Richard-Business Eng
Professional TeacherThat will only happen "When pigs fly"...
Her crazy mother said that being so lazy, Megan is going to be rich one day for sure and without any hard working job. Come on, when pigs fly!
I asked my boss if I could go on a two-month vacation, he said yes, when pigs fly!
I think he’ll pay you back your money – when pigs fly.
“I think I’ll start working on my project from tomorrow.” “Yes, and pigs might fly.”
“Do you think our team will win the competition?” “Yes, flying pig.”
John asked Sarah whether she would go to the movies with him, Sarah replied that would happen when pigs fly.
He plans to clean his house every week, but he will probably do it only when pigs fly.
“Someday, I’ll become a successful actor.” “And pigs might fly.”
I’ll join your physics classes when pigs fly.
Chinese - Unless the sun would rise from the West
English - When hell freezes over
French - When chicken have teeth
German - When Hell freezes over
Italian - In the week with two Thursdays - When donkeys will fly
Polish - on Saint Never's Day
Portuguese - When the cow coughs
Russian - When the crayfish on the hill whistles
Spanish - When frogs grow hair
The phrase ‘When Pigs Fly’ refers to something that is highly unlikely to ever happen/something that will never happen/impossible
Similar idiom: when hell freezes over
Most commonly used in Canada and the US.
Examples:
“I might wake up early tomorrow to clean my room”. “Yes, you’ll do that when pigs fly”.
Her crazy mother said that being so lazy, Megan is going to be rich one day for sure and without any hard working job. Come on, when pigs fly!
I asked my boss if I could go on a two-month vacation, he said yes, when pigs fly!
I think he’ll pay you back your money – when pigs fly.
“I think I’ll start working on my project from tomorrow.” “Yes, and pigs might fly.”
“Do you think our team will win the competition?” “Yes, flying pig.”
John asked Sarah whether she would go to the movies with him, Sarah replied that would happen when pigs fly.
He plans to clean his house every week, but he will probably do it only when pigs fly.
“Someday, I’ll become a successful actor.” “And pigs might fly.”
I’ll join your physics classes when pigs fly.
Interesting fact
There have been many mentions of flying pigs throughout history, and there’s some argument about the origin of the idiom “when pigs fly.” The most general consensus is that the term originated either in Germany or Scotland, as there are plenty of examples of its use as a way to describe something that is physically impossible.
Other Language Idioms Equivalent to When Pigs Fly
Arabic (Algeria) - when salt blossoms in my country
Chinese - Unless the sun would rise from the West
English - When hell freezes over
- On a cold day in hell
- Not in a month of Sundays
French - When chicken have teeth
German - When Hell freezes over
- When it snows in summer
Italian - In the week with two Thursdays - When donkeys will fly
Polish - on Saint Never's Day
Portuguese - When the cow coughs
- On Saint Never's day
Russian - When the crayfish on the hill whistles
Spanish - When frogs grow hair
Feb 26, 2019 12:47 PM
Comments · 5
2
In my country (Iraq) they say when rooster hatched out or ovulate ( have eggs just like hens) I don't know how to say it exactly in English.
February 26, 2019
1
Special thanks to Layla (Irag) and Jelena (Serbia) for showing us their country's equivalent (similar) idioms.
I was hoping that some of you would add your country's idiom to the short list I provided.
It's amazing that so many countries have similar idioms.
So, which language was the first to develop any given idiom (the original idiom that all other languages copied :)
I know, you're all going to say that it was your language that developed all the idioms first... LOL
February 26, 2019
1
In my country it's said: when willow grows grapes.
February 26, 2019
1
Thank you 💐
February 26, 2019
1
Layla
That's a great idiom.
Your explanation was easy to understand.
A simple way to say it is "when roosters (the male chicken) lays eggs or gives birth to chicks (something a male can never do :)
February 26, 2019
Richard-Business Eng
Language Skills
Chinese (Mandarin), English, French
Learning Language
Chinese (Mandarin)
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