Once you start feeling comfortable participating in German conversations, you will be surprised by how little you might understand. Germans love, sorry, I mean, absolutely love to use German idioms in their conversations. Funnily enough, some Germans will use the literal translation of the German idioms in English conversations.
My wife, who is German, has said in the middle of our English conversations things like: ‘Do you have tomatoes on your eyes, Jen?’ 🍅. Uh, what?
Once, in a German conversation we were having with a friend of ours, my wife said: ‘And then I let down my pants’👖. Uh, again…what?!
According to this article of the Deutsche Welle (in German), there are 250.000 proverbs in German! Oh boy, that is a lot! Not all of them are used in the day to day life, though. So don’t worry.
In this article, you’ll find a list of 111 German idioms in English so the next time you are in a conversation, you don’t feel as lost as I have. Feel free to read this list at a party with other expats or to some Germans. It will, for sure, bring you some laughs.
111 German Idioms in English
1. I only understand train station
German: Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof
Meaning: I don’t understand anything. It’s all Greek to me.
2. To feel like a fish on the dry
German: Sich wie ein Fisch auf dem Trockenen fühlen
Meaning: Fish out of water
3. That’s where the dog is buried
German: Da liegt der Hund begraben
Meaning: That’s the heart of the matter
4. Press the thumbs!
German: Die Daumen drücken!
Meaning: Keep your fingers crossed!
5. Where fox and hare say goodnight to one another
German: Wo sich Fuchs und Hase gute Nacht sagen
Meaning: In the middle of nowhere
6. I’m done and ready
German: Ich bin fix und fertig
Meaning: I’m wiped out or I’m exhausted
7. You’re taking me on the arm!
German: Du nimmst mich auf den Arm!
Meaning: You’re pulling my leg!
8. That’s a cat’s jump
German: Das ist ein Katzensprung
Meaning: It’s a stone’s throw away
9. Sleep like a groundhog
German: Schlafen wie ein Murmeltier
Meaning: Sleep like a log
10. To talk around the hot porridge
German: Um den heißen Brei herumreden
Meaning: To beat around the bush
11. You can take poison on that
German: Da kannst du Gift drauf nehmen
Meaning: You can bet your life on that
12. Make an ape of yourself
German: Sich zum Affen machen
Meaning: Make a fool of yourself
13. Kill two flies with one swat
German: Zwei Fliegen mit einer Klappe schlagen
Meaning: Kill two birds with one stone
14. To ask for an extra sausage
German: Eine Extrawurst haben
Meaning: To ask for special treatment
15. The bear dances there
German: Da steppt der Bär
Meaning: It is a good party
16. The air burns!
German: Da brennt die Luft!
Meaning: Heated atmosphere – tension
17. To have tomatoes on one’s eyes
German: Tomaten auf den Augen haben
Meaning: Not to see obvious things/to be blind
18. To add your mustard to it
German: Seinen Senf dazugeben
Meaning: Give your opinion / give your two cents
19. To know something like one’s vest pocket
German: Wie seine Westentasche kennen
Meaning: To know smth. like the back of one’s hand
20. Don’t praise the day before the evening
German: Man soll den Tag nicht vor dem Abend loben
Meaning: Don’t count your chicks before they hatch
21. Clear as dumpling broth
German: Klar wie Kloßbrühe
Meaning: Crystal clear
22. To leave the church in the village
German: Die Kirche im Dorf lassen
Meaning: To not get carried away
23. To have a pig
German: Schwein haben
Meaning: To get lucky
24. Lies have short legs
German: Lügen haben kurze Beine
Meaning: Lies don’t get you far
25. I believe I spider
German: Ich glaube ich spinne
Meaning: I think I’m going crazy
26. To have a cat
German: Einen Kater haben
Meaning: To have a hangover
27. You can steal horses with him
German: Mit jemandem Pferde stehlen
Meaning: Someone that is trustworthy / someone to do unsual things with
28. To have a bird
German: Einen Vogel haben
Meaning: To be a little cuckoo
29. To look too deep into the glass
German: Zu tief ins Glas schauen
Meaning: To drink too much
30. Small cattle also make poop
German: Kleinvieh macht auch Mist
Meaning: Small wins also count/small wins add up
31. Under all pig
German: Unter aller Sau
Meaning: Catastrophic
32. Under all cannon
German: Unter aller Kanone
Meaning: To be really lousy
33. To play the offended liver sausage
German: Die beleidigte Leberwurst spielen
Meaning: Being unnecessarily pouty
34. To give someone a basket
German: Einen Korb geben
Meaning: To be stood up
35. All in butter
German: Alles in Butter
Meaning: Everything is ok
36. To tie a bear to someone
German: Jemandem einen Bären aufbinden
Meaning: To lie to someone in a joking matter
37. To hit someone over the ear
German: Jemanden übers Ohr hauen
Meaning: To bamboozle/trick someone
38. Why is the banana curved?
German: Warum ist die Banane krumm?
