Life
Around the world in idioms: weird, wonderful and wacky expressions from languages across the globe
By Stylist Team
11 years ago
The English language has been using idioms for donkey's years, with enough zany sayings to cobble dogs with - even if some are a little hairy at the heels.
But if you thought our expressions were the cat's pyjamas, you'll love this selection of delightful and evocative colloquialisms put together by online travel retailer Hotel Club.
Taken from languages around the world, they range from the inspired to the ridiculous. A surprising number reference animals (wolves, hares and cats all put in an appearance) and still more are brilliantly redolent of particular thoughts or images.
Our favourite? "To let a frog out of your mouth", which is a very apt Finnish idiom for saying the wrong thing. We also love "not my circus, not my monkey" which is a Polish saying, meaning not my problem.
Find out more in the gallery and rejoice in the unanimous joy that is language play.
Italian
Into the mouth of the wolf!
meaning
Good luck!
Polish
Not my circus, not my monkeys
meaning
Not my problem
Finnish
To let a frog out of your mouth
meaning
To say the wrong thing
Portuguese
To feed the donkey sponge cake
meaning
To give good treatment to someone who doesn't deserve it
Danish
To have a stick in your ear
meaning
To not listen to someone
Japanese
To have a wide face
meaning
To have many friends
French
To have the midday demon
meaning
To have a midlife crisis
German
A cat's jump
meaning
A short distance away
Spanish
To give somebody pumpkins
meaning
To reject someone
Russian
To ride like a hare
meaning
To travel without a ticket
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