111 German Idioms with Translation: Colloquial Expressions for Beginners
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German idioms often sound strange when translated literally, but they are what make speech vivid. Here are 111 expressions worth recognising in conversation, films, podcasts and messages: each idiom comes with its German form and a clear meaning.
According to proverb expert Wolfgang Mieder, cited by Deutsche Welle, major German collections contain hundreds of thousands of proverbs and set expressions. You do not need to learn them all: for everyday communication, it is more important to recognise the most common turns of phrase and understand when they are appropriate.
How to use this collection
- Look at the complete German phrase first instead of translating every word separately.
- Memorise an expression together with its context: a joke, annoyance, surprise, tiredness, agreement or refusal.
- If an idiom is somewhat rude or colloquial, use it carefully: some expressions are best kept for informal settings.
- For your active vocabulary, choose 10–15 phrases that genuinely suit your conversations.
List of German idioms with translations
1. I only understand “train station”
In German: Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof
Meaning: I do not understand anything at all.
2. Feel like a fish out of water
In German: Sich wie ein Fisch auf dem Trockenen fühlen
Meaning: To feel out of place.
3. That is where the dog is buried
In German: Da liegt der Hund begraben
Meaning: That is the heart of the matter.
4. Press your thumbs!
In German: Die Daumen drücken!
Meaning: Keep your fingers crossed!
5. Where the fox and hare say good night to each other
In German: Wo sich Fuchs und Hase gute Nacht sagen
Meaning: In the middle of nowhere.
6. I am completely worn out
In German: Ich bin fix und fertig
Meaning: I am exhausted.
7. You are pulling my leg!
In German: Du nimmst mich auf den Arm!
Meaning: You are teasing me!
8. It is a cat’s jump
In German: Das ist ein Katzensprung
Meaning: It is very close.
9. Sleep like a marmot
In German: Schlafen wie ein Murmeltier
Meaning: To sleep very soundly.
10. Talk around the hot porridge
In German: Um den heißen Brei herumreden
Meaning: To beat around the bush.
11. You can take poison on it
In German: Da kannst du Gift drauf nehmen
Meaning: You can be absolutely sure of it.
12. Make a monkey of yourself
In German: Sich zum Affen machen
Meaning: To make a fool of yourself.
13. Kill two flies with one swat
In German: Zwei Fliegen mit einer Klappe schlagen
Meaning: To kill two birds with one stone.
14. Ask for an extra sausage
In German: Eine Extrawurst haben
Meaning: To ask for special treatment.
15. The bear is dancing there
In German: Da steppt der Bär
Meaning: It is a great party there.
16. The air is burning!
In German: Da brennt die Luft!
Meaning: The atmosphere is heated or tense.
17. Have tomatoes on your eyes
In German: Tomaten auf den Augen haben
Meaning: Not to see the obvious.
18. Add your mustard
In German: Seinen Senf dazugeben
Meaning: To give your opinion or put in your two cents.
19. Know something like the pocket of your waistcoat
In German: Wie seine Westentasche kennen
Meaning: To know something like the back of your hand.
20. Do not praise the day before the evening
In German: Man soll den Tag nicht vor dem Abend loben
Meaning: Do not count your chickens before they hatch.
21. Clear as dumpling broth
In German: Klar wie Kloßbrühe
Meaning: Absolutely clear.
22. Leave the church in the village
In German: Die Kirche im Dorf lassen
Meaning: Do not go too far.
23. Have a pig
In German: Schwein haben
Meaning: To be lucky.
24. Lies have short legs
In German: Lügen haben kurze Beine
Meaning: Lies do not get you far.
25. I think I am spinning
In German: Ich glaube ich spinne
Meaning: I think I am going crazy.
26. Have a tomcat
In German: Einen Kater haben
Meaning: To have a hangover.
27. You can steal horses with them
In German: Mit jemandem Pferde stehlen
Meaning: A dependable person with whom you can go on an adventure.
28. Have a bird
In German: Einen Vogel haben
Meaning: To be a little crazy.
29. Look too deeply into the glass
In German: Zu tief ins Glas schauen
Meaning: To drink too much.
30. Small livestock makes manure too
In German: Kleinvieh macht auch Mist
Meaning: Small wins count too.
31. Below every pig
In German: Unter aller Sau
Meaning: Catastrophically bad.
32. Below every cannon
In German: Unter aller Kanone
Meaning: Really awful.
33. Play the offended liver sausage
In German: Die beleidigte Leberwurst spielen
Meaning: To sulk for no reason.
34. Give someone a basket
In German: Einen Korb geben
Meaning: To reject someone.
35. Everything is in butter
In German: Alles in Butter
Meaning: Everything is fine.
