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 Read & Listen German Idioms No. 401 - 450    

Idioms No. 401 - 450
     
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No. Listen German Idiom   English Translation  
       
401.   den Schalk im Nacken haben to be a real rogue
    [de:n ʃalk ɪm 'nakən 'ha:bən]  
    Literally: to have the rogue in the neck  
       
402.   das Gras wachsen hören to have a sixth sense
    [das gra:s 'vaksən 'hø:rən]  
    Literally: to hear the grass grow  
       
403.   an etwas dranbleiben to stay tuned to something
    [an 'ɛtvas 'dranblaibən]  
    Literally: to stay close to something  
       
404.   Es nützt nicht viel. It's not much use.
    [ɛs nʏtst nɪçt fi:l]  
       
405.   in alle Winde verweht scattered to the four winds
    [ɪn 'alə 'vɪndə fɛɐ've:t]  
    Literally: scattered to all winds  
       
406.   Jetzt platzt mir aber der Kragen! I've had enough!
    [jɛtst platst mi:ə 'abɐ de:ɐ 'kra:gən]  
    Literally: Now my collar really bursts!  
       
407.   auf hundertachtzig sein to be hopping mad
    [auf hʊndɐt'axtsɪç zain]  
    Literally: to be on hundred eighty  
       
408.   jemandem (←dative) ein Dorn im Auge sein to be a thorn in someone's flesh
    ['je:mandəm ain dɔrn ɪm 'augə zain]  
    Literally: to be a thorn in someone's eye  
       
409.   Wenn's am besten schmeckt, soll man aufhören. One should leave off with an appetite.
    [vɛns am 'bɛstən ʃmɛkt zɔl man 'aufhø:rən]  
    Literally: When it tastes best, one should stop.  
       
410.   Seemannsgarn spinnen to spin a sailor's yarn
    ['ze:mansgarn 'ʃpɪnən]  
    Literally: to spin seaman's yarn  
       
411.   Du gehst mir auf die Nerven! You're a pain in the neck!
    [du: ge:st mi:ə auf di: 'nɛrfən]  
    Literally: You go me on the nerves!  
       
412.   Das geht doch nicht! That's not on!
    [das ge:t dɔx nɪçt]  
    Literally: That really does not go!  
       
413.   Wie gewonnen, so zerronnen. Easy come, easy go.
    [vi: gə'vɔnən zo: tsɛɐ'rɔnən]  
    Literally: As won, as run.  
       
414.   jemanden zur Weißglut bringen to make somebody livid with rage
    ['je:mandən tsu:ə 'vaisglu:t 'brɪŋən]  
    Literally: to bring somebody to the white heat  
       
415.   bis auf die Knochen abgemagert sein to be reduced to a skeleton
    [bɪs auf di: 'knɔxən 'apgəma:gɐt zain]  
    Literally: to be emaciated to the bones  
       
416.   Das ist ein anderes Paar Schuhe. That's quite another cup of tea.
    [das ɪst ain 'andərəs pa:ɐ 'ʃu:ə]  
    Literally: That is a different pair of shoes.  
       
417.   Das hängt mir zum Hals raus. I'm sick to death of it.
    [das hɛŋt mi:ə tsʊm hals raus]  
    Literally: That hangs out of my throat.  
       
418.   unter einem guten Stern stehen to have a promising start
    ['ʊntɐ 'ainəm 'gu:tən ʃtɛrn 'ʃte:ən]  
    Literally: to stand under a good star  
       
419.   Schreck lass nach! For goodness sake!
    [ʃrɛk las na:x]  
    Literally: Fright subside!  
       
420.   Ich halte nichts davon. I think nothing of it.
    [ɪç 'haltə nɪçts da'fɔn]  
    Literally: I hold nothing of it.  
       
421.   in voller Montur in full regalia
    [ɪn 'fɔlɐ mɔn'tu:ə]  
    Literally: in full uniform  
       
422.   Er/sie kann mir gestohlen bleiben! He/she can go hang!
    [e:ɐ/zi: kan mi:ə gə'ʃto:lən 'blaibən]  
    Literally: He/she can stay stolen to me!  
       
