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 Read & Listen German Idioms No. 1.151 - 1.200    

Idioms No. 1.151 - 1.200
     
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No. Listen German Idiom   English Translation  
       
1.151.   Bombig! Terrific!
    ['bɔmbɪç]  
    Literally: Bomby!  
       
1.152.   Ich werde Ihnen (←dative) was husten. I'll see you further first.
    [ɪç 've:ɐdə 'i:nən vas 'hu:stən]  
    Literally: I will cough you something.  
       
1.153.   sterbenslangweilig sein to be dull as ditchwater
    ['ʃtɛrbəns'laŋvailɪç zain]  
    Literally: to be dying boring  
       
1.154.   aus eigener Kraft under one's own steam
    [aus 'aigənɐ kraft]  
    Literally: out of own power  
       
1.155.   Ich fresse einen Besen, wenn... I'll eat my hat if...
    [ɪç 'frɛsə 'ainən 'be:zən vɛn]  
    Literally: I eat a broom if...  
       
1.156.   Das Runde muss ins Eckige.* The round (football) must go into the square (goal).
    [das 'rʊndə mʊs ɪns 'ɛkɪgə]  
    *Sepp Herberger, German football player and trainer  
       
1.157.   Ende gut, alles gut. All's well that ends well.
    ['ɛndə gu:t 'aləs gu:t]  
    Literally: End good, everything good.  
       
1.158.   Ein schlechtes Gewissen braucht keinen Kläger. A guilty conscience needs no accuser.
    [ain 'ʃlɛçtəs gə'vɪsən brauxt 'kainən 'klɛ:gɐ]  
    Literally: A bad conscience needs no accuser.  
       
1.159.   blauäugig sein to be naïve
    ['blauʔɔygɪç zain]  
    Literally: to be blue-eyed  
       
1.160.   Pustekuchen! No chance!
    ['pu:stəku:xən]  
    Literally: Blowing cake!  
       
1.161.   Was soll das denn heißen? What is that supposed to mean?
    [vas zɔl das dɛn 'haisən]  
    Literally: What shall that mean?  
       
1.162.   Mäuschen spielen to be a fly on the wall
    ['mɔysçən 'ʃpi:lən]  
    Literally: to play little mouse  
       
1.163.   Das ist gehupft wie gesprungen. That's six of one and half a dozen of another.
    [das ɪst gə'hʊpft vi: gə'ʃprʊŋən]  
    Literally: That is hopped as jumped.  
       
1.164.   Wer gut schmiert, der gut fährt. If you grease well, you speed well.
    [ve:ɐ gu:t ʃmi:ət de:ɐ gu:t fɛ:ɐt]  
    Literally: Who greases well drives/rides well.  
       
1.165.   stinksauer sein to be as cross as two sticks
    [ʃtɪŋk'zauɐ zain]  
    Literally: to be stinking sour  
       
1.166.   wie eine gesengte Sau fahren to drive like a lunatic
    [vi: 'ainə gə'zɛŋtə zau 'fa:rən]  
    Literally: to drive like a singed sow  
       
1.167.   sich wie neugeboren fühlen to feel like a new man/woman
    [zɪç vi: nɔygə'bo:rən 'fy:lən]  
    Literally: to feel like newly born  
       
1.168.   ein Sturm im Wasserglas a storm in a teacup
    [ain ʃtʊrm ɪm 'vasɐgla:s]  
    Literally: a storm in the water glass  
       
1.169.   sich etwas aus den Fingern saugen to conjure up something
    [zɪç 'ɛtvas aus de:n 'fɪŋɐn 'zaugən]  
    Literally: to suck oneself something out of the fingers  
       
1.170.   Das ist zu viel gesagt. It's carrying things too far.
    [das ɪst tsu: fi:l gə'za:kt]  
    Literally: That is said too much.  
       
1.171.   klein beigeben to back down
    [klain 'baige:bən]  
    Literally: to add small  
       
1.172.   Wo gehobelt wird, da fallen Späne. Where wood is chopped, splinters must fall.
    [vo: gə'ho:bəlt vɪrt da: 'falən 'ʃpɛ:nə]  
    Literally: Where it is planed, there woodchips fall.  
       
