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 Read & Listen German Idioms No. 101 - 150    

Idioms No. 101 - 150
     
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No. Listen German Idiom   English Translation  
       
101.   Es regnet Bindfäden! It's raining cats and dogs!
    [ɛs 're:gnət 'bɪntfɛ:dən]  
    Literally: It rains packthreads!  
       
102.   Hals- und Beinbruch! Break a leg! (Good luck!)
    [hals ʊnt 'bainbrʊx]  
    Literally: Neck and leg fracture!  
       
103.   Wer sucht, der findet. Seek and you shall find.
    [ve:ɐ zu:xt, de:ɐ 'fɪndət]  
    Literally: Who searches finds.  
       
104.   Wer rastet, der rostet. You snooze, you lose.
    [ve:ɐ 'rastət, de:ɐ 'rɔstət]  
    Literally: Who rests rusts.  
       
105.   auf dem Holzweg sein to be on the wrong track
    [auf de:m 'hɔltsve:k zain]  
    Literally: to be on the wooden track  
       
106.   die Flöhe husten hören to imagine things
    [di: 'flø:ə 'hu:stən 'hø:rən]  
    Literally: to hear the fleas cough  
       
107.   aus dem letzten Loch pfeifen to be on one's last legs
    [aus de:m 'lɛtstən lɔx 'pfaifən]  
    Literally: to whistle out of the last hole  
       
108.   wie ein Elefant im Porzellanladen like a bull in a china shop
    [vi: ain ele'fant ɪm pɔrtsɛ'la:nla:dən]  
    Literally: like an elephant in a porcelain shop  
       
109.   Das ist ja irre! That's far out!
    [das ɪst ja: 'ɪrə]  
    Literally: That's crazy!  
       
110.   Geh doch dahin, wo der Pfeffer wächst! Go jump in a lake!
    [ge: dɔx da'hɪn, vo: de:ɐ 'pfɛfɐ vɛkst]  
    Literally: Go finally there where the pepper grows!  
       
111.   Das ist ja wohl die Höhe! That really is the limit!
    [das ɪst ja vo:l di: 'hø:ə]  
    Literally: That is indeed the height!  
       
112.   Sich regen bringt Segen. Hard work brings its own reward.
    [zɪç 're:gən brɪŋt 'ze:gən]  
    Literally: To move brings blessing.  
       
113.   Nachtigall, ick (ich) hör dir* trapsen. I can tell which way the wind is blowing.
    ['naxtɪgal, ɪk hø:ɐ di:ə 'trapsən]  
    Literally: Nightingale, I hear you clumping.  
    Normally we would have to use the accusative instead of the dative. However, this proverb comes from Berlin. There people often use "dir" instead of "dich".  
       
114.   Besser den Spatz in der Hand als die Taube auf dem Dach. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
    ['bɛsɐ de:n ʃpats ɪn de:ɐ hant als di: 'taubə auf de:m dax]  
    Literally: Better the sparrow in the hand than the dove on the roof.  
       
115.   den Gürtel enger schnallen to tighten one's belt
    [de:n 'gʏrtəl 'ɛŋɐ 'ʃnalən]  
    Literally: to buckle the belt tighter  
       
116.   einen Kopfschuss haben to be not quite right in the head
    ['ainən 'kɔpfʃʊs 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: to have a headshot  
       
117.   sich eine Sache schönreden to put lipstick on the pig
    [zɪç 'ainə 'zaxə 'ʃø:nre:dən]  
    Literally: to talk oneself a thing nice  
       
118.   Das ist doch zum Mäusemelken! It's enough to drive you up the wall.
    [das ɪst dɔx tsʊm 'mɔyzəmɛlkən]  
    Literally: That is (enough) to milk mice.  
       
119.   bekannt sein wie ein bunter Hund to be known all over town
    [bə'kant zain vi: ain 'bʊntɐ hʊnt]  
    Literally: to be well-known like a coloured dog  
       
120.   so eitel wie ein Pfau sein to be as vain as a peacock
    [zo: 'aitəl vi: ain pfau zain]  
       
121.   Gegen Dummheit ist kein Kraut gewachsen. With stupidity the gods themselves struggle in vain.
    ['ge:gən 'dʊmhait ɪst kain kraut gə'vaksən]  
    Literally: Against stupidity no herb is grown.  
       
122.   Das ist ja nur ein Katzensprung. It's only a stone's throw away.
    [das ɪst ja: nu:ə ain 'katsənʃprʊŋ]  
    Literally: That's only a cat's jump.  
       
123.   Aufgeschoben ist nicht aufgehoben! It's only a pleasure deferred!
    [aufgə'ʃo:bən ɪst nɪçt aufgə'ho:bən]  
    Literally: Deferred is not cancelled!  
       
