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164

Multilingual folks: what are some odd idioms in your language(s)? (lemmy.world)

submitted 8 months ago by alquicksilver@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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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."

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[–] raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.world 21 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Turkish: "Niye böyle bakıyorsun? Karadeniz'deki gemilerin mi battı?"

-> "Why are you looking like that (Why such a face)? Did your ships sink in the black sea?"

It was already my favourite before 2022, but hell has it become ever more so then. Slava Ukraini!

[–] mumblerfish@lemmy.world 9 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Isn't there also a saying like "fucked by a polar bear in the desert", meaning being unlucky?

[–] raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

I believe you mean this one: https://eksisozluk.com/bahtsiz-bedeviyi-colde-kutup-ayisi-sikermis--165324

"Bahtsız bedeviyi, çölde kutup ayısı sikermiş." == The misfortunate bedouin gets fucked by a polar bear in the desert.

However, I am not sure if this means fucked in a literal sense or rather "fucked up" :) probably the latter.