#Idiomatic Expressions

[sayitaliano]

Italian idiomatic expressions

Just heard this from the news (sport) Loved the use of similar words in this sentence so I thought about making a short post about it

"Vedremo se il nostro velocista di punta riuscirà a spuntarla"

-> di punta = top, best, primary (out of a team)

-> riuscire a spuntarla = "being able to make it/to succeed *despite/against difficulties or against odds*" idiomatic expression (spuntare = lit. to check, to trim) Similar to "riuscire a farcela" (more literal translation of "being able to make it"). "Spuntarla" suggests more of a tight battle against others as in a sport competition (implied info since the video was about this sprinter going to compete against others). Maybe "end up being successful" could be a more literal translation?

Translation: "We'll see if our best sprinter will be able to make it"

[spanishskulduggery]

Hi there! I’m learning Spanish and was wondering what are some common idioms or unique ones that a beginner would find useful? Thank you for all your efforts with this blog

Here are some very standard idioms that probably everyone should know:

llover a cántaros = "to rain cats and dogs" [lit. "to rain by the pitcher"]

¿Quién te ha dado vela en este entierro? = "Who asked you?" / "This has nothing to do with you." / "No one asked for your opinion." [lit. "Who gave you a candle in this burial?"]

Perro que ladra no muere. / Ladra pero no muere. = "All bark and no bite." [lit. "a dog that barks doesn't bite"]

entre la espada y la pared = "between a rock and a hard place" [lit. "between the sword and the wall"]

valer un ojo de la cara = "to cost an arm and a leg" [lit. "to cost an eye from the face"]

la media naranja = "soulmate" [lit. "half an orange"; some funny things will also show an orange sock because la media in some countries means "sock", so you might see jokes about finding your media naranja but with a sock]

el pez gordo = "the boss", "the big cheese" [lit. "the fat fish"]

la flor y nata = "the best and brightest" [lit. "the flower and cream"]

pan comido = "easy as pie/cake" [lit. "eaten bread"]

estar en paz = "to be even", to not be in debt [lit. "to be at peace"]

ser un sol = to be a delight, to be very nice [lit. "to be a sun"; I was also told that you can also make it even nicer as ser un sol de primavera "to be a spring sun"]

de brazos cruzados = "without doing anything", "just standing around doing nothing", "sitting back, doing nothing" [lit. "with arms crossed"; it generally gets used when someone could do something or could help, but they're doing nothing... it's often used as quedarse de brazos cruzados which is literally "to remain with arms crossed" or "to sit back and do nothing"]

dar en el clavo = "to hit the nail on the head" [lit. "to strike on the nail"]

valer la pena = "to be worth the effort" [lit. "to be worth the sorrow/pain"]

meter la pata = "to screw up", "to mess up" [lit. "to stick one's foot (in something)"]

la gota que colmó el vaso = "the straw that broke the camel's back" [lit. "the drop that overflowed the glass"]

el príncipe azul = "knight in shining armor" [lit. "blue prince"]

tomar el pelo = "to pull someone's leg", "to tease someone" [lit. "to take/grab the hair"]

con las manos en la masa = "red-handed", "with (someone's) hands in the cookie jar" [lit. "with hands in the dough"]

más a gusto que un arbusto = "happy as a clam" [lit. "more in their pleasure than a shrub"; can also be "snug as a bug in a rug"]

al pie de la letra = "to a T", "to the letter", "exactly" [lit. "to the foot of the letter"]

de pies a cabeza = "head to toe", "through and through" [lit. "from feet to head"]

ahogarse en un vaso de agua = "to make a mountain out of a molehill", to worry about things that don't matter [lit. "to drown in a glass of water"]

I would also add this one which is more slang than anything, but it's very common in many countries to refer to money as (la) plata which is literally "silver". The other one is (la) lana which is "wool"

So, instead of (el) dinero you can sometimes hear people calling "money" or "cash", plata or lana depending on the country. Of course there are other terms, but these are probably the most recognizable ones

[idiomland]

"Monkey business" = silly or dishonest behavior. ⠀ Example: Our teacher warned us not to try any monkey business while she was out of the room. ⠀ Example: There's money missing from the office and it's not the first time it's happened. I think there's some monkey business going on. ⠀ Learn idioms in our app - https://onelink.to/zhdnr2

[hogwash-deli]

Pig Metaphors and Idioms

Pigs and boars are rich in symbolism across cultures, often appearing in idioms and phrases to convey a wide range of meanings—positive and negative. Here’s a global look at expressions and phrases associated with these animals:

English

Sweating like a pig: Refers to sweating heavily, though ironically, pigs don’t sweat much.

