Search from various English teachers...
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Idioms translated from Russian, Portuguese and Polish into English...
Russian:
The idiom: Галопом по Европам
Literal translation: “Galloping across Europe.”
What it means: “To do something hastily, haphazardly.”
The idiom: На воре и шапка горит
Literal translation: “The thief has a burning hat.”
What it means: “He has an uneasy conscience that betrays itself.”
The idiom: брать/взять себя в руки
Literal translation: “To take oneself in one’s hands.”
What it means: “It means ‘to pull yourself together.’”
Portuguese:
The idiom: Quem não se comunica se trumbica
Literal translation: “He who doesn’t communicate, gets his fingers burnt.”
What it means: “He who doesn’t communicate gets into trouble.”’
The idiom: Quem não tem cão caça com gato
Literal translation: “He who doesn’t have a dog hunts with a cat.”
What it means: “You make the most of what you’ve got.”
Basically, you do what you need to do, with what the resources you have.
The idiom: Empurrar com a barriga
Literal translation: “To push something with your belly.”
What it means: “To keep postponing an important chore.”
Polish:
The idiom: Słoń nastąpił ci na ucho?
Literal translation: “Did an elephant stomp on your ear?”
What it means: “You have no ear for music.”
The idiom: Bułka z masłem.
Literal translation: “It’s a roll with butter.”
What it means: “It’s really easy.”
The idiom: Z choinki się urwałaś?
Literal translation: “Did you fall from a Christmas tree?”
What it means: “You are not well informed, and it shows.”
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Source: <a href="https://blog.ted.com/40-idioms-that-cant-be-translated-literally/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://blog.ted.com/40-idioms-that-cant-be-translated-literally/</a>;
Apr 20, 2020 6:20 PM
Comments · 7
3
We have two idioms similar to Polish ones :)
Тебе медведь в детстве на ухо наступил?
Did a bear stepped on your ear, when you were a child?
Ты с дуба рухнул?
Did you fall from an oak?
April 20, 2020
2
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April 20, 2020
2
Aud...
Those are both great examples.
My favourite is "Did a bear step on your ear when you were a child?"
Or to write it another way, "When you were a child, did a bear step on your ear?" [notice the comma]
Thank you Aud
April 20, 2020
1
@Richard
Not to contradict myself, but it's actually interesting because it <em>may</em> have actually been correct! Apparently you can "nastąpić" on something, but I'm not sure if that verb is commonly used in that idiom instead of the one I mentioned. It's just suspicious that I only saw that variation in sources written in English at first.
But actually now I can find some variations that use it if I mix up the words a bit more.
Anyway, sorry for any confusion there I may have caused. ;)
April 20, 2020
1
Dave...
If I knew the Polish language as well as, I might have noticed the errors, but unfortunately I don't really know the Polish language. I got those translations from the internet.
Thanks for pointing out those errors.
In your profile, I noticed that you wrote, "I'm here to improve my Polish, dish out English, and chew bubblegum. Maybe even all at the same time."
That was really worth reading because it's really funny.
I wish I could multi-task like you... :)
Stay well and safe.
Barbara...
I'm glad you enjoyed your Portuguese idioms.
Maybe you can post one or two that you think are funny.
BTW, did you know that Canada has more than 30,000 Brazilians living in Canada.
Stay well and safe.
April 20, 2020
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