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 Read & Listen German Idioms No. 651 - 700    

Idioms No. 651 - 700
     
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No. Listen German Idiom   English Translation  
       
651.   auf dem Zahnfleisch gehen to be on one's last legs
    [auf de:m 'tsa:nflaiʃ 'ge:ən]  
    Literally: to go on the tooth flesh (gums)  
       
652.   Endlich ist der Groschen gefallen! At last the penny's dropped!
    ['ɛntlɪç ɪst de:ɐ 'grɔʃən gə'falən]  
    Literally: At last the groat has dropped!  
       
653.   eine lange Leitung haben to be slow on the uptake
    ['ainə 'laŋə 'laitʊŋ 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: to have a long line  
       
654.   Das werde ich mir merken! I'll remember that!
    [das 've:ɐdə ɪç mi:ə 'mɛrkən]  
    Literally: That I will note to me!  
       
655.   in Saus und Braus leben to live high on the hog
    [ɪn zaus ʊnt braus 'le:bən]  
    Literally: to live in dash and rush  
       
656.   jenseits von Gut und Böse sein to be past it
    ['je:nzaits fɔn gu:t ʊnt 'bø:zə zain]  
    Literally: to be beyond good and evil  
       
657.   Mein lieber Schwan! My goodness!
    [main 'li:bɐ ʃva:n]  
    Literally: My dear swan!  
       
658.   aus einer Mücke einen Elefanten machen to make a mountain out of a molehill
    [aus 'ainɐ 'mʏkə 'ainən ele'fantən 'maxən]  
    Literally: to make an elephant out of a mosquito  
       
659.   wie die Made im Speck leben to live in clover
    [vi: di: 'ma:də ɪm ʃpɛk 'le:bən]  
    Literally: to live like the maggot in the bacon  
       
660.   Das ist mir zu hoch. That beats me.
    [das ɪst mi:ə tsu: ho:x]  
    Literally: That is too high for me.  
       
661.   den Karren gründlich in den Dreck fahren to get things in a complete mess
    [de:n 'karən 'grʏntlɪç ɪn de:n drɛk 'fa:rən]  
    Literally: to drive the cart thoroughly in the dirt  
       
662.   jemandem (←dative) ans Bein pinkeln to piss on somebody
    ['je:mandəm ans bain 'pɪŋkəln]  
    Literally: to piss at somebody's leg  
       
663.   pleitegehen to go broke
    ['plaitəge:ən]  
       
664.   Das lasse ich mir nicht gefallen! I won't put up with that!
    [das 'lasə ɪç mi:ə nɪçt gə'falən]  
    Literally: That I do not let please to me!  
       
665.   ein Dreikäsehoch (little child) sein to be knee-high to a grasshopper
    [ain drai'kɛ:zəho:x zain]  
    Literally: to be a three cheese high  
       
666.   wie ein Murmeltier schlafen to sleep like a log
    [vi: ain 'mʊrməlti:ə 'ʃla:fən]  
    Literally: to sleep like a marble animal (marmot)  
       
667.   Ein Schelm, wer Böses dabei denkt. Shamed be he who thinks evil of it.
    [ain ʃɛlm ve:ɐ 'bø:zəs da'bai dɛŋkt]  
    Literally: A rascal who thinks evil of it.  
       
668.   Kindermund tut Wahrheit kund. Children are never shy about telling the
    ['kɪndɐmʊnt tu:t 'va:ɐhait kʊnt] truth.
    Literally: Child's mouth proclaims truth.  
       
669.   Da brat mir doch einer einen Storch! I'll be jiggered!
    [da: bra:t mi:ə dɔx 'ainɐ 'ainən ʃtɔrç]  
    Literally: Somebody really fry me a stork!  
       
670.   Wenn es sein muss... If need be...
    [vɛn ɛs zain mʊs]  
    Literally: If it must be...  
       
671.   Aus Schaden wird man klug. You learn from your mistakes.
    [aus 'ʃa:dən vɪrt man klu:k]  
    Literally: Out of damage you become smart.  
       
672.   einen Tapetenwechsel brauchen to need a change of scenery
    ['ainən ta'pe:tənvɛksəl 'brauxən]  
    Literally: to need a change of wallpaper  
       
673.   Den Letzten beißen die Hunde. Let the devil take the hindmost.
    [de:n 'lɛtstən 'baisən di: 'hʊndə]  
    Literally: The dogs bite the last one.  
       
674.   jemanden (←accusative) in die Pfanne hauen to do the dirty on somebody
    ['je:mandən ɪn di: 'pfanə 'hauən]  
    Literally: to smash somebody in the pan  
       
675.   Das ist leichter gesagt als getan. That's easier said than done.
    [das ɪst 'laiçtɐ gə'za:kt als gə'ta:n]  
       
676.   Ich glaub', mich laust der Affe. I'll be a monkey's uncle.
    [ɪç glaup mɪç laust de:ɐ 'afə]  
    Literally: I think the monkey delouses me.  
       
