You are here:

 Read & Listen German Idioms No. 1.301 - 1.350    

Idioms No. 1.301 - 1.350
     
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
 
       
No. Listen German Idiom   English Translation  
       
1.301.   sich mit jemandem (←dative) in die Wolle kriegen to get into a squabble with somebody
    [zɪç mɪt 'je:mandəm ɪn di: 'vɔlə 'kri:gən]  
    Literally: to get oneself into the wool with somebody  
       
1.302.   jemandem (←dative) geht der Arsch auf Grundeis one's heart drops into one's boots
    ['je:mandəm ge:t de:ɐ arʃ auf 'grʊntʔais]  
    Literally: somebody's arse is going on ground ice  
       
1.303.   etwas auf die leichte Schulter nehmen to take something lightly
    ['ɛtvas auf di: 'laiçtə 'ʃʊltɐ 'ne:mən]  
    Literally: to take something on the light shoulder  
       
1.304.   mit seiner Gesundheit Raubbau treiben to burn the candle at both ends
    [mɪt 'zainɐ gə'zʊnthait 'raupbau 'traibən]  
    Literally: to drive over-exploitation with one's health  
       
1.305.   das A und O the Alpha and Omega
    [das a: ʊnt o:]  
    Literally: the A and O  
       
1.306.   einen Stein erweichen to make a stone cry
    ['ainən ʃtain ɛɐ'vaiçən]  
    Literally: to soften a stone  
       
1.307.   vom Scheißpott zum Bratpott werden to climb the social ladder
    [fɔm 'ʃaispɔt tsʊm 'bra:tpɔt 've:ɐdən]  
    Literally: to become a frying pot from a shitpot  
       
1.308.   von der Muse geküsst werden to be inspired by the Muse
    [fɔn de:ɐ 'mu:zə gə'kʏst 've:ɐdən]  
    Literally: to be kissed by the Muse  
       
1.309.   Wer im Glashaus sitzt, sollte nicht mit Steinen werfen. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
    [ve:ɐ ɪm 'gla:shaus zɪtst 'zɔltə nɪçt mɪt 'ʃtainən 'vɛrfən]  
    Literally: Who sits in the glass house should not throw with stones.  
       
1.310.   für etwas (←accusative) Kopf und Kragen riskieren to risk one's neck for something
    [fy:ə 'ɛtvas kɔpf ʊnt 'kra:gən rɪs'ki:rən]  
    Literally: to risk head and collar for something  
       
1.311.   ein Geschenk des Himmels a gift from heaven
    [ain gə'ʃɛŋk dɛs 'hɪməls]  
    Literally: a present of heaven  
       
1.312.   Es geschehen noch Zeichen und Wunder! Wonders will never cease!
    [ɛs gə'ʃe:ən nɔx 'tsaiçən ʊnt 'vʊndɐ]  
    Literally: There happen still signs and wonders!  
       
1.313.   reden, wie einem der Schnabel gewachsen ist to say exactly what comes into one's head
    ['re:dən vi: 'ainəm de:ɐ 'ʃna:bəl gə'vaksən ɪst]  
    Literally: to talk as one's beak is grown  
       
1.314.   mit Leib und Seele with heart and soul
    [mɪt laip ʊnt 'ze:lə]  
    Literally: with body and soul  
       
1.315.   Recht haben to be right
    ['rɛçt 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: to have right  
       
1.316.   wie Musik in den Ohren klingen to be music to one's ears
    [vi: mu'zi:k ɪn de:n 'o:rən 'klɪŋən]  
    Literally: to sound like music in the ears  
       
1.317.   der Himmel hängt jemandem (←dative) voller Geigen somebody sees things through rose-coloured glasses
    [de:ɐ 'hɪməl hɛŋt 'je:mandəm 'fɔlɐ 'gaigən]  
    Literally: to somebody the heaven hangs full of violins  
       
1.318.   über seine Verhältnisse leben to live beyond one's means
    ['y:bɐ 'zainə fɛɐ'hɛltnɪsə 'le:bən]  
    Literally: to live over one's circumstances  
       
1.319.   ins Kraut schießen to get out of control
    [ɪns kraut 'ʃi:sən]  
    Literally: to shoot in the herb  
       
1.320.   wie Gott in Frankreich leben to live the life of Riley
    [vi: gɔt ɪn 'fraŋkraiç 'le:bən]  
    Literally: to live like God in France  
       
1.321.   vom Fleisch fallen to get very thin
    [fɔm flaiʃ 'falən]  
    Literally: to fall from the flesh  
       
1.322.   jemandem (←dative) die Haare vom Kopf fressen to eat somebody out of house and home
    ['je:mandəm di: 'ha:rə fɔm kɔpf 'frɛsən]  
    Literally: to eat somebody the hairs from the head  
       
