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Afrikaans South Africa

Koebaai Meraai

Standard Phrase USED On Occasion BY Some People

(Goodbye Meraai) • Meraai is a name often associated with the Cape coloured community of South Africa. It is especially used in jokes and funny stories. Koebaai is an Afrikaansified term for the English goodbye. These two terms rhyme which gives this phrase a playful connotation.

“Koebaai Meraai.”

“Goodbye Meraai.”

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Albanian Albania

të lumshin duart

Standard Phrase USED On Occasion BY Everyone

(bless your hands) • When you eat something tasty, you say this sentence to the person who cooked it. In some contexts, it can also be used to congratulate someone who did a good job with their hands (a writer, an artist, ...).

"Gatimi ishte shumë e shijshme, të lumshin duart!"

"The cooking was very tasty, bless your hands!"

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French North of France, France

il drache

Standard Phrase USED On Occasion BY Some People

(it's pouring) • Used when it rains heavily.

"Il vaut mieux rester à l'intérieur vu qu'il drache dehors."

"It's better to stay inside since it's pouring outside."

Confirmed by 8 people

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Swedish Sweden

spöregnar

Standard Phrase USED Frequently BY Everyone

(v.) • (crop raining) • When it is raining very hard or heavily.

"Det spöregnar just nu så vi borde nog stanna hemma."

"It’s crop raining outside right now so we should probably stay at home."

Confirmed by 2 people

Finnish Finland

sataa kuin Esterin perseestä

Standard Phrase USED On Occasion BY Some People

(rains like from Esther’s ass) • When it is raining a lot. Nobody knows who Esther is.

"Jätin sateenvarjon kotiin ja matkalla junalle alkoi sataa kuin Esterin perseestä."

"I left the umbrella home and on the way to the train it started to rain like from Esther’s ass"

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Polish Poland

trzymam kciuki

Standard Phrase USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(I hold thumbs) • In Poland, we hold our thumbs instead of crossing our fingers to wish somebody good luck.

"Jutro mam egzamin ustny." "W takim razie trzymam kciuki!"

"I have an oral exam tomorrow." "In that case, I hold fingers!"

Confirmed by 3 people

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Scots | Doric Aberdeenshire , Scotland

fit like?

Standard Phrase USED Very frequently BY Almost Everyone

Used as a greeting, sometimes it means “how’s things?” And sometimes it just means hello!

"Fit like? Ach nae bad! Yersel?"

"How are things? Oh not bad! Yourself?"

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Danish Denmark

træde i spinaten

Standard Phrase USED Frequently BY Everyone

(stepping into the spinach) • When someone does something especially stupid which has a bad consequence. Like consistently getting to work late and then getting fired or forgetting to report your taxes on time and then getting a fine.

"Jeg har ikke fået klaret min skatterapport i tide, så jeg har fået en bøde" "Der trådte du virkelig i spinaten"

"I haven't gotten my tax report done in time, so I have gotten a fine" "You really stepped in the spinach there"

Confirmed by 4 people

Dutch Netherlands

leuk is anders

Standard Phrase USED On Occasion BY Some People

An understatement used to make clear you aren't happy about the current situation.

"Door Corona moeten we allemaal binnenblijven. Belangrijk voor de volksgezondheid, maar leuk is anders."

"Because of Corona we all have to stay inside. Important for public health, but fun is different."

Confirmed by 4 people

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Dutch Netherlands

het is niet anders

Standard Phrase USED On Occasion BY Some People

(it is not different) • Used in a situation when nothing can be done but accept what is happening, similar to "it is what it is"

"Ik sta liever een halfuurtje later op, maar het is niet anders."

"I would rather get up a half our later, but it is not different."

Confirmed by 5 people

Dutch Netherlands

Of je worst lust!

Standard Phrase USED On Occasion BY Friends

(Whether you like sausage!) • Phrase used when the person you're talking to did not hear what you said and is asking you to repeat. Often pronounced louder than necessary for added effect.

"Wat ga je morgen doen?" "Huh?" "Ik vroeg: wat ga je morgen doen?" "Wat?" "Of je worst lust!"

"What are you doing tomorrow?" "Huh?" "I asked - what are you doing tomorrow?" "What?" "Whether you like sausage!"

Confirmed by 4 people

Cornish United Kingdom

divedhow

Standard Phrase USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(un-drunk) • Sober. Composed of medhow (drunk) and di (un) meaning that Cornish people are either drunk or un-drunk.

“Res yw dhym eva Korev, re dhivedhow esov!”

“I gotta drink a beer, I'm too un-drunk!”

English English speaking countries

to throw someone in at the deep end

Standard Phrase USED Frequently BY Most People

(v.) • To put someone into a new situation without enough preparation or introduction. Refers to the deep end of a swimming pool.

"They really threw me in at the deep end but I'm getting used to it now."

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English English speaking countries

baptism of fire

Standard Phrase USED On Occasion BY Most People

Immediately having to cope with a stressful situation in order to improve.

"How was your first driving lesson?" "It was a bit of a baptism of fire but I enjoyed it."

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Danish Denmark

tandsmør

Standard Phrase USED On Occasion BY Most People

(tooth butter) • Butter spread so thick that you leave teeth marks in it when you take a bite.

"Jeg elsker hjemmelavet brød med tandsmør."

"I love homemade bread with a thick layer of butter."

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French France

C'est quoi les bails?

Standard Phrase USED Frequently BY Young people

(What are the leases?) • A way of saying 'what's up?'. Deriving from "bails" (leases) meaning "business". You are asking about the business your friend has done.

"Salut poto" "Wesh gros" "C'est quoi les bails" "Pas grand chose, on est là, toi-même tu sais"

"Hey bro" "Yo homie" "What's up?" "Not much, we represent, you know"

Confirmed by 9 people

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Japanese Japan

お疲れさまです。

Standard Phrase USED Frequently BY Mostly adults

(hello/good job) • It's a greeting phrase especially among co-workers and teammates. 疲れ is tiredness, and this phrase also acknowledges the other's hard work. You can just say 「お疲れさま。」to make it more casual.

「昨日5km走ったんだよ。」「お疲れさま。」

"I ran 5 km yesterday." "Good job."

Confirmed by 3 people

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English United Kingdom

Oright?

Standard Phrase USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(Are you alright?) • A common and informal way to greet someone.

"Oright mate, how's it going?" "Yeah, not too bad, thanks."

Confirmed by 12 people

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Sicilian Sicily, Italy

Comu semu?

Standard Phrase USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(How are we (doing)?) • This is what you say when you meet someone you haven’t seen in a while and you want to know what’s new and how they're doing.

"We Carmelo, comu semu?"

"Hey Carmelo, what’s up?"

Confirmed by 3 people

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Turkish Turkey

falan filan

Standard Phrase USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(such and such) • It is used for things you don't really care about, so you just slide over.

"Ben böyle güzelim, falan filan"

"I'm beautiful like this, such and such"