German Idioms using food

1. German Idioms using food • Idioms are phrases or expressions that are unique to a particular language. Defined by the American Heritage Dictionary as “A speech form or an expression of a given language that is peculiar to itself grammatically or cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements,” idioms are key to understanding the soul of a language. Idioms point to a shared experience and culture between speakers of the same language. Idioms and other similar colloquial phrases spice up a language by giving it much of its vibrancy and texture. The German language is rich in idioms. • At first, understanding German idioms can be confusing for non-native speakers, especially students. Looking up the individual words that make up an idiomatic expression in a German to English dictionary will confound the student as the words on their own won't make any sense, the entire phrase has to be taken into account when dealing with idioms. Because of this, students of the German language must study idioms in the same way as they do vocabulary. Baseline knowledge is required when dealing with idioms in any language, this knowledge cannot be had intuitively and can only come from study and experience speaking the language. • Naturally, lots of idioms involve FOOD….

2. ErfindetimmereinHaar in derSuppe. • Die Suppe = soup; das Haar = hair • He always finds a hair in the soup. • He always finds something to complain about.

3. Der Apfel fällt nicht weit vom Stamm. • DerApfel = the apple • The apple does not fall far from the trunk. • Like father like son • Parody: "Der Abfall fällt nicht weit vom Auto." (The trash doesn't fall far from the car.)

4. Das istBanane • Die Banane = the banana • That is bananas! • That’s crazy! That’s nuts! • Related rhetorical question: Warumist die Bananekrumm? (Warum? Warum? Warum?)

5. Das ist mein Bier! That is my beer! That’s MY business!

6. Das ist nicht dein Bier! • That is not your beer! • That’s none of your business!

7. dummwieBohnenstroh • DerBohnenstroh = bean straw • Dumb as bean straw • Thick as a brick • Related: dummwieBrot • Das Brot = the bread • Dumb as bread • Idiot

8. das Ei des Kolumbus • Das Ei = the egg • The egg of Columbus • Just the thing; a simple solution to a difficult problem

9. einEilegen • Das Ei = the egg; legen = to lay • To lay an egg • To hatch a plan • WARNING: THIS MAY ALSO HAVE THE VULGAR MEANING TO TAKE A DUMP!!

10. nichtFisch, nichtFleisch • Fisch = fish; fleisch = meat • Not fish, not meat • Neither fish nor fowl; not recognizable

11. Du Flasche! • Die Flasche = the bottle • You bottle! • You loser!

12. Das ist kein Honiglecken • Honig = honey; lecken = to lick • That is no lick of honey • This is no picnic; no bed of roses

13. Das istkalterKaffee • Kaffee= coffee • That is cold coffee. • That’s old hat. (old news)

14. Da kommt einem der Kaffee hoch • Hoch = high • There comes one of the coffees high (The coffee comes back up) • It’s enough to make you sick

15. Im Wein liegt die Wahrheit • DerWein = the wine; die Wahrheit = truth • In wine lies the truth (people can’t lie effectively when drinking?)

16. einen Kater haben • DerKater= tomcat • To have a tomcat • To have a hangover

17. Alles hat ein Ende, nur die Wurst hat zwei. • Das Ende = the end; die Wurst = sausage • Everything has an end, only the sausage has two. • Everything must come to an end.