GERMAN IDIOMS DEUTSCHEN IDIOMEN

Raucht Ihnen der Kopf (does your head smoke) when studying German?

Idioms Idioms are phrases or expressions that are unique to a particular

language. Defined by the American Heritage Dictionary as “A speech form or an expression of a given language that is peculiar to itself grammatically or cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements,” idioms are key to understanding the soul of a language. Idioms point to a shared experience and culture between speakers of the same language. Idioms and other similar colloquial phrases spice up a language by giving it much of its vibrancy and texture. The German language is rich in idioms.

At first, understanding German idioms can be confusing for non-native speakers, especially students. Looking up the individual words that make up an idiomatic expression in a German to English dictionary will confound the student as the words on their own won't make any sense, the entire phrase has to be taken into account when dealing with idioms. Because of this, students of the German language must study idioms in the same way as they do vocabulary. Baseline knowledge is required when dealing with idioms in any language, this knowledge cannot be had intuitively and can only come from study and experience speaking the language.

Hals und Beinbruch!

Literally: neck and leg break Figuratively: Break a leg! (an ironic expression wishing good

luck)

Origins: Old superstition held that wicked spirits were irresistibly drawn by well-wishing, as it presented them w/ opportunity to cause upset. To trick the spirits, people wished one another the opposite of what was really desired.

Hals über Kopf

Literally: neck over head Figuratively: in a mad rush

Jmdm ein Dorn im Auge sein

Literally: to be a thorn in someone’s eye Figuratively: to be a thorn in someone’s

side

nicht in ihrer Haut stecken wollen

Literally: not to want to be stuck in her skinFiguratively: wouldn’t want to be stuck in her shoes

sich keine grauen Haare über etwas wachsen lassen

Literally: not let any gray hairs grow over something

Figuratively: not to worry

Vier Augen sehen mehr als zwei

Literally: Four eyes see better than two Figuratively: Two heads are better than

one

weder Hand noch Fuß haben

To have neither hand nor foot To make no sense at all

wo der Kaiser zu Fuß hingeht

Where the emperor goes on foot The smallest room in the place, normally

the loo EUPHEMISMS for die Toilette/das

Klo/das WC or "I gotta go" include: "das stille Örtchen," "wo der König allein hingeht," "ich muss mal," "ich muss wohin."

Das liegt auf der Hand

That lies on the hand That is obvious! (Duh)

etwas mit den Füßen treten

To step on something with the feet To treat something with contempt

Related: jemanden mit den Füßen treten To step on someone with the feet To walk all over someone

etwas auf dem Herzen haben

To have something on the heart To have something on the mind; to be

thinking about something

jemandem fällt das Herz in die Hose

Someone’s heart sinks to the pants To be scared to death

Als es krachte, fiel mir das Herz in die Hose."

Mir raucht der Kopf

The head is smoking to me My head is spinning

Wer rastet, der rostetWho rests, rusts Use it or lose it

Related Parody: Wer rast, rostet nicht (who speeds, does not rust)

Wer Feuer frißt, scheißt Funken.

Literally: Who eats fire, sh**s sparks Figuratively: This will come back to

haunt you/bite you in the butt

Related Idiom: sich in den Arsch beißen Ich habe mich in den Arsch/Hintern

gebissen. Literally: to bite oneself in the rearFig.:   I was kicking myself/expression of remorse