423.   Frohe Pfingsten! Happy Whitsun!
    ['fro:ə 'pfɪŋstən]  
       
424.   Das hat gesessen! That hit home!
    [das hat gə'zɛsən]  
    Literally: That has sat!  
       
425.   kein gutes Haar an jemandem (←dative) lassen to pick somebody to pieces
    [kain 'gu:təs ha:ɐ an 'je:mandəm 'lasən]  
    Literally: to not leave a good hair about somebody  
       
426.   den Spieß umdrehen to turn the tables
    [de:n ʃpi:s 'ʊmdre:ən]  
    Literally: to turn the spit  
       
427.   von Erfolg gekrönt sein to be crowned with success
    [fɔn ɛɐ'fɔlk gə'krø:nt zain]  
       
428.   jemandem (←dative) auf den Geist gehen to get in somebody's hair
    ['je:mandəm auf de:n gaist 'ge:ən]  
    Literally: to go on somebody's ghost  
       
429.   Hals über Kopf helter-skelter
    [hals 'y:bɐ kɔpf]  
    Literally: neck over head  
       
430.   das fünfte Rad am Wagen sein to be a fifth wheel
    [das 'fʏnftə ra:t am 'va:gən zain]  
    Literally: to be the fifth wheel at the car  
       
431.   sich in die Höhle des Löwen wagen to beard the lion in his den
    [zɪç ɪn di: ˈhø:lə dɛs 'lø:vən 'va:gən]  
    Literally: to venture in the cave of the lion  
       
432.   Da kannst du lange warten! You can whistle for it!
    [da: kanst du: 'laŋə 'vartən]  
    Literally: Then you can wait long!  
       
433.   Wo drückt der Schuh? What's bothering you?
    [vo: drʏkt de:ɐ ʃu:]  
    Literally: Where does the shoe pinch?  
       
434.   Huhu! Cooee!
    ['hu:hu]  
       
435.   Es ist kein Ende abzusehen. There is no end in sight.
    [ɛs ɪst kain 'ɛndə 'aptsu:ze:ən]  
    Literally: It is no end to foresee.  
       
436.   Das ist doch selbstverständlich! That goes without saying!
    [das ɪst dɔx zɛlpstfɛɐ'ʃtɛntlɪç]  
    Literally: That is really self-understandable!  
       
437.   Einem geschenkten Gaul guckt man nicht ins Maul. Never look a gift horse in the mouth.
    ['ainəm gə'ʃɛŋktən gaul kʊkt man nɪçt ɪns maul]  
    Literally: One does not look a gift nag in the mouth.  
       
438.   eine Spritztour machen to go for a spin
    ['ainə 'ʃprɪtstu:ə 'maxən]  
    Literally: to make a spritz tour  
       
439.   zweimal hinsehen to do a double take
    ['tsvaima:l 'hɪnze:ən]  
    Literally: to look twice  
       
440.   einen Zahn zulegen to get a wiggle on
    ['ainən tsa:n 'tsu:le:gən]  
    Literally: to add a cog  
       
441.   Ich kann nicht mehr. I can't go on any longer.
    [ɪç kan nɪçt me:ɐ]  
    Literally: I cannot anymore.  
       
442.   mit dem Klammerbeutel gepudert sein to not be in one's right mind
    [mɪt de:m 'klamɐbɔytəl gə'pu:dɐt zain]  
    Literally: to be powdered with the clothespin bag  
       
443.   für kein Geld der Welt not for a million dollars
    [fy:ə kain gɛlt de:ɐ vɛlt]  
    Literally: for no money of the world  
       
444.   Ich hab's doch gewusst! I knew it!
    [ɪç ha:ps dɔx gə'vʊst]  
    Literally: I have really known it!  
       
445.   Es ist nicht alles Gold, was glänzt. All that glitters is not gold.
    [ɛs ɪst nɪçt 'aləs gɔlt vas glɛntst]  
    Literally: It is not all gold what shines.  
       
446.   jemanden mit seinen eigenen Waffen schlagen to beat somebody at their own game
    ['je:mandən mɪt 'zainən 'aigənən 'vafən 'ʃla:gən]  
    Literally: to beat somebody with his/her own weapons  
       
447.   Ach nee! (sarcastic) Do tell!
    [ax ne:]  
    Literally: Oh no!  
       
448.   Schön wär's! I should be so lucky!
    [ʃø:n vɛ:ɐs]  
    Literally: Nice would it be!  
       
449.   Im Ernst! No kidding!
    [ɪm ɛrnst]  
    Literally: In seriousness!  
       
450.   Geh mir (←dative) aus der Sonne! Get out of my light!
    [ge: mi:ə aus de:ɐ 'zɔnə]  
    Literally: Go me out of the sun!  
 
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