Meaning: I don’t know either
39. The fish stinks from the head
German: Der Fisch stinkt vom Kopf her
Meaning: The problems start at the top (in an organization)
40. I am not a cow to be milked
German: Ich bin keine Kuh, die man melken kann!
Meaning: You can’t take advantage of me
41. To go down with drums and trumpets
German: Mit Pauken und Trompeten durchfallen
Meaning: To fail gloriously, guns blazing
42. That is an argument over the emperor’s beard
German: Das ist ein Streit um des Kaisers Bart
Meaning: To get lost in the details
43. To put a monkey theater on stage
German: Ein Affentheater aufführen
Meaning: To perform a charade
44. To stick under one blanket
German: Unter einer Decke stecken
Meaning: To do something secretly with someone
45. The egg of Columbus
German: Das Ei des Kolumbus
Meaning: An easy solution to a problem that appears difficult to solve
46. Search/ find for a hair in the soup
German: Haar in der Suppe suchen/finden
Meaning: To see a glass half empty
47. I think my pig whistles
German: Ich glaube mein Schwein pfeift
Meaning: That’s absurd
48. I even eat a broom
German: Da fresse ich glatt einen Besen
Meaning: I can’t believe it
49. There we have the salad
German: Da haben wir den Salat
Meaning: Now we have a problem
50. We sit beautifully in the ink
German: Wir sitzen schön in der Tinte!
Meaning: We are in a bad situation
51. It goes off like the cat of Schmitz’
German: Das geht ab wie Schmitz’ Katze
Meaning: It’s great, it’s a lot of fun
52. That is sausage for me
German: Das ist mir Wurst
Meaning: I don’t care
53. The poop is steaming
German: Die Kacke ist am dampfen
Meaning: We are in trouble
54. Sponge over
German: Schwamm drüber
Meaning: Don’t worry about it
55. Now butter at the fish
German: Jetzt Butter bei die Fische
Meaning: To speak the truth, get to work, give extra effort
56. Human, Meier
German: Mensch, Meier
Meaning: Jeez!
