A world of idioms!

Quincy
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

A world of idioms!

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Hello everyone,

 

I hope you are well.

 

Today I thought we could discuss idioms, as I am sure that many of you use them on a daily basis, I've definitely spotted a few here in the CC!

In our office, I am lucky to work with colleagues who speak different languages and it makes it very interesting to exchange idioms with each other.

 

Below are the different idiomatic ways of describing 'heavy rain' in a few languages :-).

 

English: It's raining cats and dogs
German: Es regnet in Strömen (It's raining in currents)
Spanish: Llueve a cántaros (It's raining in jugfuls) 
Italian: Piove a catinelle (It's raining like from basins)
Dutch: Het regent pijpestelen (It's raining pipe stems)
French: Il pleut comme une vache qui pisse (It's raining like a cow that's weeing) 
Greek: Brékhei kareklopódara (It's raining chair legs)
Polish: Jak z cebra (It's raining like from a wooden bucket)
Portuguese: Está chovendo a cântaros (It's raining jugs)

 

I think it's really interesting how often we use idioms when talking to each other. If you know some idioms (in any language), it would be great if you could share them here as it'd be fun to learn some new ones!

 

I look forward to seeing your answers!

 

Quincy

 

 

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111 Replies 111
Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

@Quincy

Greek: It's raining chair legs   😄 😄 loool 

Croatian: Lijeva kao iz kabla (It's pour like from a bucket)

 

When someone explode with anger then we say: Puk'o je k'o kokica  (he snapped like a popcorn)  :))

Quincy
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hello @Branka-and-Silvia0,

 

I just wanted to tag you in this post, but you already replied! 

 

Thank you for sharing the Croation version, are there more Croatian idioms? 

 

Here's another one in Dutch: De aap komt uit de mouw - The monkey comes out of the sleeve.

The moment that a hidden motive or the truth behind something is revealed.

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Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Quincy

 

In the UK, we would say, "He/she let the cat out of the bag" to mean the same thing.

Quincy
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

What about this one?

 

"Bolje spriječiti nego liječiti" - Better safe than sorry. (correct me if I am wrong) 

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Quincy
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

@Emiel1 @Marzena4 @Linda108 @Fred13 @Kimberly54 @Edwin57 @Oomesh-Kumarsingh0 @Marit-Anne0

I would love to hear some idioms from you 🙂 

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@Quincy "Some feel the rain. Others just get wet"

Quincy
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

@Oomesh-Kumarsingh0, nice one!

What about this one? "You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar" - You'll get what you want by being nice.

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@Quincy That's definitely a good one! Here is another one which really reflects the human life nowadays. "No money,No honey"

Quincy
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

@Oomesh-Kumarsingh0

 

Here's a classic one :-). 

 

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away" - Apples are good for you. 

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@Quincy Nice classic idioms,they are real message and moral carriers 🙂

Spanish: Como agua para chocolate

 

English: Like water for chocolate  Hint: Has NOTHING to do with water OR chocolate.

 

It is about getting to one's 'boiling point.'  This is actually about ANGER! 

 

(Water must be at the boiling point to make a good cup of chocolate)

 

Talk about subtle!??

Kim

A Pintor we caramelo

Quincy
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hello Alberto, what exactly is that? 

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Quincy
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hello @Kimberly54,

 

 

I actually know one in Dutch that is related to water as well (non-boiling). 

 

We say "De druppel die de emmer doet overlopen" - The drop that makes the bucket overflow. This means that a certain limit of anger has been reached as well :-). 

 

I will check with my colleague if he knows some more Spanish ones! 

 

 

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