36. Tie a bear to someone
In German: Jemandem einen Bären aufbinden
Meaning: To tell a tall tale as a joke.
37. Hit someone over the ear
In German: Jemanden übers Ohr hauen
Meaning: To swindle or deceive someone.
38. Why is the banana crooked?
In German: Warum ist die Banane krumm?
Meaning: I do not know either.
39. The fish stinks from the head
In German: Der Fisch stinkt vom Kopf her
Meaning: Problems start at the top.
40. I am not a cow you can milk
In German: Ich bin keine Kuh, die man melken kann!
Meaning: You cannot take advantage of me.
41. Fail with drums and trumpets
In German: Mit Pauken und Trompeten durchfallen
Meaning: To fail loudly and spectacularly.
42. An argument over the Kaiser’s beard
In German: Das ist ein Streit um des Kaisers Bart
Meaning: To get bogged down in details.
43. Put on a monkey show
In German: Ein Affentheater aufführen
Meaning: To make a spectacle of yourself.
44. Be under one blanket
In German: Unter einer Decke stecken
Meaning: To do something secretly in collusion with someone.
45. Columbus’s egg
In German: Das Ei des Kolumbus
Meaning: A simple solution to a difficult problem.
46. Look for a hair in the soup
In German: Haar in der Suppe suchen/finden
Meaning: To see only the bad things.
47. I think my pig is whistling
In German: Ich glaube mein Schwein pfeift
Meaning: This is absurd.
48. Then I will eat a broom
In German: Da fresse ich glatt einen Besen
Meaning: I cannot believe it.
49. There we have the salad
In German: Da haben wir den Salat
Meaning: Now we have a problem.
50. We are sitting nicely in the ink
In German: Wir sitzen schön in der Tinte!
Meaning: We are in a bad situation.
51. It goes like Schmitz’s cat
In German: Das geht ab wie Schmitz’ Katze
Meaning: It is great fun.
52. It is sausage to me
In German: Das ist mir Wurst
Meaning: I do not care.
53. The shit is steaming
In German: Die Kacke ist am dampfen
Meaning: We are in trouble.
54. Sponge over it
In German: Schwamm drüber
Meaning: Let us forget about it.
55. Now butter with the fish
In German: Jetzt Butter bei die Fische
Meaning: Get to the point; tell the truth; get started.
56. Man, Meier!
In German: Mensch, Meier
Meaning: Wow!
57. Do not drive me up the palm tree
In German: Bring mich nicht auf die Palme
Meaning: Do not annoy or anger me.
58. Laugh into your little fist
In German: Sich ins Fäustchen lachen
Meaning: To chuckle to yourself or secretly rejoice.
59. It is jacket like trousers
In German: Das ist Jacke wie Hose
Meaning: It makes no difference.
60. Put everything on one card
In German: Alles auf eine Karte setzen
Meaning: To put everything on one card.
61. Bang and fall
In German: Knall und Fall
Meaning: Suddenly.
62. Get the cow off the ice
In German: Die Kuh vom Eis holen
Meaning: To avert danger or resolve a difficult situation.
63. These are two pairs of boots
In German: Das sind zwei Paar Stiefel
Meaning: These are two completely different things.
64. Turn the spit around
In German: Den Spieß umdrehen
Meaning: To reverse roles or return the favour.
65. See something through rose-coloured glasses
In German: Etwas durch die rosarote Brille sehen
Meaning: To be too naive or optimistic.
66. Let your trousers down
In German: Die Hosen runterlassen
Meaning: To reveal the whole truth.
67. It is not the yellow of the egg
In German: Das ist nicht das Gelbe vom Ei
Meaning: It is not the best option.
68. Dead trousers here
In German: Hier ist Tote Hose
Meaning: It is boring here; nothing is happening.
69. Until the dolls
In German: Bis in die Puppen
Meaning: Until late at night.
70. Go around the corner
In German: Um die Ecke gehen
Meaning: To go to the toilet.
71. Shoot sparrows with cannons
In German: Mit Kanonen auf Spatzen schießen
Meaning: To use excessive means for a small problem.
72. I am making myself off the field
In German: Ich mache mich vom Acker
Meaning: I am leaving.
73. Make the fly
In German: Die Fliege machen
Meaning: To make off or leave.
74. Have your nose / snout full
In German: Die Nase/Die Schnauze voll haben
Meaning: To be fed up.
75. Like a rock in the surf
In German: Wie ein Fels in der Brandung
Meaning: Dependable as a rock.
76. Nonsense with sauce
In German: Quatsch mit Soße
Meaning: Complete nonsense.
77. It is not my beer
In German: Das ist nicht mein Bier
Meaning: It is none of my business.
