Each German idiom below comes with what its words literally say, what it means and how other languages put the same idea. To see every language at once, open the side-by-side page for other people.
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lit. ‘go on someone’s biscuit’
To annoy or irritate someone.
Elsewhere
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lit. ‘move someone (somewhere else)’
To not turn up for a date or meeting without telling the other person.
Elsewhere
- EN Stand someone up
- FR Poser un lapin
- ES Dejar plantado
- IT Tirare un pacco
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Jemanden um den Finger wickeln
lit. ‘wrap someone around the finger’
To have someone so charmed or devoted that they'll do whatever you want.
Elsewhere
- EN Wrap someone around your little finger
- FR Mener quelqu’un par le bout du nez
- ES Tener a alguien comiendo de la mano
- IT Avere qualcuno in pugno
- JA 牛耳る
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lit. ‘that’s not my beer’
This isn't my problem, so I'm not getting involved.
Elsewhere
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lit. ‘that’s sausage to me’
To not care about something at all.
Elsewhere
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lit. ‘look for a hair in the soup’
To argue about tiny details that don't matter.
Elsewhere
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Eine Extrawurst verlangen
lit. ‘to ask for an extra sausage’
To want special treatment that nobody else gets.
Elsewhere
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lit. ‘like one egg to the other’
To look or be almost exactly alike.
Elsewhere
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Jemandem den Schwarzen Peter zuschieben
lit. ‘to slip someone Black Peter’
To shift the blame onto someone else.
Elsewhere
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lit. ‘to spit big notes’
To brag about yourself.
Elsewhere
- EN Blow your own trumpet
- FR Se jeter des fleurs
- ES Pavonearse
- IT Darsi delle arie
- JA 鼻にかける
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lit. ‘like dog and cat’
Two people who are always arguing.
Elsewhere
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lit. ‘one heart and one soul’
Two people who are very close friends.
Elsewhere
- EN Thick as thieves
- FR Comme cul et chemise
- ES Ser uña y carne
- IT Essere pappa e ciccia
- JA 馬が合う
Phrases in bold with a red marker are written up. The rest are waiting for their own page and a check by a native speaker.