German idioms you really

shouldn't take literally

From offended sausages to tap-dancing bears — these idiomatic
expressions bring a little poetry to the German language.

1. ICH STEHE AUF DICH (I’M STANDING ON YOU)

This idiom is used when you think someone is nice, hot or whatever. In
short, it means “I’m attracted to you”.

2. ICH GLAUBE, MEIN SCHWEIN PFEIT (I THINK MY PIG IS

WHISLISTING)
This idiom is used when something can be true or is very crazy. So you say
this in a very negative-sarcastic way.

3. SPIEL NICHT DIE BELEIDIGTE LEBERWURST (DON’T PLAY

THE OFFENDER LIVER SAUSAGE).
This is idiom is used to say “don’t be like that” or “don’t get it so
seriously”.

4. HIER STEPPT DER BÄR (THE BEAR TAP-DANCES HERE).

This idiom is used to say “this is where it’s happening” or “this is the
center of the action”.

5. ICH HABE SO EINE KRWATTE (I HAVE SUCH A TIE).

This idiom is used when you’re really annoyed or really angry.

6. DU STRAHLST WIE EN HONIGKUCHENPFER (YOU’RE

BEAMING LIKE A HONEY-CAKE-HORSE)
This idiom is used to compare someone’s grin with a honey cake or a
horse.

7. ICH WEISS, WIE DER HASE LÄUFT (I IKOW HOW THE

RABBIT RUNS)
This idiom is used when you have have experienced something before.
8. AUF DIE MAUS (OUT THE MAUSE).
This idiom is used to say that something is finished or over.

9. DAS IST NICHT MEIN BIER (THAT’S NOT MY BEER).

This idiom is used to say that you’re not getting involved because that’s
none of your business.

10. DAST IS KÄSE (THAT’S CHEESE).

This idiom is a way of say that something is garbage, rubbish or nonsense.

11. DU HAST EINEN AN DER WAFFEL (YOU HAVE ONE ON THE

WAFFLE).
Used to say someone that he’s crazy, he’s nuts.

12. FRIEDE, FREUDE, EIERKUCHEN (PEACE, JOY, PANCAKES.

Since pancakes taste certainly good. This idiom is used to say that
everybody is happy.

Popular German idioms

involving hats
Pack your bag and grab your hat! While headwear, caps and hats are no
longer a standard part of people's everyday wardrobe, idioms involving
hats abound in Germany to this very day.

Auf der Hut

"Hut," the German word for hat, in this idiom derives from the verb hüten
(take care of, watch over, herd animals). If someone warns you to be "auf
der Hut," you are being told to be watchful, wary and alert. Protection is
key in this image — and it's ingrained in the genes of this this highly
vigilant, and furry, meerkat.

Gut behütet
If a German says a child grew up "gut behütet," it doesn't mean the girl or
boy spent their childhood wearing particularly good hats but that they
were sheltered and protected. The parents will likely have been "auf der
Hut," just like the meerkat in the previous picture.
Hut ab!
Not too long ago, in an era when most men would not have left the house
without wearing a hat or cap, they would take them off as a sign of respect
in church, in the presence of a lady or their bosses. The German
expression "Hut ab" is used to show admiration and respect for another
person's actions and has its equivalent in English: hats off!

Hut nehmen
The phrase "Hut nehmen" means to resign, to step down, pack one's bags,
grab one's hat — and leave. People may no longer wear hats as a matter of
course, but the idiom is still very much in use, in particular after a person
has been fired.

Über die Hutschnur

This German saying literally translated as "that goes way beyond my
hatband" means to go too far. Its origins are not entirely clear. One
version has it that the idiom refers to the alleged medieval practice of
ensuring that the stream of water spouting from a village well was no
thicker than a hatband. Anything else would have been aggravating and
going too far.

So klein mit Hut

After a dressing down, you might feel useless and at fault, and maybe two
feet tall, or as the Germans say, "so small with a hat on." The phrase is
usually accompanied by using thumb and index finger to indicate exactly
how insignificant one feels.

Unter einen Hut bringen

A hat is symbolic of power and social status. Nowadays, people who can
literally "bring it all together under a hat" are good at mediating and
finding a consensus among, for instance, different people and opinions. In
Germany, it is common to say that women who juggle a job, children and
a household "bring it all under one hat."

An den Hut stecken

"Das kannst du dir an den Hut stecken!" directly translates as, "You can
pin that onto your hat." The expression is used when someone can't be
bothered or doesn't care about something, like in "stuff it." It refers to the
fact that people used to decorate hats with bits and ends that weren't
really valuable.