1.173.   jemanden (←accusative) übers Ohr hauen to sell somebody a pup
    ['je:mandən 'y:bɐs o:ɐ 'hauən]  
    Literally: to beat somebody over the ear  
       
1.174.   Sagen wir mal so... Let's put it this way...
    ['za:gən vi:ə ma:l zo:]  
    Literally: Let's just say so...  
       
1.175.   wie ein Schlosshund heulen to bawl one's eyes out
    [vi: ain 'ʃlɔshʊnt 'hɔylən]  
    Literally: to howl like a castle dog  
       
1.176.   sich zum Affen machen to make a fool of oneself
    [zɪç tsʊm 'afən 'maxən]  
    Literally: to make oneself a monkey  
       
1.177.   ausflippen to flip out
    ['ausflɪpən]  
       
1.178.   Wer schläft, sündigt nicht. He who sleeps does not sin.
    [ve:ɐ ʃlɛ:ft 'zʏndɪçt nɪçt]  
    Literally: Who sleeps, sins not.  
       
1.179.   jemandem (←dative) die Ohren volljammern to bend somebody's ear with complaints
    ['je:mandəm di: 'o:rən 'fɔljamɐn]  
    Literally: to moan somebody the ears full  
       
1.180.   Zum Henker damit! Hang it all!
    [tsʊm 'hɛŋkɐ da'mɪt]  
    Literally: To the hangman with it!  
       
1.181.   alles in einem Aufwasch all in one go
    ['aləs ɪn 'ainəm 'aufvaʃ]  
    Literally: all in one washing-up  
       
1.182.   die zweite Geige spielen to play second fiddle
    [di: 'tsvaitə 'gaigə 'ʃpi:lən]  
    Literally: to play the second violin  
       
1.183.   im siebten Himmel sein to be in the seventh heaven
    [ɪm 'zi:ptən 'hɪməl zain]  
       
1.184.   mit offenen Karten spielen to play with one's cards on the table
    [mɪt 'ɔfənən 'kartən 'ʃpi:lən]  
    Literally: to play with open cards  
       
1.185.   Was geht? What's up?
    [vas ge:t]  
    Literally: What goes?  
       
1.186.   Ich bin gleich wieder da. I'll be right back.
    [ɪç bɪn glaiç 'vi:dɐ da:]  
    Literally: I am just there again.  
       
1.187.   Da bin ich überfragt. You've got me stumped.
    [da: bɪn ɪç y:bɐ'fra:kt]  
    Literally: There I am overasked.  
       
1.188.   Hast du eine Ahnung! Shows what you know!
    [hast du: 'ainə 'a:nʊŋ]  
    Literally: Have you got an idea!  
       
1.189.   Der Drops ist gelutscht. That's over and done with.
    [de:ɐ drɔps ɪst gə'lʊtʃt]  
    Literally: The drop is sucked.  
       
1.190.   Ohne Moos nichts los. No mon, no fun.
    ['o:nə mo:s nɪçts lo:s]  
    Literally: Without moss (money) nothing going on.  
       
1.191.   eine Schlange am Busen nähren to cherish a viper in one's bosom
    ['ainə 'ʃlaŋə am 'bu:zən 'nɛ:rən]  
    Literally: to nourish a snake at the bosom  
       
1.192.   ein Nickerchen machen to have a catnap
    [ain 'nɪkɐçən 'maxən]  
    Literally: to make a little nod  
       
1.193.   jemandem (←dative) haushoch überlegen sein to be head and shoulders above somebody
    ['je:mandəm 'hausho:x y:bɐ'le:gən zain]  
    Literally: to be house high superior to somebody  
       
1.194.   Auto fängt mit 'Au!' an und hört mit 'Oh!' auf. A car is like a wife, it's trouble and strife.
    ['auto fɛŋt mɪt au an ʊnt hø:ɐt mɪt o: auf]  
    Literally: "Auto" begins with 'Ow!' and ends in 'Oh!'.  
       
1.195.   Alte Liebe rostet nicht. Old love does not rust.
    ['altə 'li:bə 'rɔstət nɪçt]  
       
1.196.   Der frühe Vogel fängt den Wurm. The early bird catches the worm.
    [de:ɐ 'fry:ə 'fo:gəl fɛŋt de:n vʊrm]  
       
1.197.   Der Typ ist schon wer. That man's a big shot.
    [de:ɐ ty:p ɪst ʃo:n ve:ɐ]  
    Literally: That guy is already somebody.  
       
1.198.   Wer sein Fahrzeug liebt, der schiebt. He who holds his bike dear will push it with no fear.
    [ve:ɐ zain 'fa:ɐtsɔyk li:pt de:ɐ ʃi:pt]  
    Literally: Who loves his vehicle pushes (it).  
       
1.199.   Nur die Harten kommen in den Garten. Only the strong survive.
    [nu:ə di: 'hartən 'kɔmən ɪn de:n 'gartən]  
    Literally: Only the hard ones come in the garden.  
       
1.200.   ein Maulheld sein to be a loud-mouth
    [ain 'maulhɛlt zain]  
    Literally: to be a mouth-hero  
 
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