Eat like a pig: To eat messily or in excess.

Pigs might fly: Expressing disbelief or skepticism about something unlikely.

Happy as a pig in mud: To be extremely content or comfortable.

Casting pearls before swine: Offering something valuable to someone who doesn’t appreciate it.

The pig is in the parlor An idiom meaning that something is wrong or out of place.

Pig in a poke: Buying something without seeing it first.

Going hog wild: Behaving in a very uncontrolled, enthusiastic way.

Hog the limelight: To take all the attention for oneself.

Make a pig of oneself: To eat greedily or in a messy manner.

Pig out: To eat a large amount of food.

Boar's head: Historically used to refer to a feast or a symbol of plenty, especially at Christmas.

French

C'est du porc!: (It’s pork!) Used to describe something expensive, especially in slang.

Être sale comme un cochon: (To be as dirty as a pig) Refers to extreme untidiness.

Donner de la confiture aux cochons: (To give jam to pigs) Similar to "casting pearls before swine."

Faire le cochon (To do the pig): Behaving badly or greedily.

German

Schwein haben: (To have pig) Means to be lucky.

Fressen wie ein Schwein Eat like a pig or messily,

Eine Sau durchs Dorf treiben: (Drive the sow through the village) Refers to sensationalizing or spreading rumors.

Schweinerei (Pig mess): Something that's messy, scandalous, or just generally bad.

Sich wie ein Schwein benehmen (Behave like a pig): To behave badly.

Dutch

Als een varken eten (Eat like a pig): Eating in a messy or greedy way.

Spanish

Ser un cerdo: (To be a pig) Used for someone messy, rude, or morally questionable.

Sudando como un cerdo: (Sweating like a pig) Similar to the English expression.

Hacer un cochinero: (To make a pigsty) Refers to making a mess.

Comer como un cerdo (Eat like a pig): To eat messily or greedily.

Estar hecho un marrano (To be made a hog): To be very dirty or messy.

Italian

Essere un maiale (To be a pig): Used similarly to the English, often for someone who eats a lot or behaves badly.

Fare la scrofa (To do the sow): To act in a gluttonous manner.

Fare il maiale: (To act like a pig) Refers to someone behaving rudely or inappropriately.

Sudare come un maiale: (To sweat like a pig) Indicates sweating excessively.

Mettere il naso nel trogolo: (Put the nose in the trough) Refers to meddling or indulging too much.

Portuguese (Brazil)

Comer feito porco (Eat like a pig): Similar to the Spanish, indicating eating messily or greedily.

Chinese

猪八戒 (Zhū Bājiè): Refers to the gluttonous and lazy character from Journey to the West, symbolizing indulgence and foolishness.

九牛二虎一只猪 (Jiǔ niú èr hǔ yī zhī zhū): (Nine cows, two tigers, and one pig) Indicates an enormous effort.

猪拱食 (Zhu gong shi): Literally 'pig arching food', meaning to eat greedily.

猪一样的队友 (Zhu yiyang de duiyou): Literally 'teammates like pigs', meaning teammates who are not helpful or perform poorly.

Japanese

豚に真珠 (Buta ni shinjū): (Pearls before pigs) Equivalent to "casting pearls before swine."

豚もおだてりゃ木に登る (Buta mo odaterya ki ni noboru): (Even a pig can climb a tree if flattered) Suggests the power of encouragement or flattery.

豚箱 (Butabako): Slang for jail, literally "pigpen."

ブタのようにおいしい (Buta no you ni oishii): Literally 'delicious like a pig', emphasizing how delicious something is, in a playful or joking manner.