7 German idioms involving

tools
Idioms and phrases using tools are common in Germany. Here's why it's
good to have an axe at home, but watch out when someone wants to show
you "where the hammer hangs."

Nägel mit Köpfen machen

Literally, Germans are "making nails with heads" — which means do a
proper job and follow through with something you've started, and dot
your i's and cross your t's. The idiom goes back to a time when nails were
made by hand. Nails lacking a formed head were naturally inferior, so
making a nail with a head is a sign of professionalism.

Nagel auf den Kopf treffen

This phrase works in both English and German: Hit the nail on the head,
as in, get something right. In the past, circular bull's-eye targets would
have had been fastened by a nail smack in the middle. Whoever hit the
nail, was right on!

Die Axt im Haus erspart den Zimmermann

"The ax at home oft saves the carpenter" — verbatim, the saying goes back
to the 1804 play "William Tell" by German playwright Friedrich Schiller.
Do it yourself: A person who is independent and skilled won't have to
depend on others for help, or pay a carpenter!
Zeigen, wo der Hammer hängt
If a German says "I'll show you where the hammer hangs," they aren't
planning on showing you how neatly they organize their workshop tools.
The colloquial term that can be a veiled threat means, "I'll show you
what's what."
In die Zange nehmen
A blacksmith would use tongs to get a good grip on red hot iron. The
imagery is clear: To "take someone into your tongs/pliers" means to put
on pressure, to grill someone. One look at the above scorpion and it's
clear, you don't want this predatory arachnid with its tong-like
appendages to get ahold of you!
An den Nagel hängen
More nail-related imagery: Give up something you have done for a long
time, and you are "hanging it on the nail." Perhaps quite literally when
you quit work and hang up your work clothes for the last time. Or you hit
the casinos, win at roulette and leave the place as a millionaire, ready to
"hang your job on the nail."
Nicht mit der Kneifzange anfassen
Back to tongs and pliers, the phrase "wouldn't touch it with tongs"
signifies deep-seated rejection, even revulsion for something you want no
part of or someone you'd rather not deal with — not even remotely. In
English, you "wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole."

German idioms you'll want to

start using now
Do you "spider" or "talk around the hot porridge"? In German, you can.
Meet the Germans host Kate Müser asks bilingual colleague Michael
Knigge to explain some of the best German idioms. (Watch for outtakes at
the end.)

Shake that sleeve: German

idioms with items of clothing
Items of clothing feature in many popular German idioms. Find out more
about exploding shirt collars and what Germans mean when they say "it's
coat or pants to me." Some are similar in English, others differ. Germans
just don't wear their "birthday suit" when they are naked, nor do they "put
on their thinking cap," wear their "heart on their sleeve" or are "dressed to
kill."In the English language, particularly anxious people who can't sit still
have "ants in their pants," while Germans have "bumblebees up their
backside."

Eine weisse Weste haben

A vest is a sleeveless clothing item that, according to some sources, came
to Germany from France in the late 17th century. Telling someone you
have a spotless white or clean vest means your conscience is clear, you are
not to blame. Since there are no sleeves, you can't have a trick up your
sleeve, either!
Kleider machen Leute
Fine feathers make fine birds is the equivalent of the German proverb
"clothes make the man" — or woman, of course. People tend to judge
others by their appearance, so the saying is also used as a reminder, for
instance, when parents want to help their child get ready for a job
interview. On the other hand, you should never judge a book by its cover!
Aus dem Ärmel schütteln
Literally, the idiom means to "shake something out of your sleeve," which
describes an easy task. In English, having something up your sleeve,
however, means you have a secret plan or idea. Having an ace up your
sleeve works as a German idiom, too: a secret advantage or skill.
Jacke wie Hose
The odd German idiom "It's coat or pants to me" means I don't care one
way ot another. It appears to go back hundreds of years, to a period when
it became fashionable in the 17th century to design and create pants and
coats from the same material.´
Mir platzt der Kragen
Time to duck and get out of the way if someone yells "Mir platzt gleich der
Kragen" (literally, my collar is about to burst), meaning, I've had it, I've
had enough. A shirt collar can feel strangling when a person's face and
neck get hot in anger.
Mit Samthandschuhen anfassen
Some people expect to be treated with kid gloves! In German, the same
idiom involves the use of velvet gloves, however, which of course are just
as soft. A colorful phrase that has the same meaning involves treating
people "like a raw egg."

