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 Read & Listen German Idioms No. 351 - 400    

Idioms No. 351 - 400
     
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No. Listen German Idiom   English Translation  
       
351.   Es freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen. I'm delighted to meet you.
    [ɛs frɔyt mɪç zi: 'kɛnəntsu:lɛrnən]  
    Literally: It pleases me to meet you.  
       
352.   Auf die Plätze, fertig, los! On your marks, get set, go!
    [auf di: 'plɛtsə 'fɛrtɪç lo:s]  
    Literally: On the places, ready, off!  
       
353.   jemandem (←dative) die kalte Schulter zeigen to give someone the cold shoulder
    ['je:mandəm di: 'kaltə 'ʃʊltɐ 'tsaigən]  
    Literally: to show someone the cold shoulder  
       
354.   im selben Boot sitzen to be in the same boat
    [ɪm 'zɛlbən bo:t 'zɪtsən]  
    Literally: to sit in the same boat  
       
355.   Menschenskind! Golly!
    ['mɛnʃənskɪnt]  
    Literally: Human child!  
       
356.   den Kürzeren ziehen to draw the short straw
    [de:n 'kʏrtsərən 'tsi:ən]  
    Literally: to draw the shorter one  
       
357.   etwas schwer nehmen to take something hard
    ['ɛtvas ʃve:ɐ 'ne:mən]  
    Literally: to take something heavily  
       
358.   sich in etwas einarbeiten to learn the ropes of something
    [zɪç ɪn 'ɛtvas 'ainʔarbaitən]  
    Literally: to work oneself into something  
       
359.   jemandem (←dative) die Schuld für etwas geben to blame somebody for something
    ['je:mandəm di: ʃʊlt fy:ə 'ɛtvas 'ge:bən]  
    Literally: to give somebody the blame for something  
       
360.   Der Mensch ist ein Gewohnheitstier. Old habits die hard.
    [de:ɐ mɛnʃ ɪst ain gə'vo:nhaitsti:ə]  
    Literally: The human being is an animal of habits.  
       
361.   Ach du meine Güte! Dear me!
    [ax du: 'mainə 'gy:tə]  
    Literally: Oh you my goodness!  
       
362.   Nichts zu danken! Don't mention it!
    [nɪçts tsu: 'daŋkən]  
    Literally: Nothing to thank for!  
       
363.   wie aus dem Ei gepellt sein to be dressed up to the nines
    [vi: aus de:m ai gə'pɛlt zain]  
    Literally: to be like peeled out of an egg  
       
364.   Dumm gelaufen! Shit happens!
    [dʊm gə'laufən]  
    Literally: Run stupidly!  
       
365.   Unkraut vergeht nicht. Bad weeds grow tall.
    ['ʊnkraut fɛɐ'ge:t nɪçt]  
    Literally: Weed does not die.  
       
366.   Hunger ist der beste Koch. Hunger is the best sauce.
    ['hʊŋɐ ɪst de:ɐ 'bɛstə kɔx]  
    Literally: Hunger is the best cook.  
       
367.   schwarz wie die Nacht black as coal
    [ʃvarts vi: di: naxt]  
    Literally: black as the night  
       
368.   von allen guten Geistern verlassen sein to have taken leave of one's senses
    [fɔn 'alən 'gu:tən 'gaistɐn fɛɐ'lasən zain]  
    Literally: to be left by all good ghosts  
       
369.   Herzlichen Glückwunsch! Congratulations!
    ['hɛrtslɪçən 'glʏkvʊnʃ]  
    Literally: Hearty lucky wish!  
       
370.   Böses im Schilde führen to have evil intentions
    ['bø:zəs ɪm 'ʃɪldə 'fy:rən]  
    Literally: to lead (something) evil in the shield  
       
371.   jemanden in der Hand haben to have someone in one's grip
    ['je:mandən ɪn de:ɐ hant 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: to have someone in the hand  
       
372.   sagen, was man zu sagen hat to say one's piece
    ['zagən vas man tsu: 'zagən hat]  
    Literally: to say what you have to say  
       
