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 Read & Listen German Idioms No. 201 - 250    

Idioms No. 201 - 250
     
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No. Listen German Idiom   English Translation  
       
201.   ein Tropfen auf den heißen Stein a drop in the ocean
    [ain 'trɔpfən auf de:n 'haisən ʃtain]  
    Literally: a drop on the hot stone  
       
202.   wie auf glühenden Kohlen sitzen to be like a cat on hot bricks
    [vi: auf 'gly:əndən 'ko:lən 'zɪtsən]  
    Literally: to sit like on glowing coals  
       
203.   Das ist doch etwas ganz anderes! That's something else entirely!
    [das ɪst dɔx 'ɛtvas gants 'andərəs]  
    Literally: That is really something completely different!  
       
204.   Ohne Fleiß kein Preis. No pain, no gain.
    ['o:nə flais kain prais]  
    Literally: Without diligence no prize.  
       
205.   Das sieht dir (←dative) ähnlich. That's just like you.
    [das zi:t di:ə 'ɛ:nlɪç]  
    Literally: That looks similar to you.  
       
206.   Liebe auf den ersten Blick love at first sight
    ['li:bə auf de:n ˈe:ɐstən blɪk]  
    Literally: love at the first look  
       
207.   Das will mir (←dative) nicht in den Schädel. I can't grasp it.
    [das vɪl mi:ə nɪçt ɪn de:n 'ʃɛ:dəl]  
    Literally: That does not want in my skull.  
       
208.   Ich bin sowas von blöd! I'm such a fucking idiot!
    [ɪç bɪn 'zo:vas fɔn blø:t]  
    Literally: I am so stupid!  
       
209.   Totgesagte leben länger. The condemned live longer.
    ['to:tgəza:ktə 'le:bən 'lɛŋɐ]  
    Literally: (People) said to be dead live longer.  
       
210.   jemanden (←accusative) zur Schnecke machen to make mincemeat of somebody
    ['je:mandən tsu:ə 'ʃnɛkə 'maxən]  
    Literally: to make a snail of somebody  
       
211.   Du willst mich wohl verarschen! You've gotta be fucking kidding me!
    [du: vɪlst mɪç vo:l fɛɐ'ʔarʃən]  
    Literally: You obviously want to arse me!  
       
212.   einen an der Waffel haben to be pretty stupid
    ['ainən an de:ɐ 'vafəl 'habən]  
    Literally: to have one on the waffle  
       
213.   Aus Spaß wurde Ernst. The fun took a serious end.
    [aus ʃpa:s 'vʊrdə ɛrnst]  
    Literally: Fun became seriousness.  
       
214.   jemanden (←accusative) wie die Pest hassen to hate somebody like poison
    ['je:mandən vi: di: pɛst 'hasən]  
    Literally: to hate somebody like the pest  
       
215.   Ich finde das gar nicht lustig. I don't see the fun of it.
    [ɪç 'fɪndə das ga:ɐ nɪçt 'lʊstɪç]  
    Literally: I do not find that funny at all.  
       
216.   Das habe ich doch gleich gesagt. I told you so.
    [das 'ha:bə ɪç dɔx glaiç gə'za:kt]  
    Literally: I said that straight away.  
       
217.   Ich kann doch nicht zaubern! I can't perform miracles!
    [ɪç kan dɔx nɪçt 'tsaubɐn]  
    Literally: I really cannot perform magic!  
       
218.   Das lässt sich nicht leugnen. There's no denying it.
    [das lɛst zɪç nɪçt 'lɔygnən]  
    Literally: That does not let itself deny.  
       
219.   Kennst du mich noch? Do you remember me?
    [kɛnst du: mɪç nɔx]  
    Literally: Do you still know me?  
       
220.   Es ist immer das Gleiche. It's always the same old thing.
    [ɛs ɪst 'ɪmɐ das 'glaiçə]  
    Literally: It is always the same.  
       
221.   Das tut mir (←dative) ja so leid. I'm so very sorry about that.
    [das tu:t miə ja: zo: lait]  
    Literally: That really does so sorry to me.  
       
222.   jemandem (←dative) einen Spiegel vorhalten to hold a mirror up to somebody
    ['je:mandəm 'ainən 'ʃpi:gəl 'fɔɐhaltən]  
    Literally: to hold a mirror before somebody  
       
223.   Glück haben to be lucky
    [glʏk 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: to have luck  
       
224.   mit jemandem (←dative) unter einer Decke stecken to be in cahoots with somebody
    [mɪt 'je:mandəm 'ʊntɐ 'ainɐ 'dɛkə 'ʃtɛkən]  
    Literally: to stick under one blanket with somebody  
       
225.   Lass das! Stop it!
    [las das]  
    Literally: Leave that!  
       
226.   Das ist nicht gerade weltbewegend. That's not exactly setting the world on fire.
    [das ɪst nɪçt gə'ra:də 'vɛltbəve:gənt]  
    Literally: That's not really world-moving.  
       