8 colorful German idioms

As in every language, German has a number of idioms that use a color.
Here's a smattering of such expressions that don't have a direct
translation in English. Can you guess what they mean?
However, an English speaker won't necessarily be able to guess the
meaning of other German idiomatic references to the color green.
  "Auf keinen grünen Zweig kommen" (literally: not come to any
green branch) is said of someone who is not able to accomplish
anything in life.
 "Das ist dasselbe in Grün" (the same thing in green): a way of
saying that two things are essentially the same despite apparent
differences, as in "same difference."
 "Über den grünen Klee loben" (praise over the green clover): It's
the equivalent of "praise to the skies." The origin of the German
expression is unclear, but one explanation is that cemeteries used
to be covered with clover — and it's easier to glorify someone who's
already dead. Or another theory is that clover was also a marker
of the freshest grass in the spring, so to be portrayed as better than
clover would be the utmost flattery.

'Paint everything gray in gray'

This list of German "color" idioms begins with the achromatic, very
neutral and boring gray. When Germans say that someone is painting
everything gray in gray ("alles grau in grau malen") it means that the
person is being pessimistic. The word "gray" is repeated twice in the
expression. Doesn't that make the pessimist in question sound rather like
a realist?
'That's not the yellow of an egg'
Germans have a particular relationship with the egg and for many, the
round, bright yellow, yummy yolk can't be topped as the highlight of a
breakfast. So if someone says that something is "nicht das Gelbe vom Ei"
(not the egg yolk), it means that it's not as perfect as it could be.
'To be blue' / 'to make blue'
"Blau sein" (to be blue) means to be drunk. "Blaumachen" (to make blue)
is to skip work or school. Urine and alcohol used to be needed to dye
clothes blue. Dyers would often drink the beer themselves first instead of
just pouring it into the vats. Since the dyeing process required long
waiting periods, it didn't really matter if they were too hungover to
actually work the day after ...
'Oh, you green nine!'
"Ach, du grüne Neune!" is an expression of surprise or annoyance, kind of
like "good grief!" Its origins are unclear, but one theory relates it to the
fact that instead of spades, one of the suits on German playing cards is
leaves, also called "green." The equivalent card in a tarot game predicts
loss, sickness or other unpleasant events.
'The red thread'
While English doesn't add a color to "a thread of ideas," a recurring theme
is described as "der roter Faden" in German. The expression was used by
Goethe in his novel 'Elective Affinities': "All the rope used by the Royal
Fleet, from the thickest to the thinnest, is twined in such a way that a red
thread runs through all of them; it is impossible to remove the thread
without undoing the ro
'Purple: The last try'
"Lila: der letzte Versuch" is an unflattering — and thankfully outdated —
expression used to describe a woman who is desperate to find a partner
and wears a purple dress in an attempt to seduce someone. It used to be
the hue worn by single women who were too old for the young girl's pink,
but later also became a color for equal rights in Germany, with purple
overalls serving as a feminist symbol.
'To see white mice'
The English-speaking world has established "seeing pink elephants" as
the standard for a drunken hallucination caused by delirium tremens
(DTs), the symptoms a person feels following withdrawal from a high
intake of alcohol over a long period of time. One in three people going
through DTs has visions of crawling bugs or rodents. The Germans chose
white mice to describe those hallucinations.
'To get black angry'
The expression is so idiomatic that it can now be written in a single word:
"schwarzärgen." Originally referring to the discoloration of a corpse, it
would be exaggerated to say that Germans only use the expression for
something that makes them "angry to death." Pictured above is the
German version of the Parcheesi board game, called "Mensch ärgere Dich
nicht" — literally, "Don't get angry, man."

