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German Idioms, Expressions & False Friends

194 cards · 🇺🇸 English → 🇩🇪 Deutsch

Idioms, expressions and tricky false friends to sound natural in German.

idiomsexpressionsfalse-friends

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I don't understand anything (literally: I only understand train station)

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  1. 1I don't understand anything (literally: I only understand train station)
    Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof
  2. 2I don't care / It's all the same to me (literally: That is sausage to me)
    Das ist mir Wurst
  3. 3To be lucky (literally: to have pig)
    Schwein haben
  4. 4Everything has an end, only the sausage has two (meaning: everything comes to an end)
    Alles hat ein Ende, nur die Wurst hat zwei
  5. 5To be oblivious (literally: to have tomatoes on one's eyes)
    Tomaten auf den Augen haben
  6. 6To keep fingers crossed (literally: to press the thumbs)
    Die Daumen drücken
  7. 7Expression of disbelief (literally: the dog in the pan goes crazy)
    Da wird der Hund in der Pfanne verrückt
  8. 8I can't believe it! (literally: I think my pig whistles)
    Ich glaub, mein Schwein pfeift
  9. 9That's not my problem (literally: That's not my beer)
    Das ist nicht mein Bier
  10. 10To leave someone in the lurch (literally: to leave someone in the stitch)
    Jemanden im Stich lassen
  11. 11To beat around the bush (literally: to talk around the hot porridge)
    Um den heißen Brei herumreden
  12. 12To be on cloud nine (literally: to float on cloud seven)
    Auf Wolke sieben schweben
  13. 13To wish someone luck (literally: to hold the thumbs for someone)
    Jemandem die Daumen halten
  14. 14To buy a pig in a poke (literally: to buy the cat in the bag)
    Die Katze im Sack kaufen
  15. 15That's the crux of the matter (literally: that's where the dog is buried)
    Da liegt der Hund begraben
  16. 16To put one's foot in it (literally: to step into the fat bowl)
    Ins Fettnäpfchen treten
  17. 17To pull someone's leg (literally: to take someone on the arm)
    Jemanden auf den Arm nehmen
  18. 18To be tough/feisty (literally: to have hair on the teeth)
    Haare auf den Zähnen haben
  19. 19To tell someone a tall tale (literally: to tie a bear on someone)
    Jemandem einen Bären aufbinden
  20. 20Everything's fine (literally: everything in butter)
    Alles in Butter
  21. 21To speak one's mind (literally: to not take a leaf before the mouth)
    Kein Blatt vor den Mund nehmen
  22. 22To read someone the riot act (literally: to read someone the Leviticus)
    Jemandem die Leviten lesen
  23. 23To give it one's all (literally: to put oneself into the stuff)
    Sich ins Zeug legen
  24. 24To be shocked/surprised (literally: to fall from all clouds)
    Aus allen Wolken fallen
  25. 25To be fed up (literally: to have the nose full)
    Die Nase voll haben
  26. 26To give someone hell (literally: to make hell hot for someone)
    Jemandem die Hölle heiß machen
  27. 27To get going (literally: to make oneself onto the socks)
    Sich auf die Socken machen
  28. 28To deceive someone (literally: to sprinkle sand in someone's eyes)
    Jemandem Sand in die Augen streuen
  29. 29To turn a blind eye (literally: to press one eye shut)
    Ein Auge zudrücken
  30. 30To be on the wrong track (literally: to be on the wood path)
    Auf dem Holzweg sein

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