorite idioms in their own…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2565,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37,93,44,1],"tags":[101],"class_list":["post-2562","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-facts","category-language","category-translator","category-uncategorized","tag-funny"],"yoast_head":"\n40 brilliant idioms that simply can\u2019t be translated literally | Lawlinguists<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We asked translators to share their favorite idioms and how they would translate literally. 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