677.   Da komme ich nicht mehr mit. You've lost me.
    [da: 'kɔmə ɪç nɪçt me:ɐ mɪt]  
    Literally: I don't come with it.  
       
678.   Abwarten und Tee trinken! Wait and see!
    ['apvartən ʊnt te: 'trɪŋkən]  
    Literally: Wait and drink tea!  
       
679.   Das ist meine schwache Seite. That's my blind side.
    [das ɪst 'mainə 'ʃvaxə 'zaitə]  
    Literally: That is my weak side.  
       
680.   Sieh zu, dass du Land gewinnst! Go fry an egg!
    [zi: tsu: das du: lant gə'vɪnst]  
    Literally: See that you win land!  
       
681.   Gleich und Gleich gesellt sich gern. Birds of a feather flock together.
    [glaiç ʊnt glaiç gə'zɛlt zɪç gɛrn]  
    Literally: Like and like enjoy to join.  
       
682.   Wo kein Kläger ist, ist auch kein Richter. Without complaint there is no redress.
    [vo: kain 'klɛ:gɐ ɪst ɪst aux kain 'rɪçtɐ]  
    Literally: Where no plaintiff is, there is no judge, either.  
       
683.   auf jemandes (←genitive) Mist gewachsen sein to be somebody's idea
    [auf 'je:mandəs mɪst gə'vaksən zain]  
    Literally: to be grown on somebody's muck  
       
684.   jemanden (←accusative) sticht der Hafer somebody is feeling his oats
    ['je:mandən ʃtɪçt de:ɐ 'ha:fɐ]  
    Literally: the oat pricks somebody  
       
685.   Mir (←dative) fiel die Kinnlade herunter. My jaw fell open.
    [mi:ə fi:l di: 'kɪnla:də hɛˈrʊntɐ]  
    Literally: My chin drawer fell down.  
       
686.   Ein gutes Gewissen ist ein sanftes Ruhekissen. A quiet conscience sleeps in thunder.
    [ain 'gu:təs gə'vɪsən ɪst ain 'zanftəs 'ru:əkɪsən]  
    Literally: A good conscience is a soft resting pillow.  
       
687.   Das geht auf keine Kuhhaut. That's going too far.
    [das ge:t auf 'kainə 'ku:haut]  
    Literally: That goes on no cowhide.  
       
688.   Vorbeugen ist besser als heilen. Prevention is better than cure.
    ['fɔɐbɔygən ɪst 'bɛsɐ als 'hailən]  
    Literally: To prevent is better than to heal.  
       
689.   Ist der Ruf erst ruiniert, lebt es sich ganz ungeniert. You don't have to worry if you have no
    [ɪst de:ɐ ru:f e:ɐst rui'ni:rt le:pt ɛs zɪç gants ʊnʒeˈni:rt] reputation to lose.
    Literally: Is the reputation once ruined, it lives oneself quite unembarressedly.  
       
690.   die Macht der Gewohnheit the force of habit
    [di: maxt de:ɐ gə'vo:nhait]  
    Literally: the power of the habit  
       
691.   Haare auf den Zähnen haben to have a sharp tongue
    ['ha:rə auf de:n 'tsɛ:nən 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: to have hairs on the teeth  
       
692.   Maulaffen feilhalten to stand around gawping
    ['maulʔafən 'failhaltən]  
    Literally: to keep mouth monkeys for sale  
       
693.   jemandem (←dative) Löcher in den Bauch fragen to pester somebody with questions
    ['je:mandəm 'lœçhɐ ɪn de:n baux 'fragən]  
    Literally: to ask somebody holes in the belly  
       
694.   wie der Zufall es wollte as chance would have it
    [vi: de:ɐ 'tsu:fal ɛs 'vɔltə]  
    Literally: as the coincidence wanted it  
       
695.   Man kann es nicht allen recht machen. You cannot be all things to all men.
    [man kan ɛs nɪçt 'alən rɛçt 'maxən]  
    Literally: You cannot make it right to all.  
       
696.   Süßholz raspeln to be honey-tongued
    ['zy:shɔlts 'raspəln]  
    Literally: to grate liquorice (sweet wood)  
       
697.   Da liegt der Hase im Pfeffer! There's the rub!
    [da: li:kt de:ɐ 'hazə ɪm 'pfɛfɐ]  
    Literally: There the hare lies in the pepper!  
       
698.   Hier ist tote Hose. Nothing ever happens here.
    [hi:ə ɪst 'to:tə 'ho:zə]  
    Literally: Here is dead trousers.  
       
699.   sich bei jemandem (←dative) lieb Kind machen to make up to somebody
    [zɪç bai 'je:mandəm li:p kɪnt 'maxən]  
    Literally: to make oneself dear child with somebody  
       
700.   unter die Haube kommen to get married
    ['ʊntɐ di: 'haubə 'kɔmən]  
    Literally: to get under the bonnet  
 
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