Unflappable, cool as a
cucumber — German idioms
on tranquility
Christmas was a whirlwind family affair, and a New Year's Eve party is
just around the corner. Time to take a breather in the few days in
between, the days the Germans so delightfully call "between the years."
Die Ruhe weghaben
If you are not easily ruffled or upset, but keep your cool in difficult or
hectic moments, this is how people would characterize you. The phrase
means to be relaxed and unflappable, which can have a negative slant if
someone is too relaxed to react. "Die Ruhe selbst sein" is synonymous,
and means to be "quiet itself" — the essence of quiet.
In der Ruhe liegt die Kraft
Literally, the phrase means "strength lies in calmness." A reminder,
perhaps, to slow down, take a moment to gather your wits, take a break
and find new strength by focusing and concentrating
Eile mit Weile
This idiom is a classic oxymoron illustrating a point by using self-
contradiction: "make haste slowly." Or, as Augustus, the first emperor of
the Roman Empire allegedly used to say, Festina lente. If you are in too
much of a hurry, you might overlook important details, and regret it later.
Bottom line: haste makes waste, or slow and steady wins the race!
Ruhe vor dem Sturm
The calm before the storm is a saying that works in both German and
English. It is the moment or time of peace and quiet before intense
activity flares up — not a real thunderstorm with rain and hail, but when
something takes place that you know was coming and "all hell breaks
loose." You can easily imagine the hordes of tourists about to overtake the
as yet peaceful beach above.
Immer mit der Ruhe
This is an admonishment: take it easy, don't panic, literally "keep your
calm" concerning whatever task you need to tackle that is making you
nervous and restless. Or the solution to a problem is eluding you because
you can't think straight. The couple in the photo contemplating nature
look like they are doing it just right: taking it easy.
Eine ruhige Kugel schieben
Literally to "push a relaxed ball," this phrase may very well go back to
nine-pin bowling, a favorite German past-time. It doesn't take a lot to get
the small ball rolling down the alley. The term means to take it easy, or to
have a cushy job.
Wer rastet, der rostet
After taking it easy, being calm, gathering strength and fortitude, you may
appreciate a change of pace. Here is an idiom that means the exact
opposite: the German phrase that translates as who takes a break,
corrodes means "a rolling stone gathers no moss/ use it or lose it. "

German idioms involving

shoes
Germans use many idioms, including quite a few shoe-related ones. Are
you "fit as a sneaker" or just a "house-shoe hero"? Here are some you can
try on for size!. Some people are as "fit as a sneaker" ("fit wie ein
Turnschuh") while others are "bad walkers" ("Jemand ist schlecht zu
Fuss"). Have you ever heard of a "house-shoe hero" ("Pantoffelheld")? It's
the perfect image of a henpecked husband, a guy who thinks he is a hero
but is really just standing by in slippers while his wife runs the show. In
another German shoe-related idiom, a person has finally left childhood,
figuratively and literally, when they leave their baby shoes behind them.
Where the shoe pinches
What is wrong? What is the problem? That is the gist of the question, "Wo
drückt der Schuh?" — literally, "Where does the shoe pinch?" Legend has
it a Roman man, asked why he had left his beautiful, rich wife, pointed at
his shoe and said, "That is beautiful, too, but only the wearer knows where
it pinches."
Placing the blame
If you put the blame for something on someone, you are — as the German
saying "etwas in die Schuhe schieben" goes — literally "pushing it into
their shoes." In medieval times pickpockets spending the night at an inn
would quickly hide their loot, like stolen coins, in a bed fellow's shoes if a
search for thieves was on.
That cap doesn't fit ...
… and I won't wear it, is the English equivalent of the German idiom, "den
Schuh ziehe ich mir nicht an." It literally means, "I won't put on this
shoe." This, too, is about blame and responsibility and not allowing
someone to make you deal with something that you want no part of! One
glimpse of the above sneakers and you definitely don't want to slip them
on!
The cart before the horse
When Germans say, "Umgekehrt wird ein Schuh draus" — literally, "turn
it inside out and it makes a shoe" — they mean the opposite is true, and
someone is putting the cart before the horse. The idiom presumably goes
back hundreds of years to the shoemaking craft. Leather was stitched
together inside out, and then turned to "make a shoe of it."
In a fledgling state
"In den Kinderschuhen stecken," or "stuck in children's shoes": The image
conjures a toddler in children's shoes, an absolute beginner at taking his
or her first steps. The saying refers to projects or developments that are in
their early stages, whether they're ingenious inventions or political
change.
That takes the cake
If you overhear someone saying, "Das zieht dir die Schuhe aus," they are
referring to an unbearable, perhaps even disgusting situation or event.
The literal translation is, "That takes off your shoes." An similar English
idiom would be, "That takes the cake" or that "knocks your socks off" —
but not in a good way.

