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Multilingual folks: what are some odd idioms in your language(s)? (lemmy.world)

submitted 8 months ago by alquicksilver@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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What are some (non-English) idioms, and what do they mean (both literally and in context)? Odd ones, your favorite ones - any and all are welcome. :)

For example, in English I might call someone a "good egg," meaning they're a nice person. Or, if it's raining heavily, I might say "it's raining cats and dogs."

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[-] ConfuzzedCat@lemmy.world 7 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

In Danish we have "Goddag mand økseskaft" (literal: goodday man axe shaft) which can either mean you and another person is misunderstanding eachother/speaking about two complete things while thinking it is related, or it can mean that something gives absolutely no sense. The reason why I like it, is that even the Danish sentence makes no sense, eg. not a valid sentence. Another one I like is "ikke kunne se skoven for bare træer" (literal: not being able to see the forest for because of bare/naked/leafless trees - another might be: not being able to see the forest because of the trees) it means to lose the bigger picture, or to not find something right infront of you, eg. Looking for your phone while speaking with someone, that person could say it.

[-] Aremel@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago

"Can't see the forest through the trees" is also an English idiom meaning the same thing

[-] agissilver@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago

Goddag mand økseskaft

The Danish language has collapsed into meaningless, guttural sounds.

[-] ABCDE@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago

It's almost the same as English.

[-] agissilver@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

Do you want to order 1000 liters of milk?

[-] ABCDE@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago

Yes please.

[-] cikano@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

Kamelåså?

[-] BaardFigur@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

In Danish we have "Goddag mand økseskaft"

We have that in Norway as well. Just replace or remove that d in mand.

Another one I like is "ikke kunne se skoven for bare træer"

Same about that one

[-] cikano@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

"Goddag yxskaft" in Swedish, so no man involved here

[-] Jarix@lemmy.world 0 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Thank you Norway for showing the trans gender community your support in removing the d from the man

[-] Uranhjort@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago

Some personal favorites I have used or heard used lately :

"Der er ingen ko på isen" - "there is no cow on the ice" meaning that nothing is wrong after all

"Lave dobbeltkonfekt" - "making double confection" meaning making more work for yourself for no reason

"Gøre ham en bjørnetjeneste" - "doing him a bear's favor" - a well intended deed that makes things worse in the long run

this post was submitted on 02 Mar 2024

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