Arabic

"كالخنزير في الوحل" (Kal-khinzīr fī al-waḥl): (Like a pig in mud) Used to describe someone reveling in something unpleasant or inappropriate.

"وجه خنزير" (Wajh khinzir): (Pig-faced) An insult implying ugliness or unpleasantness.

Russian

Грязный как свинья (Gryaznyy kak svin'ya): (Dirty as a pig) Describes someone filthy or untidy.

Поросячий визг (Porosyachiy vizg): (Piglet squeal) Refers to loud, high-pitched noise or childish complaints.

Как свинья в апельсинах (Like a pig in oranges): To be in an unexpectedly good or luxurious situation.

Свинство (Piggery): Behavior that is considered low or unethical.

Hindi/Urdu

"सुअर का बच्चा" (Suar ka bachcha): (Child of a pig) A common insult.

"सुअर की तरह खाना" (Suar ki tarah khana): (To eat like a pig) Refers to messy or greedy eating.

Korean

"돼지같이 먹다" (Dwaeji-gachi meokda): (Eat like a pig) Implies gluttony or messiness.

"돼지 꿈" (Dwaeji kkum): (Pig dream) In Korean culture, dreaming of pigs symbolizes wealth or good fortune.

African Proverbs

"A pig that is used to wallowing in the mud doesn't mind a rainy day": (Various cultures) Highlights the idea of being accustomed to hardship or low standards.

"Even if a pig wears a golden ring, it is still a pig": (West African proverb) Suggests that external adornments cannot change one's nature.

These expressions reflect a wide range of attitudes toward pigs and boars, from their perceived greed, laziness, or uncleanliness to their symbolic association with luck, prosperity, or indulgence.

[meddwlyngymraeg]

Idiomatic Expressions

brysio - to hurry, be quick

More fun to use in an interjection, really: "Brysia! Dere nawr!" Hurry up/quick! Come now!

[algerianity]

n Algeria we don’t say “it is none of my business” but we say “تَخْطِي راسِي” and I think it’s beautiful ❤️

[go-learn-esperanto]

Actually, have some European Portuguese (or Portuguese from Portugal) idioms and expressions that I love. (Some might also be used in Brazil. Others definitely are not)

1. Category: Expressions that exist because of the Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 (yes there's more than one in this category. No, we're not all 200+ years old but we still reference that earthquake every day)

Rés vés Campo de Ourique - It means that something didn't happen by an inch. This was because after the earthquake the Tsunami almost got to Campo de Ourique, a neighbourhood in Lisbon.

Caiu o Cabo e a Trindade - This means everything is going wrong. It comes from the fact that the earthquake destroyed two convents, Carmo and Trindade.

2. Expressions to say "Go annoy someone else" or just "Fuck off". There's a lot of these.

Vai chatear o Camões - Literally means "Go annoy Camões". Camões is a very well known poet and writer from the XVI century. It's a joke about saying to go annoy somebody who's dead.

Vai ver se estou na esquina - literally "go see if I'm in the corner".

Vai dar a volta ao bilhar grande - literally "go round the big billiard (table?)". Beautiful.

Vai tomar banho - literally "go take a bath"

3. Who the fuck thought of these???

Rebeubéu, pardais ao ninho - it means that there's a commotion and/or a lot of noise. To translate this literally is difficult because Rebeubéu is barely a word but it means something like "(onomatopoeia that means lots of noise) sparrows to the nest".

Montou-se ali um 31 - means the same as the last expression. Literally "A 31 was set up there". You can technically make your own expression with 31 and it will mean the same thing - chaos. Now the question is: What in the world is a 31? Well, until today I also didn't know. It's allegedly a card game.

Nasceu com o rabo virado para a lua - means that someone got lucky even when they did not deserve it. They got what they wanted but didn't do anything to get it. Literally "they were born with the butt turned to the moon".

Cu de Judas - It means far away and/or in a place difficult to find. Literally "Ass of Judas"... Ass in butt. This expression is used all the time.