124.   Lange nicht gesehen! Long time no see!
    ['laŋə nɪçt gə'ze:ən]  
    Literally: Long (time) not seen!  
       
125.   Da lachst du dich tot! This one'll kill you!
    [da: laxst du: dɪç to:t]  
    Literally: Then you laugh yourself dead!  
       
126.   Darüber ist längst Gras gewachsen. That's dead and buried.
    [da'ry:bɐ ɪst lɛŋst gra:s gə'vaksən]  
    Literally: Over that grass has grown long ago.  
       
127.   weg vom Fenster sein to be out of the game
    [vɛk fɔm 'fɛnstɐ zain]  
    Literally: to be away from the window  
       
128.   weiße Mäuse sehen to see pink elephants
    ['vaisə 'mɔyzə 'ze:ən]  
    Literally: to see white mice  
       
129.   Übung macht den Meister. Practice makes perfect.
    ['y:bʊŋ maxt de:n 'maistɐ]  
    Literally: Practice makes the master.  
       
130.   über Leichen gehen to sell one's own grandmother
    ['y:bɐ 'laiçən 'ge:ən]  
    Literally: to walk over dead bodies  
       
131.   vom rechten Weg abkommen to go astray
    [fɔm 'rɛçtən ve:k 'apkɔmən]  
    Literally: to come off the right path  
       
132.   aus allen Wolken fallen to fall out of one's dress
    [aus 'alən 'vɔlkən 'falən]  
    Literally: to fall out of all clouds  
       
133.   Das ist kein Zuckerlecken. It's no picnic.
    [das ɪst kain 'tsʊkɐlɛkən]  
    Literally: That's no lick of sugar.  
       
134.   sich in die eigene Tasche lügen to fool oneself
    [zɪç ɪn di: 'aigənə 'taʃə 'ly:gən]  
    Literally: to lie oneself in one's own pocket  
       
135.   sein blaues Wunder erleben to be in for a nasty surprise
    [zain 'blauəs 'vʊndɐ ɛɐ'le:bən]  
    Literally: to experience one's blue wonder  
       
136.   Dir (←dative) entgeht auch gar nichts! Nothing gets past you!
    [di:ə ɛnt'ge:t aux ga:ɐ nɪçts]  
    Literally: From you escapes even nothing at all!  
       
137.   dumm wie Brot sein to be as dim as a glow worm's armpit
    [dʊm vi: bro:t zain]  
    Literally: to be as dumb as bread  
       
138.   Halt dich da raus! Stay out of this!
    [halt dɪç da: raus]  
    Literally: Keep yourself there out!  
       
139.   Das ist kein Spaziergang. It's not a walk in the park.
    [das ɪst kain ʃpa'tsi:əgaŋ]  
    Literally: That is not a walk.  
       
140.   Ich kann es nicht lassen. I can't help doing it.
    [ɪç kan ɛs nɪçt 'lasən]  
    Literally: I cannot leave it.  
       
141.   Leere Töpfe klappern am meisten. Empty vessels make the most sound.
    ['le:rə 'tœpfə 'klapɐn am 'maistən]  
    Literally: Empty pots clatter the most.  
       
142.   Das letzte Hemd hat keine Taschen. There are no pockets in a shroud.
    [das 'lɛtstə hɛmt hat 'kainə 'taʃən]  
    Literally: The last shirt has no pockets.  
       
143.   klar wie Kloßbrühe sein to be as clear as mud
    [kla:ɐ vi: 'klo:sbry:ə zain]  
    Literally: to be as clear as dumpling broth  
       
144.   vom Teufel geritten werden to have the devil in oneself
    [fɔm 'tɔyfəl gə'rɪtən 've:ɐdən]  
    Literally: to be ridden by the devil  
       
145.   Ehrlich währt am längsten. Honesty is the best policy.
    ['e:ɐlɪç vɛ:ɐt am 'lɛŋstən]  
    Literally: Honest lasts longest.  
       
146.   Das ist kein Spaß! This is no laughing matter!
    [das ɪst kain ʃpa:s]  
    Literally: That is no fun!  
       
147.   Was lange währt, wird endlich gut. Good things come to those who wait.
    [vas 'laŋə vɛ:ɐt, vɪrt 'ɛntlɪç gu:t]  
    Literally: What takes long, finally becomes good.  
       
148.   saufen wie ein Loch to drink like a fish
    ['zaufən vi: ain lɔx]  
    Literally: to booze like a hole  
       
149.   Ich bin es leid. I'm sick of it.
    [ɪç bɪn ɛs lait]  
    Literally: I am weary of it.  
       
150.   Das geht gar nicht. That's a no-go.
    [das ge:t ga:ɐ nɪçt]  
    Literally: That does not go at all.  
 
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