Simply the hammer: Popular

German idioms involving tools
German idioms: What people mean when they make nails with heads, or
shout about showing you where the hammer hangs. Don't expect a visit to
their workshop. f you hear a German say "Das ist der Hammer!" they're
talking about something that's brilliant or absolutely dreadful, expressing
their amazement or frustration about something that's completely
unusual, unexpected — perhaps reflecting the way the tool could just
change everything with a single strike.
There is a great variety of everyday German idioms and phrases that
use colorful images, from arms and legs to hats and sleeves, donkeys and
monkeys, cherries, peas and potatoes — as well as terms from the world of
tools and workshops, often dating back hundreds of years.
In English, people may have an ax to grind — the German phrase with the
same meaning uses entirely different imagery: Germans would more
commonly have a chicken to pluck ("Hühnchen zu rupfen"). Other
phrases are readily recognizable in both languages, as both German and
English-language speakers can have a screw loose…
From head to toe — quirky
German idioms based on body
parts
Idioms based on body parts are popular in both English and German, but
they aren't identical. In Germany, stones drop from hearts and some
people live on big feet. Many phrases are identical in both German and
English (i.e. "I am all ears"), others are almost the same. In English, you
have something on the tip of your tongue; in German, the word or
memory you are looking for involves the entire tongue ("Es liegt mir auf
der Zunge").
"Take your legs into your hands," and check out our gallery for more
interesting and quirky German expressions based on body parts.
Tomatoes on the eyes
Nose, cheek, tongue, ears and eyes — parts of the face figure prominently
in German idioms. "Have you got tomatoes on your eyes?" for instance, is
a quirky way of saying "look where you're going," and might be directed at
a pedestrian who absently steps in front of a car. Meanwhile, "to be on eye
level" is be on equal terms — not to be confused with seeing "eye to eye,"
as equals may disagree.
Eaten out of house and home
"Feeding on the hair off one's head" is one German idiom that must not be
taken literally. Referring to someone with a voracious appetite, anyone
with teenagers will recognize the scenario in which the phrase is applied.
Constantly hungry adolescents can eat you out of house and home — even
if hair isn't on the menu
Lightening a heavy heart
"Mir fällt ein Stein vom Herzen" literally means, "a stone has dropped
from my heart." In German, problems and worries weigh heavily on one's
heart, whereas in English it's the mind — as in "taking a load off one's
mind."
On the run
In German, "Hals über Kopf," or "head over neck," is not quite the
equivalent of the English phrase "head over heels" — which usually refers
to being madly in love with someone. The German idiom implies a mad
rush and might be used when thieves make a run for it as the police
approach. The phrase creates an image of someone literally somersaulting
away from their pursuer.
Hand and foot
Projects that are well thought-out, realistic, productive and make sense
have "Hand und Fuss," or hand and foot. The imagery supposedly goes
back to the gruesome medieval practice of hacking off a criminal's hand
and foot, rendering them incapable of fighting or causing trouble, but also
helpless and unable to do anything.
Live like a lord
The German idiom "auf grossem Fuss leben" translates to "live on a big
foot" — to live lavishly and luxuriously like a rich lord. One possible origin
for the quirky saying involves the tale of an aristocrat who wore very
roomy, pointed shoes to hide a deformity.
Get a move on
It's minutes before the post office closes and you need to send an
important parcel. Or you need to make the bus that's just about to leave to
get to work on time. In such situations, do as the Germans do and "nimm
die Beine in die Hand" (take your legs into your hands), meaning get a
move on!
Tongue or sleeve?
While English-language speakers wear their hearts on their sleeves,
Germans carry their hearts on their tongues! In both cases, the expression
means that a person's emotions and intentions are obvious and clear to
all.
Speak frankly
Speaking honestly and spontaneously is what Germans mean when they
say "frei von der Leber weg reden," which translates to "speak freely from
your liver." Why the liver? In antiquity, the important organ was thought
to be the source of passion and emotions. The similar English language
idiom "vent one's spleen" instead refers to the expression of anger said to
reside in that organ.
A lot on your plate
In Germany, people who tell you they have "a lot around their ears" are
simply very busy — the English equivalent might be to have a lot on your
plate. The German phrase "viel um die Ohren haben" most likely relates
to being surrounded by a babble of voices in the workplace.
Don't be alone in the woods:
German forest idioms
From the unique feeling of "Waldeinsamkeit" to their very own version of
arbor day, Germans are known for their love of the forest. Here are a few
sayings to branch out your German vocabulary. Some expressions are
self-explanatory, like not seeing the forest for the trees. Others, like "einen
Ast lachen" (literally, laugh a branch), which means to be convulsed with
laughter, and "Süssholz raspeln" (literally, grating licorice root), which
means sweet-talking someone, may sound a bit odd to non-native ears.
Holz in den Wald tragen
There are a number of German idioms and proverbs that make use of the
word forest. "Holz in den Wald tragen" — literally, to carry wood into the
forest, is to do something pointless. You could compare it with the English
phrases to "carry coals to Newcastle" or "bring owls to Athens," which also
mean to undertake a task that is redundant.
Den Wald vor lauter Bäumen nicht sehen
The German equivalent of the idiom "can't see the forest for the trees"
portrays the idea that someone is so concerned with the details of
something that they fail to grasp the situation as a whole. Sometimes
being too preoccupied with the smaller things can mean missing the
bigger picture. The expression first became popular in German thanks to
the works of poet Christoph Martin Wieland.
Pfeifen im Walde
Translated word for word, "pfeifen im Walde" means whistling in the
forest. The English phrase "whistling in the dark" is not so different. Both
mean to try and stay brave or convince yourself that everything is alright
in a bad situation. The forest is often presented as mysterious, concealing
something sinister, for example, in fairytales like "Hansel and Gretel"
recorded by the Brothers Grimm.
Ich glaub', ich steh' im Wald
In English you might have once said something along the lines of "Well, I
never!" or "Blow me down!" The same idea lies behind this German
exclamation. The direct translation of "Ich glaub', ich steh' im Wald" is "I
think I'm standing in the woods." It is a colloquial form of expressing
astonishment. Why not try it out next time you're feeling surprised?
Wie man in den Wald hineinruft, so schallt es heraus
This saying reflects the idea that "what goes around, comes around." It
literally translates as: The way you shout into the forest, the way it echoes
back out. If you treat someone badly, you'll eventually be treated badly
yourself. Many German proverbs stem from a time when everyday life
involved hunting in the woods. Folk wisdom was passed on using
relatable experiences like an echo in a forest.
Sich wie die Axt im Walde benehmen
In German if someone is acting like an axe in a forest, they are behaving
like a bull in a China shop. Both expressions describe rough, boorish or
destructive behavior. The German colloquialism conjures an image of an
axe being wielded in a forest destroying surrounding trees, whereas "to
behave like a bull in a China shop" evokes pictures similar to the one
above — but the sentiment is the same.
Es herrscht Schweigen im Walde
Directly translated as "there is silence in the forest," the colloquial
German term describes a situation in which no one dares to say anything
out of embarrassment or fear. The best idiomatic English equivalent is
perhaps the informal phrase "the cat's got their tongue."

