Weird and Funny German Expressions You Should Know
When it comes to the German language, it’s full of peculiar expressions and idioms. Some of them are very funny and will make you think twice before saying them out loud. While you’re busy trying to understand how to pronounce some of the most complicated German words, it’s important to learn the funny German expressions too. You will find yourself able to express yourself with a unique sense of humor, no matter the situation. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most popular strange, funny, and unique German expressions that you should definitely get familiar with.
Overview of the Most Popular Far Out German Expressions
German is full of incredible expressions that sound surreal and incomprehensible to the foreigner ear. However, once you grill your brain to learn them, you will have a more amusing way to express yourself and make other people laugh as well. Here is a summary of some of the weirdest and funniest expressions that German has to offer.
• To drop a strawberry – This phrase is used when someone tries to do something but fails miserably. An example of this expression dialog in English would sound like: “Well, I tried to learn German in ten weeks, but I dropped a strawberry”.
• To have ears like a brick wall – This phrase implies that the person is not understanding what you’re saying. It’s used to describe someone who is being ignorant.
• Eating mustard with a spoon – This is an expression that indicates that something is impossible to achieve. An example would be “Learning German in a month is like eating mustard with a spoon“.
• Catch up a piglet in a field – Catching a piglet in the field is a very difficult task to do, so it’s used to compare it to something impossible to do.
• Having a bad cheese day – This is an informal expression used to describe a bad day.
• Need Plums in the ear – This expression indicates that someone has to explain something more than once, usually to a hard-of-hearing person.
Deciphering the Meaning Behind Some Bizarre German Expressions
When you first encounter a peculiar German expression and have no idea what it means, it’s easy to get lost in the literal and figurative interpretation of it. That’s why we need to decipher the origin of expressions to understand a bit better their meaning. Here are few examples of German expressions and their interpretation.
• To bark at the moon – Völlig übers Ziel hinausschießen
This expression means to overshoot the target when it comes to achieving a goal. It’s used to express a person’s attempts to do something impossible.
• To slide down a rainbow – Regenbogenblumen schneiden
This expression implies that something is not easy to achieve or that something requires a lot of effort.
• To eat frogs – Frösche fressen
This expression means to face a lot of troubles or difficult tasks. It’s used for the willingness to take on difficult and unpleasant tasks.
• To stand on one leg – Auf einem Bein stehen
This is an expression that implies being absentminded or feeling insecure.
• To have a wooden spoon in one’s pocket – Einen Holzlöffel im Auge haben
This expression describes someone as being unwise. It usually refers to someone who has made a mistake without realising it.
• To have one’s eyes like a hen – Augen wie eine Henne
This expression implies that someone is showing surprise.
Using in the German Language in a Funny Way
Now that you have learnt some of the most popular weird German expressions, you might want to use them in everyday situations. Here are a few ideas on how you can use them in a humorous way.
• Get Lost in Translation – Generally any context can be hilarious if you try to mix some funny German expressions with the English language. For example, you can say: “Can you see my wooden spoon? It’s in my pocket!“
• Local Quirks – There is nothing funnier than adapting expressions to the local context. For instance, The next time you get lost in a foreign city, you can describe it using some weird German expressions like: “I am trying to catch a piglet in this city. But I can’t find it!“
• Healthy Communication – Knowing some German expressions is also essential when having conversations with native speakers. It’s best to start with simple and polite phrases. For example, when you want to say goodbye, you can say: “Alles Gute, ich muss jetzt Frösche fressen!“
The German language is full of peculiar expressions and phrases. Knowing them is a way to express yourself in a unique and humorous way. While you’re busy trying to learn some of the more complicated German words, don’t forget to pick up some weird German expressions too. We have provided you with some of the most popular far out expression together with the origins of them. Furthermore, we discussed a few ideas on how you can express yourself in a funny way with German phrases. Put together, this provides a great opportunity to have a good time while learning German.