1.323.   durch Abwesenheit glänzen to be conspicuous by one's absence
    [dʊrç 'apve:zənhait 'glɛntsən]  
    Literally: to shine through absence  
       
1.324.   jemandem (←dative) Rede und Antwort stehen to justify oneself to somebody
    ['je:mandəm 're:də ʊnt 'antvɔrt 'ʃte:ən]  
    Literally: to stand talk and answer to somebody  
       
1.325.   wieder Land sehen to near dry land again
    ['vi:dɐ lant 'ze:ən]  
    Literally: to see land again  
       
1.326.   jemanden (←accusative) in die Wüste schicken to send somebody packing
    ['je:mandən ɪn di: 'vy:stə 'ʃɪkən]  
    Literally: to send somebody in the desert  
       
1.327.   in bester Ordnung sein to be in apple-pie order
    [ɪn 'bɛstɐ 'ɔrdnʊŋ zain]  
    Literally: to be in best order  
       
1.328.   fauler Zauber sein to be as phoney as a two-dollar bill
    ['faulɐ 'tsaubɐ zain]  
    Literally: to be foul magic  
       
1.329.   bei jemandem (←dative) auf die Tränendrüse drücken to pull at somebody's heartstrings
    [bai 'je:mandəm auf di: 'trɛ:nəndry:zə 'drʏkən]  
    Literally: to press on somebody's tear gland  
       
1.330.   ein Schattendasein führen to lead a miserable existence
    [ain 'ʃatənda:zain 'fy:rən]  
    Literally: to lead a shadowy existence  
       
1.331.   Gas geben to step on the gas
    [ga:s 'ge:bən]  
    Literally: to give gas  
       
1.332.   strohdumm sein to be as daft as a brush
    [ʃtro:'dʊm zain]  
    Literally: to be straw dumb  
       
1.333.   um ein Haar by a hair
    [ʊm ain ha:ɐ]  
       
1.334.   Gras über etwas wachsen lassen to live down something
    [gra:s 'y:bɐ 'ɛtvas 'vaksən 'lasən]  
    Literally: to let grass grow over something  
       
1.335.   hieb- und stichfest airtight
    [hi:p ʊnt 'ʃtɪçfɛst]  
    Literally: beat and stitch firm  
       
1.336.   ein Herz und eine Seele sein to be palsy-walsy
    [ein hɛrts ʊnt 'ainə 'ze:lə zain]  
    Literally: to be one heart and one soul  
       
1.337.   Das werde ich dir gerade auf die Nase binden! As if I'd tell you about it!
    [das 've:ɐdə ɪç di:ə gə'ra:də auf di: 'na:zə 'bɪndən]  
    Literally: I will just bind it on your nose!  
       
1.338.   ein blaues Auge haben to have a black eye
    [ain 'blauəs 'augə 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: to have a blue eye  
       
1.339.   am Arsch der Welt out in the sticks
    [am arʃ de:ɐ vɛlt]  
    Literally: at the arse of the world  
       
1.340.   auf den Hund kommen to go to pot
    [auf de:n hʊnt 'kɔmən]  
    Literally: to come on the dog  
       
1.341.   ein schlauer Fuchs sein to be as cunning as a fox
    [ain 'ʃlauɐ fʊks zain]  
    Literally: to be a smart fox  
       
1.342.   einen Bärenhunger haben to be as hungry as a horse
    ['ainən 'bɛ:rənhʊŋɐ 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: to have a bear hunger  
       
1.343.   die Reißleine ziehen to pull the plug
    [di: 'raislainə 'tsi:ən]  
    Literally: to pull the ripcord  
       
1.344.   Ich glaub', mein Hamster bohnert! Just strike me pink!
    [ɪç glaup main 'hamstɐ 'bo:nɐt]  
    Literally: I believe my hamster is polishing (the floor)!  
       
1.345.   ein für alle Mal once and for all
    [ain fy:ə 'alə ma:l]  
    Literally: one for all times  
       
1.346.   den Rahmen sprengen to go beyond the scope
    [de:n 'ra:mən 'ʃprɛŋən]  
    Literally: to burst the frame  
       
1.347.   den Arsch voll kriegen to get a good hiding
    [de:n arʃ fɔl 'kri:gən]  
    Literally: to get the arse full  
       
1.348.   Flausen im Kopf haben to have crazy ideas
    ['flauzən ɪm kɔpf 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: to have flocks in the head  
       
1.349.   jemandem auf die Sprünge helfen to start somebody off
    ['je:mandəm auf di: 'ʃprʏŋə 'hɛlfən]  
    Literally: to help somebody on the jumps  
       
1.350.   das Pferd von hinten aufzäumen to put the cart before the horse
    [das pfe:ɐt fɔn 'hɪntən 'auftsɔymən]  
    Literally: to bridle the horse from behind  
       
       
 
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28