Game: Idioms from around the world

[Nick]

Anyone who not only travels a lot but likes hanging out with locals will know some idioms from other languages. Those weird, fascinating phrases whose figurative meaning has nothing to do with the literal one, and yet they play an important role in communication. They are unique to a place and its language, amplifying a message while drawing the audience in.

They give clues about the customs and values of their originating culture. They are funny, cool and knowing those of a different language marks the difference between mechanically parroting a series of words in a grammatically correct fashion, and beginning to "think" in that language. 

For this game, I gathered some funny phrases from around the world. From Korea to Poland, and from Brazil to Greece, I translated everything into English (so that anyone can play) and you need to figure out what each one means (that part will be in English also). And as always, let’s have one guess each time so more people can play and enjoy the game. I'll be off for a week starting Monday but worry not. I left a cheat sheet with the rest of the team so guess away and they'll be able to tell you if you are right or wrong.  

Have fun! 😉

Nick 

1. 🇫🇷 Giving the cat its tongue
2. 🇫🇷 To sleep on one’s two ears = To be perfectly at peace and without a worry in the world ✅
3. 🇵🇹 I’m in the inks
4. 🇪🇸 Speaking of the king of Rome, by the door he appears = Talk of the devil and he’s sure to appear ✅
5. 🇰🇷 Rice cake in a picture
6. 🇧🇷 The snake is going to smoke
7. 🇮🇹 You have salami slice on your eyes =You can’t see clearly ✅
8. 🇳🇱 Speaking with a potato in your mouth = Talking very poshly ✅
9. 🇵🇱 Drill a hole in your belly
10. 🇵🇱 I was made into a horse
11. 🇬🇷 I’m in pieces = Can't think or stand straight from too much alcohol ✅
12. 🇬🇷 Running but never arriving = Being extremely busy ✅
13. 🇫🇷 Cut the hairs in four = To be excessively precise and detailed ✅
14. 🇫🇷 To push on the mushroom 
15. 🇵🇹 Bread, bread. Cheese, cheese
16. 🇰🇷 Glasses in my eyes = Beauty is in the eye of the beholder ✅
17. 🇧🇷 Pork spirit
18. 🇪🇸 Whoever gets up early, God helps him = The early bird catches the worm ✅
19. 🇮🇹 It always rains on the wet
20. 🇳🇱 That's not anything
21. 🇵🇱 Throwing peas onto a wall
22. 🇬🇷  I’m an open book = I’m wearing my heart on my sleeve, very easy to read ✅
23. 🇵🇱 A roll with a butter
24. 🇬🇷 I’m swatting flies
25. 🇫🇷 See noon at his door
26. 🇫🇷 When the hens have teeth
27. 🇵🇹 Take the little horse away from the rain = Don’t count on it! Don’t hold your breath! ✅
28. 🇪🇸 He who does not cry does not suck
29. 🇫🇷 The carrots are cooked
30. 🇰🇷 Don’t drink the Kimchi soup first
31. 🇧🇷 To pay for the duck
32. 🇮🇹 Eye can’t see, heart can’t pain = What you don't see/know can't hurt you ✅
33. 🇳🇱 Falling with your bum on butter = You're very lucky ✅
34. 🇵🇱 Do you have a snake in your pocket?
35. 🇬🇷 By the devil’s mother
36. 🇬🇷 It’s raining chairs (or chair legs)
37. 🇵🇹 Flea behind the ear
38. 🇪🇸 God raises them and they come together
39. 🇫🇷 To want the butter and the money from the butter's sale
40. 🇫🇷 Being a boot licker = Sucking up to people ✅
41. 🇰🇷 Spitting while lying down
42. 🇧🇷 The jaguar's friend
43. 🇮🇹 Who despises, buys
44. 🇳🇱 Letting the wind blow through your fences
45. 🇵🇱 The drawing man catches a cut throat razor
46. 🇬🇷 He does the duck
47. 🇬🇷 Sit on your eggs
48. 🇫🇷 Have fairy fingers
49. 🇵🇹 Burn the eyelashes
50. 🇪🇸 Less gives a stone
51. 🇰🇷 Bad mushrooms bloom in March.
52. 🇮🇹 Do not say cat if you do not have it in your bag = Don't brag prematurely ✅
53. 🇳🇱 Chasing the cat into the curtains
54. 🇵🇱 They have flies up their nose
55. 🇵🇱 Did an elephant stomp on your ear?
56. 🇬🇷 I came out of my clothes
57. 🇬🇷 Good wines
58. 🇫🇷 Three apples tall
59. 🇵🇹 Wake up with the feet outside
60. 🇧🇷 Thinking about the calf's death
61. 🇮🇹 Nail moves away nail
62. 🇵🇱 Stick you in a bottle
63. 🇬🇷 Slowly the cabbage
64. 🇪🇸 Flip the tortilla
65. 🇬🇷 Have your eyes fourteen

