Sometime things just don’t quite translate! Find out some of the funniest sayings you may encounter on your world travels.
As an avid traveller around the world you may hear some strange phrases. Here are some of the funniest ones we have heard!
France – Avoir les dents longues
Translation: Long in the tooth
Meaning: In most English speaking countries this expression means “old” or “elderly” However; in French, it means “ambitious”
Australia – Flat out like a lizard drinking
Australia is well known for its strange slang words and phrases and this one is no different!
Meaning: To be extremely busy
Find out how to speak fluent Aussie here!
Germany – Das Leben ist kein Ponyhof
Translation: Life isn’t a place for riding ponies
Meaning: Life is tough. You will not get a pony. Get over it and get on with life
Sweden – Fredagsmys
Translation: A combination of “friday” and cosy
Meaning: Watching TV, eating junk food and lazing around
Canada – Molson Muscle
Meaning: Many English speaking countries use the term beer belly, but in Canada they use the name of well-known beer called Molson
China – 裸辞(luǒ cí)
Translation: Naked Resignation
Meaning: Quitting your job with no new job
Costa Rica – Jalarse una torta
Translation: To pull a cake
Meaning: To screw something up
Colombia – Mi Llave/Llavería/Llavero
Translation: My key/My keychain
Meaning: Your closest friends
Norway – En rosin i polsen
Translation: A raison in the sausage
Meaning: A nice surprise in something that’s already good
Venezuela – Tengo un ratón en la cabeza
Translation: I have a rat in my head!
Meaning: I have a hangover!
The Bahamas – Join the stiff-toe gang
Meaning: To die
Mongolia – Burkhan orshoo butin chinee sakhal urga
Translation: God bless you and may your moustache grow like brushwood
Meaning: Polite response to a sneeze
Italy – Avere gli occhi foderati di prosciutto
Translation: To have eyes lined with ham
Meaning: To be unable to see what’s right in front of you
Japan – Nanakorobi ya oki
Translation: Fall seven times, stand eight
Meaning: To get up, no matter how often you get knocked down. To persevere in life even when faced with obstacles
Can you think of any more that you’ve come across while travelling?
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