Literally: The morning hour has gold in its mouth.Įnglish equivalent: The early bird gets the worm. *pun intended* 20 Hilarious Idioms and Expressions in 20 Different LanguagesĬheck out some funny phrases in Spanish, French, and even Japanese! *Please note that the English equivalents below come close to expressing the sentiment of these idioms, but not every idiom has an exact correlation in another language for the reasons mentioned above! 1.
When you start to understand and apply idioms in another language, you’ll be able to effectively break the ice with native speakers. However, behind their direct meaning, both of these idioms reflect the environment of their respective regions, including their food, history, and climate.Ĭlearly, words in different languages carry unique cultural significance – the idiom itself is just the tip of the cultural iceberg. …which roughly translates to “ Answer nature’s call in a blue locker.” in which the “blue locker” allegedly refers to what one could interpret as the most prestigious piece of furniture in a Swedish home due to the expensive nature of Prussian blue paint in the 1800s.īottom Line: What Do These Foreign Idioms Have In Common?īoth of these idioms refer to making a mess out of things, to do something completely useless or nonsensical. Instead, try this Swedish expression on for size: …which literally translates to “ This turned into a serious bowl of rice with mango.”īut this exact sentence would sound ridiculous in Stockholm because mango doesn’t grow in Sweden. When walking through the streets of Havana, you may hear one of the many famous Spanish idioms like: When you learn them, you begin to understand the world that surrounds the native speakers who use these expressions.
Sounds like a plan spanish idiom windows#
Idioms and expressions are windows to a culture. Idioms Represent Unique Cultural Elements “ He’s got a kangaroo loose in the top paddock.” otherwise known as → “ He’s got a screw loose”. In Australia, this same idiom would look like this: Literally, it means that bats, who are notorious for flying erratically, are loose in the belfry, which is the uppermost part of a church, implying that someone has loose bats flapping around in their mind. Figuratively, it means someone who is crazy or eccentric. Funny Idioms that Differ Across English-Speaking Countries In England and Australia, however, there were idioms I had never even heard of in my own language. Like most people, I was unaware of this origin when I first started looking into idioms, but at least I knew figuratively what it meant. Idioms are also known as figures of speech or expressions that once had literal meanings but have now become figurative.įor example, I bet you didn’t know that the idiom “ To cost an arm and a leg.” has its origins in 18th-century art when the wealthy (but stingy) would have their portraits painted without certain limbs because it was less expensive. For Language Lovers: Why Do Idioms Differ By Country? Let’s take a look at where these idioms come from and then see how quotes in other languages differ from our own. Other languages have different idioms (and some are downright hilarious) to describe cultural phenomena or beliefs.īut here’s the catch: most idioms stem from literal meanings that most people in pop culture have completely forgotten about. Native speakers use idioms much more than they are actually aware of.
In other words, “It’s raining cats and dogs.” is a common English idiom, along with: Idioms are groups of words that, when established together, form a meaning which can no longer be deduced by the individual words themselves.
What Are Idioms and Where Do They Come From? Let’s break them down and then look at some hilarious ones. They’re 50% cultural, 50% historical, and 100% hilarious. 20 Funny Everyday Phrases in Different LanguagesĪs a polyglot and avid traveler, people often ask me “ What are some common sayings in other languages?” or “What are funny phrases in other countries?”Īnd the grammar monster in my head screams “They’re called idioms!”.
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