Literal translation: “He who doesn’t communicate, gets his fingers burnt.” The idiom: Quem não se comunica se trumbica Other languages this idiom exists in: Translators tell us that there is a German version of this idiom too: “Sich zusammenreißen,” which translates literally as “to tear oneself together.” And in Polish, the same idea is expressed by the phrase, “we take ourselves into our fist (wziąć się w garść).” From Portuguese translators Gustavo Rocha and Leonardo Silva : What it means: “It means ‘to pull yourself together.’” Literal translation: “To take oneself in one’s hands.” What it means: “He’s a very stubborn person.”
Literal translation: “You can sharpen with an ax on top of this head.” What it means: “He has an uneasy conscience that betrays itself.” Literal translation: “The thief has a burning hat.” What it means: “To do something hastily, haphazardly.” Literal translation: “Galloping across Europe.” From Russian translator Aliaksandr Autayeu : Other language connections: It’s bit like the phrase, “It’s no use crying over spilt milk,” in English. What it means: “The situation can’t be changed.” Literal translation: “The carrots are cooked!” What it means: “Basically, to look at each other coldly, with distrust.” Literal translation: “To look at each other like earthenware dogs.” The idiom: Se regarder en chiens de faïence. What it means: “It means to keep changing topics without logic in a conversation.” Literal translation: “To jump from the cock to the donkey.”
What it means: “It means being so insulted that you’re not able to reply.” Literal translation: “To swallow grass snakes.” What it means: “Go away and/or leave me alone.” From French translator Patrick Brault : Literal translation: “‘Go pick mushrooms,’ or, more specifically, ‘Go pick boletes!'” Other language connections: In Croatian, when someone is obviously lying to someone, you say that they are “throwing cream into their eyes (bacati kajmak u oči).” What it means: “It means to talk nonsense or to lie.” Literal translation: “To blow little ducks.” Other languages this idiom exists in: A phrase that means a similar thing in English: “When pigs fly.” In French, the same idea is conveyed by the phrase, “when hens have teeth (quand les poules auront des dents).” In Russian, it’s the intriguing phrase, “When a lobster whistles on top of a mountain (Когда рак на горе свистнет).” And in Dutch, it’s “When the cows are dancing on the ice (Als de koeien op het ijs dansen).” From Latvian translator Ilze Garda and Kristaps Kadiķis : What it means: “It’s never gonna happen.” Literal translation: “One afternoon in your next reincarnation.” What it means: “It means two people know each other’s secrets.” Literal translation: “The hen sees the snake’s feet and the snake sees the hen’s boobs.” What it means: “It means ‘don’t pay any attention.’ Almost like ‘don’t bring your eyes and ears with you.’ If that were possible.” Literal translation: “Take ears to the field, take eyes to the farm.” It has evolved into the slightly ironic phrase, ‘It fell between the chair,’ which you use when you want to say,‘Yeah, I know I was supposed to do it but I forgot.’” From Thai translator Kelwalin Dhanasarnsombut : What it means: “It’s an excuse you use when two people were supposed to do it, but nobody did. Literal translation: “It fell between chairs.” What it means: “It refers to somebody who didn’t have to work to get where they are.” Literal translation: “To slide in on a shrimp sandwich.” We also use ‘Det är ingen fara på taket,’ or ‘There’s no danger on the roof,’ to mean the same thing.” What it means: “There’s no need to worry. Literal translation: “There’s no cow on the ice.”
In English, the phrase is “buying a pig in poke,” but English speakers do also “let the cat out of the bag,” which means to reveal something that’s supposed to be secret. Other languages this idiom exists in: We hear from translators that this is an idiom in Swedish, Polish, Latvian and Norwegian. What it means: That a buyer purchased something without inspecting it first. Literal translation: “To buy a cat in a sack.” What it means: “I don’t understand a thing about what that person is saying.’” Literal translation: “I only understand the train station.” It refers to real objects, though - not abstract meanings.” What it means: “You are not seeing what everyone else can see. Literal translation: “You have tomatoes on your eyes.” Which made us wonder: what are their favorite idioms in their own tongue?īelow, we asked translators to share their favorite idioms and how they would translate literally. As our TED Translator volunteers translate TED Talks into 116 languages (and counting), they’re often challenged to translate English idioms into their language. Why add fuel to the fire? Idioms are those phrases that mean more than the sum of their words. What does it mean to “have tomatoes on your eyes?” Find out below…
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