227.   Das kann nicht dein Ernst sein! You can't be serious!
    [das kan nɪçt dain ɛrnst zain]  
    Literally: That cannot be your seriousness!  
       
228.   Noch ist Polen nicht verloren. Down but not out.
    [nɔx ɪst po:lən nɪçt fɛɐ'lo:rən]  
    Literally: Poland is not lost yet.  
       
229.   Das kann doch nicht sein! That's just not possible!
    [das kan dɔx nɪçt zain]  
    Literally: That really cannot be!  
       
230.   Da ist doch nichts dabei. There's nothing to it.
    [da: ɪst dɔx nɪçts da'bai]  
    Literally: There is really nothing with it.  
       
231.   Ich muss mich doch sehr wundern! I'm very surprised at you!
    [ɪç mʊs mɪç dɔx ze:ɐ 'vʊndɐn]  
    Literally: I really must wonder very much!  
       
232.   Das ist echt ätzend! That sucks a big one!
    [das ɪst ɛçt 'ɛtsənt]  
    Literally: That is really etching!  
       
233.   Tu, was du nicht lassen kannst! Do what you have to do!
    [tu: vas du: nɪçt 'lasən kanst]  
    Literally: Do what you cannot leave!  
       
234.   jemandem einen Knüppel zwischen die Beine werfen! to put a spoke in somebody's wheel
    ['je:mandəm 'ainən 'knʏpəl 'tsvɪʃən di: 'bainə 'vɛrfən]  
    Literally: to throw somebody a cudgel between the legs  
       
235.   So ein Quatsch! What a load of rubbish!
    [zo: ain kvatʃ]  
    Literally: Such a nonsense!  
       
236.   So schnell schießen die Preußen nicht. We are not that quick on the trigger.
    [zo: ʃnɛl 'ʃi:sən di: 'prɔysən nɪçt]  
    Literally: The Prussians do not shoot so fast.  
       
237.   Heul doch! Cry me a river!
    [hɔyl dɔx]  
    Literally: Cry though!  
       
238.   Das ist mir (←dative) nicht ganz geheuer. I feel a little uneasy about it.
    [das ɪst mi:ə nɪçt gants gə'hɔyɐ]  
    Literally: That is not entirely safe to me.  
       
239.   Bei ihm/ihr (←dative) ist Hopfen und Malz verloren. He/she's a dead loss.
    [bai i:m/i:ə ɪst 'hɔpfən ʊnt malts fɛɐ'lo:rən]  
    Literally: In his/her case hop and malt is lost.  
       
240.   Das ist nichts für mich (←accusative)! That's not for me!
    [das ɪst nɪçts fy:ə mɪç]  
    Literally: That is nothing for me!  
       
241.   Was du heute kannst besorgen, das verschiebe nicht auf morgen. Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.
    [vas du: 'hɔytə kanst bə'zɔrgən, das fɛɐ'ʃi:bə nɪçt auf 'mɔrgən]  
    Literally: What you can do today, do not postpone it until tomorrow.  
       
242.   Ich kann mich doch nicht zerreißen! I can't be in two places at once!
    [ɪç kan mɪç dɔx nɪçt tsɛɐ'raisən]  
    Literally: I really cannot tear myself to pieces!  
       
243.   Da klingelt die Kasse. The money is rolling in.
    [da: 'klɪŋəlt di: 'kasə]  
    Literally: Then the till rings.  
       
244.   als ob es kein Morgen gäbe as if there were no tomorrow
    [als ɔp ɛs kain 'mɔrgən 'gɛ:bə]  
    Literally: as if it gave no tomorrow  
       
245.   Das ist nun einmal so. That's just the way it is.
    [das ɪst nu:n 'ainma:l zo:]  
    Literally: That is just once like that.  
       
246.   Lebst du noch? Are you still in the land of the living?
    [le:pst du: nɔx]  
    Literally: Live you still?  
       
247.   Stell dich nicht so an! Don't make such a fuss!
    [ʃtɛl dɪç nɪçt zo: an]  
    Literally: Do not act like that!  
       
248.   Das ist mir (←dative) nicht geläufig. I'm not familiar with that.
    [das ɪst mi:ə nɪçt gə'lɔyfɪç]  
    Literally: That is not current to me.  
       
249.   Ich bin mit den Nerven am Ende. My nerves are quite frayed.
    [ɪç bɪn mɪt de:n 'nɛrfən am 'ɛndə]  
    Literally: I am at the end with the nerves.  
       
250.   Irgendetwas ist immer dran. There's no smoke without fire.
    ['ɪrgəntɛtvas ɪst 'ɪmɐ dran]  
    Literally: There is always something about it.  
 
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