Is your pig whistling? Quirky

German idioms featuring pigs
It's the Chinese Year of the Pig — time to let out the sow, as they say in
Germany. From whistling pigs to the sow's claw, the German language has
many quirky idioms featuring this porky animal.
Schwein gehabt!
When people are undeservedly lucky, Germans say: "Schwein gehabt!" —
they "have pig!" Traditionally, the loser of a shooting contest at a
marksmen's festival would win a consolation prize in the form of a live
piglet
Die Sau rauslassen
Time to celebrate a lucky win in the lottery, college graduation or a new
job? Some people will go wild and "die Sau rauslassen" — let out the sow.
One of various legends has it that in the Middle Ages, the "Sau" was the
highest card in a popular card game.
Kein Schwein war da
How disappointing — you're expecting all of your friends to be at the
party, but "kein Schwein/keine Sau war da" literally, "no pig/sow was
there." No pig stands for not a soul, absolutely nobody, and of course
refers to people, not hogs. In other words, all alone — kind of like
Chancellor Angela Merkel in this photo taken at the Bundestag.
Sauklaue
In the digital age, handwritten papers, letters and notes are becoming
fewer and far between. Without regular practice, penmanship suffers, and
many people will find they have what Germans call a "Sauklaue" ("a sow's
claw"), meaning terribly sloppy and illegible handwriting.
Ich glaub ' mein Schwein pfeift
"I think my pig is whistling" — the common phrase "Ich glaub ' mein
Schwein pfeift" has next to nothing to do with noisy swine, who actually
squeal and grunt, but don't whistle. It means something outrageous or
extraordinary has happened.
Saukalt, saustark, saugut...
Oddly enough, some adjectives are reinforced with the added prefix "Sau"
(sow). "Saukalt" is freezing cold, "saustark" means incredibly strong and
"saugut" is unbelievably good.
Schweinefrass
Pigs are not picky eaters — they are omnivores and will eat pretty much
anything. Hog swill/pig swill is a term for kitchen leftovers fed to pigs, a
slimy looking mess of solids and liquids. "Schweinefrass" refers to a
particularly unappetizing meal — hog grub, as it were.