78. Until the doctor comes
In German: Bis der Arzt kommt
Meaning: To exhaustion; excessively.
79. Not have all your cups in the cupboard
In German: Nicht alle Tassen im Schrank haben
Meaning: To be a little crazy.
80. Say something through the flower
In German: Etwas durch die Blume sagen
Meaning: To say something gently or indirectly.
81. Have no goat
In German: Keinen Bock haben
Meaning: Not to be in the mood.
82. Sport is murder
In German: Sport ist Mord
Meaning: Sport can be exhausting.
83. It is for milking mice
In German: Das ist zum Mäusemelken
Meaning: It is enough to drive you to despair.
84. It is a hammer!
In German: Das ist der Hammer!
Meaning: It is amazing!
85. For an apple and an egg
In German: Für einen Apfel und ein Ei
Meaning: For next to nothing.
86. Pull something out of someone’s nose
In German: Jemandem etwas aus der Nase ziehen
Meaning: To drag words out of someone.
87. Let the sow out
In German: Die Sau rauslassen
Meaning: To party hard.
88. Look stupid out of the laundry
In German: Dumm aus der Wäsche gucken
Meaning: To look surprised.
89. Dance on someone’s nose
In German: Jemanden auf der Nase herumtanzen
Meaning: To walk all over someone or show no respect.
90. Stay where the pepper grows!
In German: Bleib wo der Pfeffer wächst!
Meaning: Stay away!
91. Oh, you green nine!
In German: Ach du grüne Neune!
Meaning: Oh my God!
92. I bet on you
In German: Ich setz auf dich
Meaning: I am counting on you.
93. Three cheeses high
In German: Dreikäsehoch
Meaning: A small, clever and curious child.
94. Would have, would have, bicycle chain
In German: Hätte hätte Fahrradkette
Meaning: Hindsight is easy.
95. Not be able to hand someone water
In German: Jemandem nicht das Wasser reichen können
Meaning: Not to be fit to lace someone’s boots.
96. Keep the ball flat
In German: Den Ball flach halten
Meaning: Do not exaggerate.
97. Play the dying swan
In German: Den sterbenden Schwan markieren
Meaning: To exaggerate pain or injury.
98. The morning hour has gold in its mouth
In German: Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund
Meaning: The early bird catches the worm.
99. It seems Spanish to me
In German: Das kommt mir Spanisch vor
Meaning: Something is not right here.
100. Do a Polish one
In German: Einen Polnischen machen
Meaning: To leave without saying goodbye.
101. The post is taking off here!
In German: Hier geht die Post ab!
Meaning: Things are really happening here!
102. It is five to twelve
In German: Es ist fünf vor zwölf
Meaning: Time is running out.
103. Have hair on your teeth
In German: haare auf den Zähnen haben
Meaning: To be sharp and assertive.
104. It will go into the trousers!
In German: Das geht in die Hose!
Meaning: Everything will fail!
105. Promise the blue from the sky
In German: Das blaue vom Himmel versprechen
Meaning: To promise the impossible.
106. Dance out of line
In German: Aus der Reihe tanzen
Meaning: Not to follow the rules or an agreement.
107. Be the little tongue on the scales
In German: Das Zünglein an der Waage sein
Meaning: To hold the balance of power or be the deciding factor.
108. Smear honey around someone’s mouth
In German: Jemandem Honig um den Mund schmieren
Meaning: To flatter someone.
109. Stay with the ball!
In German: Bleib am Ball!
Meaning: Do not give up; keep going.
110. Draw a line through someone’s calculation
In German: Einen Strich durch die Rechnung machen
Meaning: To spoil someone’s plans.
111. Everything has an end; only a sausage has two
In German: Alles hat ein Ende, nur die Wurst hat zwei
Meaning: Sooner or later, everything comes to an end.
What to learn first
To start with, you do not need all 111 expressions; a small set that often occurs in everyday speech is more useful: Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof, Da liegt der Hund begraben, Die Daumen drücken, Das ist mir Wurst, Alles in Butter, Jetzt Butter bei die Fische and Bleib am Ball. These idioms are easy to recognise, understandable from context and will help you get used to spoken German more quickly.
FAQ
Do I need to use these idioms myself?
Not necessarily. At beginner level, it is more important to understand what the other person is saying. Use idioms only when you are confident about their meaning and tone.
Do all expressions sound modern?
No. Some phrases occur more often in jokes, regional speech or among older generations. If you are unsure, first check the expression in context: in TV series, podcasts, articles or dictionaries of German Redewendungen.
How is an idiom different from a proverb?
An idiom is usually a fixed expression with a figurative meaning, while a proverb more often sounds like a complete thought or a rule for life. In everyday speech, the boundary is not always important: the key is to understand that the phrase is not translated literally.