4. Snork mimi 💤

Vou bater chocolate - literally "I'm going to whisk chocolate"

Vou para o vale dos lençóis (probably my favourite expression that I use all the time because the mental image is amazing) - literally "I'm going to the bedsheet valley"

Vou fazer oó - oó is an onomatopoeia for sleeping. Only used with babies or jokingly.

Vou nanar - technically it means "I'm going to sleep" as nanar is another verb for sleep but I wanted to include it because it's something that you will only hear said in familial situations. It's not informal in the street sense it's just that it's a sweet way to say sleep that it's just not said by anyone else besides your mum when she wants to ask if you're sleepy and want to go to bed. It's cute :)

5. The origin of this one is more interesting than the expression itself

Primeiro estranha-se depois entranha-se - it means that you might not like something at first but you'll start enjoying it with time. Literally means "First you find it's odd afterwards it's engrained". So, this was actually thought by Fernando Pessoa, also one of the most well known portuguese poets and writers. He died in 1937. Anyway, for this wasn't a title of a book or something. He wrote this for a fucking Coca-Cola commercial. Cursed information.

6. ???

Quem anda à chuva, molha-se - literally "Who's in the rain gets wet". It means "WHEN WILL YOU LEARN?! WHEN WILL YOU LEARN, THAT YOUR ACTIONS, HAVE CONSEQUENCES?!?!?!"

Pão, pão, queijo, queijo - literally "bred, bred, cheese, cheese", which is beautiful. It means "Exactly what I just said", "It means just that"

São coisas do arco-da-velha. Literally "It's stuff from the rainbow". It means whatever happen was unbelievable. In the good or bad sense. The most common way of saying rainbow in Portuguese is arco-íris but arco-da-velha is s synonym less used. Galicia still uses it a lot though.

Feito ao bife - (Used all the time!!!) Literally "done at the steak". It means you're fucked lol (aka you were busted and are in big trouble)

[auressea]

misquotes and misused idioms are fuel for the spin doctors and fakers. you only THINK you understand what they're saying.

[robertbrancatelli]

Macy's Window & Public Penance

I remember a certain prepositional phrase growing up in New York that was used as a catch-all to poke fun at patently absurd attempts by people to be discrete. It was meant to point out the insincerity of those attempts as well as their inappropriateness in public settings. Hopefully, it would also make the perpetrator think twice. Here’s an example. “You’re going to dump Trevor in the middle of…

[lowreyglobalconsultants]

Use that idiom properly

So you just learned a new idiomatic expression and you know that the best way to remember is to try to use it. You have to tread carefully and make sure it comes out sounding naturally. While most people will forgive you for making a mistake, you run the risk of forever using it incorrectly after that.

For instance Jun picked up the phrase, " a fish out of water", which means to feel out of place in a setting. It is usually used when talking about a human's feelings but he accidentally used it talking about an object that was out of place in the office. "That clock next to the door is like a fish out of water," he says. His colleagues know that he is trying, so no one corrects him and just nod awkwardly. After that he continues to use it in the same context to the point that it becomes habitual and it is tough to stop once he becomes aware of the situation.

So how to avoid it? Here are some ideas;

Listen actively, try to catch how other people use the expression

Google the new phrase, maybe you will find a video using it.

Ask a teacher or strong English speaker

Read! It's a great way to feed not only new vocabulary but also ideas of how to use words and phrases.

And, on the other side, if you are a bit higher level than your friend or coworker, it doesn't hurt to correct them.

Don't let this post make you feel anxious about using the new expression, you have to make mistakes to learn. Just take the time to research it and always communicate with open ears and an open mind.

[wordgoods]

"like steel sharpening steel"

The phrase "like steel sharpening steel" is often used metaphorically to describe a situation where two individuals or entities, typically of similar strength or capability, interact or compete with each other in a way that leads to mutual improvement or refinement.

Just as steel can be sharpened by rubbing it against another piece of steel, the metaphor suggests that through challenge, competition, or collaboration, each participant pushes the other to grow, learn, or excel.