373.   Frohes Osterfest! Happy Easter!
    ['fro:əs 'o:stɐfɛst]  
    Literally: Happy Easter Feast!  
       
374.   sich um Kopf und Kragen reden to talk oneself into trouble
    [zɪç ʊm kɔpf ʊnt 'kragən 're:dən]  
    Literally: to talk oneself for head and collar  
       
375.   einen Frosch im Hals haben to have a frog in one's throat
    ['ainən frɔʃ ɪm hals 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: to have a frog in the throat  
       
376.   mit jemandem (←dative) auf gutem Fuß stehen to be on good terms with someone
    [mɪt 'je:mandəm auf 'gu:təm fu:s 'ʃte:ən]  
    Literally: to stand on good foot with someone  
       
377.   sich große Mühe geben to make a great effort
    [zɪç 'gro:sə 'my:ə 'ge:bən]  
    Literally: to give oneself great effort  
       
378.   jemandem (←dative) die Suppe versalzen to cook somebody's goose
    ['je:mandəm di: 'zʊpə fɛɐ'zaltsən]  
    Literally: to oversalt somebody's soup  
       
379.   einen dicken Kopf haben to have a king-size headache
    ['ainən 'dɪkən kɔpf 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: to have a thick head  
       
380.   mit einem Schlag at one blow
    [mɪt 'ainəm ʃla:k]  
    Literally: with one beat  
       
381.   einen Blick erwidern to return a look
    ['ainən blɪk ɛɐ'vi:dɐn]  
       
382.   jemandem das Fell über die Ohren ziehen to take somebody to the cleaners
    ['je:mandəm das fɛl 'y:bɐ di: 'o:rən 'tsi:ən]  
    Literally: to pull somebody the fur over the ears  
       
383.   Das geht dich nichts an! That's none of your business!
    [das ge:t dɪç nɪçts an]  
    Literally: That does not concern you!  
       
384.   einen Knödel im Hals haben to have a lump in one's throat
    ['ainən 'knø:dəl ɪm hals 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: to have a dumpling in the throat  
       
385.   I! Ugh!
    [i:]  
       
386.   Ich glaub', ich bin im falschen Film! I think I got off at the wrong station!
    [ɪç glaup ɪç bɪn ɪm 'falʃən fɪlm]  
    Literally: I think I am in the wrong film.  
       
387.   Das hört sich gut an. That sounds good.
    [das høɐt zɪç gu:t an]  
       
388.   Na also! At last!
    [na 'alzo]  
    Literally: Well, so!  
       
389.   Geht doch! There we go!
    [ge:t dɔx]  
    Literally: (It) goes after all!  
       
390.   Aua! Ouch!
    ['aua]  
       
391.   den Teufel im Leib haben to be possessed by the devil
    [de:n 'tɔyfəl ɪm laip 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: to have the devil in the body  
       
392.   etwas an die große Glocke hängen to hang a lantern on something
    ['ɛtvas an di: 'gro:sə 'glɔkə 'hɛŋən]  
    Literally: to hang something on the big bell  
       
393.   über seinen Schatten springen to force oneself to do something
    ['y:bɐ 'zainən 'ʃatən 'ʃprɪŋən]  
    Literally: to jump over one's shadow  
       
394.   Ordnung muss sein! We must have order!
    [ˈɔrdnʊŋ mʊs zain]  
    Literally: Order must be!  
       
395.   Wer schön sein will, muss leiden. Beauty knows no pain.
    [ve:ɐ ʃø:n zain vɪl mʊs 'laidən]  
    Literally: Who wants to be beautiful, must suffer.  
       
396.   etwas auf einer Backe absitzen to do something with no bother
    ['ɛtvas auf 'ainɐ 'bakə 'apzɪtsən]  
    Literally: to sit something out on one buttock  
       
397.   es zu etwas bringen to get somewhere
    [ɛs tsu: 'ɛtvas 'brɪŋən]  
    Literally: to bring it to something  
       
398.   sich auf den Weg machen to hit the road
    [zɪç auf de:n ve:k 'maxən]  
    Literally: to make oneself on the way  
       
399.   Du kannst mich mal! Go and take a running jump!
    [du: kanst mɪç ma:l]  
    Literally: You can me once!  
       
400.   den Nagel auf den Kopf treffen to hit the nail on the head
    [de:n 'na:gəl auf de:n kɔpf 'trɛfən]  
 
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