57. Don’t bring me on the palm tree
German: Bring mich nicht auf die Palme
Meaning: Don’t get me started, don’t get me angry
58. To laugh into one’s small fist
German: Sich ins Fäustchen lachen
Meaning: To laugh up one’s sleeve – To rejoice or be amused secretly
59. That is jacket as pants
German: Das ist Jacke wie Hose
Meaning: It doesn’t matter, there is no difference
60. To put everything on one card
German: Alles auf eine Karte setzen
Meaning: Put your eggs in one basket
61. Bang and fall
German: Knall und Fall
Meaning: Suddenly
62. Get the cow off the ice
German: Die Kuh vom Eis holen
Meaning: Avert imminent danger/ to difuse a difficult situation
63. Those are two pairs of boots
German: Das sind zwei Paar Stiefel
Meaning: Those are two different unrelated matters
65. To turn the skewer
German: Den Spieß umdrehen
Meaning: To switch roles / to retaliate
66. To see something through pink glasses
German: Etwas durch die rosarote Brille sehen
Meaning: To be naive / too optimistic
67. To let down one’s pants
German: Die Hosen runterlassen
Meaning: To come clean
68. That’s not the yellow of the egg
German: Das ist nicht das Gelbe vom Ei
Meaning: To be insufficient / not the best
69. Here is dead pants
German: Hier ist Tote Hose
Meaning: Nothing is happening here / It’s boring
70. Until the dolls
German: Bis in die Puppen
Meaning: Until late
71. To go around the corner
German: Um die Ecke gehen
Meaning: To go to the bathroom
71. To shoot cannons at sparrows
German: Mit Kanonen auf Spatzen schießen
Meaning: Overkill
72. I make me from the field
German: Ich mache mich vom Acker
Meaning: I am leaving
73. To make the fly
German: Die Fliege machen
Meaning: To leave
74. To have the nose/snout full
German: Die Nase/Die Schnauze voll haben
Meaning: To be fed up
75. Like a rock in the surf
German: Wie ein Fels in der Brandung
Meaning: Solid as a rock
76. Nonsense with sauce
German: Quatsch mit Soße
Meaning: Total nonsense
77. That is not my beer
German: Das ist nicht mein Bier
Meaning: That is none of my business
78. Until the doctor comes
German: Bis der Arzt kommt
Meaning: Excessively
79. To not have all cups in the cupboard
German: Nicht alle Tassen im Schrank haben
Meaning: To be bonkers
80. To say something through the flower
German: Etwas durch die Blume sagen
Meaning: To break something to someone gently
81. To not have a buck
German: Keinen Bock haben
Meaning: To not be in the mood
82. Sport is murder
German: Sport ist Mord
Meaning: Sport can be dangerous /exhausting
83. That is to milk the mice
German: Das ist zum Mäusemelken
Meaning: To become desperate
84. That is the hammer!
German: Das ist der Hammer!
Meaning: That’s awesome!
85. For an apple and an egg
German: Für einen Apfel und ein Ei
Meaning: A bargain / a steal
86. To pull something out of someone’s nose
German: Jemandem etwas aus der Nase ziehen
Meaning: To force conversation with someone
87. To let the pig out
German: Die Sau rauslassen
Meaning: To party hard / to paint the town red
88. To look dumb from the laundry
German: Dumm aus der Wäsche gucken
Meaning: To look surprised
89. To dance on someone’s nose
German: Jemanden auf der Nase herumtanzen
Meaning: To walk all over someone / To be disrespectful
90. Stay where the pepper is grown!
German: Bleib wo der Pfeffer wächst!
Meaning: Stay away!
91. Oh you green nines!
German: Ach du grüne Neune!
Meaning: Good heavens!
92. I sit on you
German: Ich setz auf dich
Meaning: I count on you
93. Three cheeses high
German: Dreikäsehoch
Meaning: A small smart and curious child
94. Could’ve could’ve bike chain
German: Hätte hätte Fahrradkette
Meaning: Hindsight is easier than foresight
95. To not be able to pass someone the water
German: Jemandem nicht das Wasser reichen können
Meaning: Can’t hold a candle to someone – inferior to someone or smth.
96. To keep the ball leveled
German: Den Ball flach halten
Meaning: To not exaggerate
97. To act like a dying swan
German: Den sterbenden Schwan markieren
Meaning: To exaggerate injury/pain
98. The morning hour has gold in the mouth
German: Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund
Meaning: The early bird catches the worm
99. That seems Spanish to me
German: Das kommt mir Spanisch vor
Meaning: Something is off/something is fishy
100. To make a Polish
German: Einen Polnischen machen
Meaning: To sneak away without saying good-bye (e.g. at a party)
101. Here goes the post mail off!
German: Hier geht die Post ab!
Meaning: It’s all happening here!
102. It’s five to twelve
German: Es ist fünf vor zwölf
Meaning: It’s high time
103. To have hair on one’s teeth
German: Haare auf den Zähnen haben
Meaning: To be confrontational/bossy
104. That goes in the pants!
German: Das geht in die Hose!
Meaning: It will fail!
105. To promise the blue of the sky
German: Das blaue vom Himmel versprechen
Meaning: To uninhibitedly promise the impossible
106. To dance out of line
German: Aus der Reihe tanzen
Meaning: To not stick to the rules/agreement
107. To be the little tongue on the scale
German: Das Zünglein an der Waage sein
Meaning: To hold the balance of power
108. To smear honey around someone’s mouth
German: Jemandem Honig um den Mund schmieren
Meaning: To butter someone up
109. Stay with the ball!
German: Bleib am Ball!
Meaning: Keep at it!
110. To draw a line through someone’s calculation
German: Einen Strich durch die Rechnung machen
Meaning: To ruins someone’s plans
111. Everything has an ending, only the sausage has two
German: Alles hat ein Ende, nur die Wurst hat zwei
Meaning: Everything will come to an end eventually
That’s the ultimate list of German idioms in English. I hope you had some laughs and learned some so you can impress your German friends.
Further Reading
New to Germany and you only understand train station? Check out our in-depth guides on living in Germany.