[sayitaliano]

Italian idiomatic expressions/sayings #IDK

PIANGERE COME UNA FONTANA = lit. to cry like a fountain

to turn on waterworks, to cry buckets, to bawl your eyes or to cry like a river

eg. quando lo vide di nuovo, iniziò a piangere come una fontana = when she saw him again, she turned on waterworks.

[in spanish its equivalent should be "llorar come una magdalena" and similarly in french "pleurer comme une madeleine" but I'm not sure tbh so if you do pls lmk thanks!]

[spanishskulduggery]

"I'm bad at sports" is apparently "Se me dan mal los deportes". Can you please help unpack that? I think it's saying the sports give me something, but that's too many pronouns for me at this point.

This is an idiomatic expression involving what would be considered superfluous dative [which is to say there's a se and an indirect object and a verb] - which is a super advanced topic because it requires knowledge of passive voice and indirect objects

But if it helps, sort of think of it as a very passive kind of gustar type expression

I'll go into it a bit more but the se implies very passive (being done to the subject, not the subject doing anything) + indirect object [me, te, le, les, nos, os] aka "to whom or for whom" something is done + a verb that is conjugated for the object dan for los deportes

Quick Note: If you're looking for something a bit easier to parse, you can say ser bueno/a para los deportes (sometimes ser bueno/a en deporte) and then ser malo/a para los deportes (or ser malo/a en deporte) which is more literally "I am good for/at sports" and "I am bad for/at sports"

-

As for se me dan bien...

First, please note that you are seeing a passive expression - meaning that the se is passive, and the verb applies to the noun not the subject - in other words, dan applies to los deportes

The me kinda marks the "subject"

So put that all together and se me dan bien los deportes for example literally means something like "sports are well suited to me" or "sports come well to me"........ but in translation "I am good at sports"

This is kinda like when you have gustar and more literally it's like "it is pleasing to me" but for ease gets translated as "I like it"

-

You can make it singular if your noun was singular; es una de las cosas que se me da bien which is "it's one of the things I'm good at"... or more literally "it is one of the things that is suited to me"

The dar will probably almost always be da or dan to match the object, and the se will always be used for passive

The indirect object here can be any indirect object:

Se nos dan bien las matemáticas. = We're good at math. Se nos dan mal las matemáticas. = We're bad at math. Se te da bien hablar en público. = You're good at speaking in public. Se te da mal hablar en público. = You're bad at speaking in public. Se le da muy bien el juego. = He/She is very good at the game. Se le da fatal el juego. = He/She is awful at the game. No se les da bien cocinar. = They aren't good at cooking. No se les da mal cocinar. = They aren't bad at cooking.

And so on.

A quick and dirty review - think of it as a very passive gustar as far as how to understand all of it

se me da bien/mal + singular noun = I am good/bad at + it se me da bien/mal + verb in infinitive = I am good/bad at + doing something se me dan bien/mal + plural noun = I am good/bad at + it/them

So if you're thinking of it like gustar which may help:

No me gustan las mátematicas porque no se me dan bien. = I don't like math because I'm not good at it. No me gusta conducir porque no se me da bien. = I don't like driving because I'm not good at it. Me gusta el juego/deporte, aunque se me da mal. = I like the game/sport, although I'm not good at it.

And you can say other things instead of bien/mal... espectacular, genial, terrible, fatal, pésimo etc but bien and mal are the standard

-

But again if you feel overwhelmed by that expression, ser bueno/a en/para is another option

[idiomland]

The lion's share is the biggest part of something. ⠀ Example: My sister grabbed the lion's share of the pizza. ⠀ Example: The lion's share of the government's budget goes to the military. ⠀ Learn idioms in our app - https://onelink.to/zhdnr2

[wickedzeevyln]

Language Barrier

“Do you speak English?” Before I could answer this question, he rolled his eyes and walked away. This was not the first time. The second time, he approached me while I was busy wiping off a stain on patient’s bed, his head popped through the door and asked me the same question, then followed it up with another question, “Clear as mud?” he asked and I retorted, “Of course I know what that…

[meddwlyngymraeg]

Idiomatic Expressions

Hyn a hyn -> now and then

“Pob hyn a hyn, dwi'n meddwl amdani hi.” Every now and then, I think about her.