[Laura2484]

@Nick 

Hi Nick,

thanks for the new game it’ll be ‘a box of laughs ‘ for sure, to guess.

‘Here goes @Katie @Helen427 @Ann72 @Cathie19 

22. I’m an open book 

refers to ‘l’m happy to share things about myself ‘ eg.work, experiences, life etc - no secrets

Have a great week off 🌞

[Katie]

Hey @Laura2484 

Great guess! Yes, this expression refers to someone who is open about their feelings, similar to 'I wear my heart on my sleeve' 👏 👏

[Debra300]

In St. Lucia, locals will say, "For as long as I've known myself."  Which means a very long time, from the period they realized their own existence.

[Helen427]

40 Being a bootlicker - means to suck up to the boss/ employer, person of influence, and or to curry favour to seek favours & preferential treatment for one's own gain.

@Helen350 @Laura2484 @Debra300 

@Katie @Lizzie @Nick4 @Nick3 @Nick5 @Nick @Jessica-and-Henry0 @Fred13 @Huma0 

How about we all tag a person with the same names as ours when we reply to encourage & invite new people here in CC who may not frequent ABB CC?

 It's one way to ensure a wider cross section of people who use ABB to have an input and feel included in these challenging times and may help make their day more enjoyable.

[Debra300]

@Helen427,

In the US we also say bootlicker to mean that a person is being a suck up or a$$ kisser to a person of influence or popular individual.

Since I am Debra300, I suppose there are 299 other Debras before me that I could invite to this conversation.

[Helen427]

Oh yes @Debra300 we have the same description here in New Zealand.

 I'm sure you can pick some random Debra's to join in from the list before, or after you, or a bit of both....maybe throw in some Lucia's to for good measure 🤗.

[Huma0]

@Helen427 

I don't think there are many users called Huma, hence why I get the 0 after my name, but there are a handful I think. Never saw them post anything though...

[Katie]

Well done @Helen427 @Debra300 👏👏

Yes, we do say this in English sometimes don't we? 

Love the idea of welcoming new people with into the game and the community in general, if they are keen to join. It could be that others haven't used the CC in a while though so you may get a limited response from some.

Haha @Huma0, I think the '0' denotes that you are the first Huma on the CC - quite the feat! Of course it's a lot harder as a 'Katie', and I think I was originally in the 300s.. 😄

[Debra300]

@Katie. @Nick.

Another US term is, "You shot yourself in your own foot".  Which means your actions have caused your own detriment.

@Sarah977, would you please share some Canadian idioms?

[Laura2484]

@Laura_C 

 Hey thought you might like to join in!

 🇫🇷13. Cut the hairs in four 

🤔 ‘ ..to split hairs or splitting hairs?’ meaning ‘ finding the smallest detail that is so small it becomes unimportant.’

@Nick @Helen427 @Huma0 @Debra300 

[Huma0]

@Laura2484 

Really not sure if this is a common one in the UK, but 'landing with your a*se in the butter", i.e. meaning that you have found yourself in a very, very lucky position, despite all odds.

[Katie]

Well done @Laura2484 - yep, it's very similar to that expression in English - meaning to be excessively precise or detailed 👌

@Huma0 I've never heard this one in English before, it's great! You're exactly right: in Dutch it also means to be very lucky 👏  I'm going to be working this one into my repertoire 😊

[Huma0]

@Katie 

Interesting that it's the same in Dutch. Maybe that's where we get it from. It's not something you hear often, but I have a friend (English) who says it all the time!

[Laura2484]

@Huma0 

That really is a treasure trove find Huma, never heard that one before and would not have guessed it’s meaning either🤣 Other than an image of a squishy landing!