I is for Idioms – A to Z Challenge April 2015

A to Z Challenge – April 2015, Before 2018

I is for Idioms – A to Z Challenge April 2015

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Solveig

10/04/2015

I have been stuck for the letter Ii, but why not do a post on idioms? I won’t do French ones because that’s already done by Evelyn Holing, I will do some German ones today.

Sich aus dem Fenster lehnen. – To lean out of the window. Used to describe that you have promised more than you can do, commit to.
Räuberpistolen erzählen. – To tell robbers’ pistols. Used to say that someone is telling lies.
Affentheater – Monkey theater. To say that there is too much for nothing. Kids do this a lot, when they throw a tantrum for no real reason…
Bahnhof verstehen. – To understand train station. You understand nothing.

Do you have any favourite German idioms?

Was sind Deine lieblings Idiome?

Written by Solveig Werner

17 responses to “I is for Idioms – A to Z Challenge April 2015”

Alex Hurst

10/04/2015

I don’t know any German, but I love idioms. Apparently I have a whole host of them in my lexicon that I thought were common in America, but people I’ve spoken them to have never heard them before (water off the duck’s back, for example).

How many languages do you speak? 🙂

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1. Solveig
  
  10/04/2015
  
  I speak three, I wish that I would have learnt Polish while living there, but no one around me spoke Polish… German has so many idioms, but they get really funny when they are translated, as people who are not used to them get confronted with them.
  
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evelyneholingue

10/04/2015

I don’t know German well enough anymore to add to the conversation, but this is a good idea, Solveig. And thank you for the link from your little house to mine. Have a lovely weekend.

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cynthiamvoss

10/04/2015

I like the phrase “monkey theater” and the description of kids throwing tantrums. I often say the kids are crying “crocodile tears” and that’s along the same lines. They are not genuinely upset, just mad because they aren’t getting their way.

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1. Solveig
  
  10/04/2015
  
  We do use crocodile tears in German too, thanks for stopping by.
  
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lrod1726

10/04/2015

I’m so glad I’m not the only one stuck on letter I lol but you did a good job! 😀

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1. Solveig
  
  10/04/2015
  
  Thank you. I was stuck on J too, but managed to write something for tomorrow. I do like having my posts ready in advance 🙂
  Good luck!
  
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  1. lrod1726
    
    10/04/2015
    
    I am still thinking on J and I also like having my posts ready ahead of time. Once I finish them I leave them schedule but I forgot to schedule yesterday’s. I’ll post it up soon 😃
    
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joannesisco

10/04/2015

Those were new ones to me – I particularly liked *leaning out of the window*. I’ve never heard an english equivalent.

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1. Solveig
  
  10/04/2015
  
  It is my favorite German idiom, my fiancé started using it in French (were I do not think it exists…).
  
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  1. joannesisco
    
    10/04/2015
    
    I’m already filing it away for future use 😉
    
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    1. Solveig
      
      10/04/2015
      
      😉
      
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sarahwathen

10/04/2015

Ok, I don’t speak German, but I’m going to start using “monkey theater”! That is hilarious and totally appropriate, way too often in my life.

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SD Gates

12/04/2015

Love these. I took 6 years of German in school, only thing I remember really well from all of that is the phrase – You are a pile of manure (but I am not going to type it, because I will most likely get it all wrong). Funny how you remember things like that. I think Affentheater is my favorite, we have a lot of that in our house with two teenaged boys. Great post!!!

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1. Solveig
  
  27/04/2015
  
  Thank you 🙂
  
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Post A to Z Road Trip | Solveig Werner

14/05/2015

[…] is for Emerald – a short story | F is for Friendship | G is for Girl | H is for Home | I is for Idioms | J is for Jump – a short story | K is for Kakadu (in German with English […]

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Lori L MacLaughlin

21/05/2015

Monkey theater is funny. I won’t forget that one.

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