Idioms That Don't Translate (and What They Really Mean)

Imagine telling a friend that a task is a piece of cake, and watching their face go blank because in their language nobody compares tasks to cakes. Idioms are the colourful shortcuts of language, and they are famously hard to translate. A phrase that is perfectly clear to a native speaker can sound absurd, or even alarming, when you translate it word for word. Here are some of the most entertaining ones from around the world, along with what they actually mean.

Why idioms are so hard to translate

An idiom is a fixed expression whose meaning is not the sum of its words. Native speakers learn it as a single unit, usually in childhood, without thinking about the individual words. That is why it feels natural to them and mysterious to everyone else.

Idioms also come from specific histories and environments: farming, sailing, cooking, local animals and old stories. A phrase about a bear makes sense in a country where bears are part of folklore, and a phrase about snow and ice means something in a place where winter is serious. When you move the words into a new language, the picture often survives but the meaning does not.

German: the train station and the dancing bear

In German, if someone says Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof, they are literally saying "I only understand train station." It means "I do not understand anything", and it is a very common way to say you are completely lost in a conversation. The exact origin is debated, but everybody understands the picture.

Another favourite is Da steppt der Bär, which literally means "the bear is tap dancing there." It is used to say that a party or place is lively and full of fun. If a German friend promises that the bear will dance at their birthday, you are in for a good night.

French: the cockroach and the rabbit

The French expression avoir le cafard means "to have the cockroach", and it describes feeling down or melancholy. It is a bit gloomy, but it is a charming way to explain a bad mood without much drama.

Then there is poser un lapin, literally "to put a rabbit", which means to stand someone up. If a French friend says someone "put a rabbit" on them, they are not talking about pets. They were left waiting at a café.

Spanish and Portuguese: pulling hair and swallowing frogs

In Spanish, tomar el pelo literally means "to take the hair", and it is used to say that someone is teasing or fooling you, much like "pulling your leg" in English. Both expressions are odd when you think of them, but together they show how languages invent different pictures for the same idea.

In Brazilian Portuguese, engolir sapos means "to swallow frogs." It describes putting up with unpleasant situations without complaining, usually at work or in a difficult relationship. Few images are more vivid, and the feeling is easy to recognise.

Polish and Russian: circuses and noodles

A Polish saying that has become popular far beyond Poland is Nie mój cyrk, nie moje małpy, which means "not my circus, not my monkeys." It is a way of saying that a problem is not your concern and you refuse to be dragged into it. It has a calm, slightly humorous tone, and many people like it for exactly that reason.

In Russian, вешать лапшу на уши (veshat lapshu na ushi) literally means "to hang noodles on someone's ears." It means to deceive someone with a convincing but false story. The picture of ears draped with noodles is hard to forget.

Japanese: monkeys that fall from trees

The Japanese proverb saru mo ki kara ochiru says that even monkeys fall from trees. It means that anyone, even an expert, can make a mistake. It is gentle and reassuring, and a good thing to say to a friend who is upset about a small error.

Another Japanese saying, hana yori dango, means "dumplings over flowers." It describes preferring practical things to mere appearance, such as choosing a good meal over a beautiful view. It is a wonderful example of an idiom that tells you something about a culture's humour and values.

Swedish and Italian: cows and wolves

In Swedish, Det är ingen ko på isen means "there is no cow on the ice." It tells you there is no need to worry or hurry because nothing bad is about to happen. The picture comes from the idea of a valuable cow in danger on thin ice, so having none there means everything is fine.

In Italian, before an exam or a big event you say in bocca al lupo, which means "into the mouth of the wolf." It is a good luck wish, and the traditional reply is crepi, meaning "may it die." It sounds fierce, but it is warm and friendly. It is also one of the best idioms to learn if you want to impress an Italian friend.

How to handle idioms in conversation

If you chat with people from different countries, idioms are both a gift and a risk. They make your language more vivid, but they can confuse the person on the other side, and they confuse translation tools even more. A translator may turn "it's raining cats and dogs" into a literal sentence about animals.

When you write to someone who is using a second language, choose plain words for important points. Save idioms for when you are sure they will be understood, or explain them with a smile: "In my language we say that someone is in the clouds. It means they are daydreaming." Explaining your idioms can be one of the most enjoyable parts of a conversation.

When you meet an idiom you do not understand, ask. Nobody minds, and the story behind an expression is often better than the expression itself. If you enjoy this kind of language curiosity, you will like our article on foreign words with no single English translation.

Collect your own

A great way to learn a language and a culture at once is to collect idioms. Ask your chat partners for their favourite expression and write it down with its literal meaning and its real meaning. Over time, you will build a small collection that tells you more about how people think than a grammar book ever could. And you will always have something interesting to ask when a conversation goes quiet.