German Phrases for Work and Play

The associations we make with the German language are not always the most flattering. Although Mark Twain made no secret about his love for German, for instance, he nevertheless took great pleasure in poking fun at its grammatical intricacy and long-winded nature. And although many of us might tend to associate German with Hitler's mad diatribes or that somewhat humorless German obsession with order and bureaucracy, the fewest of us are aware of just how colorful and full of humor this complex and beautiful language is. Here is a small collection of common German sayings that will hopefully provide an insight into the little-appreciated lighter side of German thinking. So if you are ready to touch up on your German, whether your German exists yet or not, try a few of these handy phrases out for size - on unsuspecting friends and family first, I would recommend. And if you are worried that you will not be able to pronounce the German properly, and believe me, you probably won't be able to, just feel free to use the literal English meaning or the proper translation instead. Also, ab geht die Post!

"Ab geht die Post."
Literal meaning: There goes the post.
In other words: Let's get on with it.

"Da haben Sie mich überfragt."
Literal meaning: You over-asked me there.
In other words: You just made the mistake of asking me a question I can't answer.

"Ich bin auf der Arbeit und nicht auf der
Flucht."
Literal meaning: I'm at work, not on the run.
In other words: I'll get to your matter after I finish this one.

"Darauf kannst du Gift nehmen."
Literal meaning: You can take poison on that one.
In other words: You can bet your life on it.

"Er ist dummer als die Polizei erlaubt."
Literal meaning: He's dumber than the police allow.
In other words: This guy's a bit on the slow side.

"Es gibt Sachen, die gibt's gar nicht."
Literal meaning: There exist certain things out there that don't really exist.
In other words: I can't believe this is happening.

"Alles für die Katz."
Literal meaning: Everything for the cat.
In other words: It was all for naught.

"Die dümmsten Bauern haben die dicksten Kartoffeln."
Literal meaning: The dumbest farmers grow the biggest potatoes.
In other words: That was dumb luck.

"Was ich nicht weiß macht mich nicht heiß."
Literal meaning: What I don't know won't make me hot.
In other words: What you don't know can't hurt you.

"Andere Länder, andere Sitten."
Literal meaning: Other countries, other customs.
In other words: Why are you people so weird over here?

"Wer A sagt, muss auch B sagen."
Literal meaning: If you say A, then you have to also say B.
In other words: Finish what you start.

"Gegen Dummheit ist kein Kraut gewachsen."
Literal meaning: No plant has yet grown that stops dumbness.
In other words: Dumb stays dumb.

"Das dicke Ende kommt noch."
Literal meaning: The fat end is still coming.
In other words: The worst is yet to come.

"Aus den Augen, aus dem Sinn."
Literal meaning: Out of the eyes, out of the senses.
In other words: Out of sight, out of mind.

"Erst kommt das Fressen, dann die Moral."
Literal meaning: First come the eats, then the morality.
In other words: First comes the feedin', then the preachin'.

"Er erlebte sein blaues Wunder."
Literal meaning: He just had his blue miracle.
In other words: He got the shock of his life.

"Es ist zum Aus-der-Haut-Fahren."
Literal meaning: It's enough to make you jump out of your skin.
In other words: It's enough to drive you up the wall.

"Ein Spatz in der Hand ist besser als eine Taube auf dem Dach."
Literal meaning: A sparrow in the hand is better than a dove on the roof.
In other words: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

"Die Luft ist rein. Los, verschwinden wir!"
Literal meaning: The air is clear, let's disappear!
In other words: The coast is clear. Quick, let's beat it!

"Wir bringen jetzt den Stein ins Rollen."
Literal meaning: We are going to get the stone rolling.
In other words: Let's get the ball rolling.

"Das hat Schule gemacht."
Literal meaning: That made school.
In other words: That set a precedent.

"Das ist der wahre Jakob."
Literal meaning: That is the true Jacob.
In other words: That's the real McCoy.

"Er gibt seinen Senf dazu."
Literal meaning: He added his mustard.
In other words: He put in his two cents.

"Das wurde an den Haaren herbeigezogen."
Literal meaning: That was pulled in by the hair.
In other words: That's far-fetched.

"Aus einer Mücke einen Elefanten machen."
Literal meaning: To make an elephant out of a mosquito.
In other words: To make a mountain out of a molehill.

"Das ist der letzte Schrei."
Literal meaning: That's the latest scream.
In other words: That's the latest rage.

"Das bringt mich auf die Palme."
Literal meaning: That drives me up the palm tree.
In other words: That drives me nuts.

"Das ist Jacke wie Hose."
Literal meaning: That's jacket or pants.
In other words: That's six of one and half a dozen of another.

"Laß uns reinen Tisch machen."
Literal meaning: Let's clean off the table.
In other words: Let's make a fresh start of it.

"Er kocht auch nur mit Wasser."
Literal meaning: He cooks with water, too.
In other words: He's just the same as everyone else.

"Er sitzt in der Klemme."
Literal meaning: He's sitting in the clamp.
In other words: He's in a tight spot.

"Geh nicht wie die Katze um den heißen Brei!"
Literal meaning: Quit acting like the cat tiptoeing around the hot porridge!
In other words: Stop beating around the bush!

"Wir werden das Kind schon schaukeln."
Literal meaning: We'll rock that child (in a cradle) somehow.
In other words: We'll work it out somehow.

"Lügen haben kurze Beine."
Literal meaning: Lies have short legs.
In other words: The truth always comes out in the end.

"Der Fisch stinkt vom Kopf her."
Literal meaning: Fish starts stinking from the head down.
In other words: The problems start at the top.

"Keine Antwort ist auch eine Antwort."
Literal meaning: No answer is also an answer.
In other words: Silence gives consent.

"Alter schützt vor Torheit nicht."
Literal meaning: Age does not you protect from foolishness.
In other words: There's no fool like an old fool.

"Es wird nicht so heiß gegessen wie es gekocht wird."
Literal meaning: It is not so hotly eaten as it is cooked.
In other words: It's half as bad as is sounds.

"Wie man sich bettet, so liegt man."
Literal meaning: As you make your bed, so you lie.
In other words: You made your own bed, now lie in it.

"Ein blindes Huhn findet auch ein Korn."
Literal meaning: A blind chicken finds also a kernel.
In other words: Even a blind chicken finds some feed.

"Ende gut, alles gut."
Literal meaning: End good, everything good.
In other words: All's well that ends well.

"Schadenfreude ist die reinste Freude."
Literal meaning: Gloating over someone else's misfortune is the purest form of mirth.
In other words: You just stepped in doggie doo, buddy! Ha, ha, ha.