What are some (non-English) idioms, and what do they mean (both literally and in context)? Odd ones, your favorite ones - any and all are welcome. :)

For example, in English I might call someone a “good egg,” meaning they’re a nice person. Or, if it’s raining heavily, I might say “it’s raining cats and dogs.”

  • HappyRedditRefugee@lemm.ee
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    7 months ago

    Spanish, but only from my region:

    “You are worth dick”: You are worth nothing

    “You are not worth dick”: You are worth nothing

    So basically to be worth dick and not be worth dick is the same.

    We also have some variation like

    “You are [not] worth three trip strips of cock”: same meaning.

    A bonus, not related to genitalia:

    “Go get your hair brushed by a donkey”: Stop pestering / go fuck yourself.

  • tubbadu@lemmy.kde.social
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    7 months ago

    In Piedmontese (northern Italian dialect):

    “To be mounted over squared ball bearing” = to be really strange, not as other people

    “Horse brand” = a product of an unknown low quality brand

    “To beat the goat” = throw a tantrum

    • SkippingRelax@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      Also from Piemonte I’ve never heard the horse brand one but “three hens brand” was used regularly when I was a kid.

      My favourite though is “Coma na barca ant el bòsch”, like a boat in the woods