Expression USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone
(to hold the candle end) • Being the third wheel while a couple is sharing a romantic and intimate moment.
"Anna e Marco si sono baciati e io sono rimasto lì a reggere il moccolo."
"Anna and Marco kissed and I stayed there holding the candle end."
Expression USED Very frequently BY Everyone
(nothing on the hand) • Way of saying everything is fine, there are no issues, nothing to worry about.
"Alles goed met je?" "Ja hoor, niks aan de hand."
"Everything okay with you?" "Oh yes, nothing on the hand."
Expression USED Frequently BY Most People
(above water) • Something that was lost or hidden that has now been found again.
"Zijn de belastingpapieren al weer boven water?"
"Are the tax papers above water again?"
Expression USED On Rare Occasion BY Some People
(to go flat) • It means "to sleep"
"Ik ga moet nog wel eventjes plat."
"I have to go flat for a minute."
Expression USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone
(too crazy for words) • Something outrageous. When something is so crazy, saying it out loud feels like you are making it up.
"Dat mensen met duizenden euros schuld uit het ziekenhuis komen is natuurlijk te gek voor woorden."
"That people come out of the hospital with thousands of euros in debt is of course too crazy for words."
Expression USED Frequently BY Some People
(In the whale's ass!) • This is a way to wish someone good luck. Pay close attention to what you're expected to answer.
"In culo alla balena per domani!" "Speriamo che non caghi!"
"In the whale's ass for tomorrow!" "Let's hope it doesn't shit!"
Expression USED On Occasion BY Teens
(to give sapling) • To stand someone up.
"Ni se os ocurra darme plantón mañana."
"Don't you give me sapling tomorrow."
Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone
(household of three) • A romantic or sexual relationship involving three people; threesome.
"Il pense au ménage à trois."
"He's thinking about a household of three."
Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People
(to be able to shake it) • This means you can forget about something.
"We moeten vanavond wel winnen, anders kunnen we het kampioenschap wel schudden."
"We have to win tonight, otherwise we can shake the championship."
Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone
(keep me on the height) • Expression used when asking someone to keep you informed of any further developments.
"Morgen ga ik een nieuwe woning bekijken" "Spannend, hou me op de hoogte."
"Tomorrow I am going to look at another place to live" "Exciting, keep me on the heights."
Expression USED On Occasion BY Teens
(to give hole) • To stand someone up i.e. to not show up for an appointment or date.
"Guarda, sono arrabbiatissima! Come ha potuto darmi buca?!"
"Look, I'm furious! How could he give me hole?!"
Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone
(Waters! ) • A warning for when danger is approaching.
“¡Aguas! ¡Las rocas están cayendo!”
“Waters! The rocks are falling!”
Expression USED In the past BY Novel authors
(beak and nails) • It's used to describe a fierce behaviour, specifically when defending someone's belongings or loved ones, like a mother bird would do for her younglings.
"La vieille dame se fit houspiller de part et d'autre au milieu de la foule pour ses propos. Elle se défendit bec et ongles et avait un contre-argument pour chacun des hurlements qui lui étaient proférés."
"The old lady was being harassed from all sides in the middle of the crowd for what she said. She defended tooth and nail and had a counter-argument for anything one yelled at her."
English
Minnesota,
United States
Expression USED In the past BY Almost Everyone
It's a way of saying that something is great.
"See you at my place at 3pm?" "Cool beans!"
Expression USED Frequently BY Everyone
(In the wolf's mouth!) • You say this to wish good luck. There's a debate over the answer to give - "crepi" (may it die) or "evviva il lupo" (may the wolf live). You only have to choose what side you're on.
"Domani ho la consegna della tesi di laurea: augurami buona fortuna." "In bocca al lupo!"
"Tomorrow I have to turn in my thesis - wish me luck." "In the wolf's mouth!"
Expression USED On Occasion BY Adults
(to be in the peacock age) • This expression is used to describe the stage that takes place after childhood and before adolescence (between 11 and 13 years old).
"Ay, estás en la edad del pavo: no dejas de reírte por nada."
"Uf, you're in the peacock age - you won't stop laughing about nothing."
Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People
(trouble with the neighbors) • An expression used to refer to having issues without your neighbors, "bonje" being an informal word for a fight or conflict between two parties. The phrase is often used because of the alliteration.
"Wat is dat voor herrie?" "Ja, we hebben al een tijdje bonje met de buren. "
"What is that noise?" "Yeah, we've been having trouble with the neighbors for a while now."
Expression USED On Occasion BY Adults
(to discover warm water) • It means to discover something obvious, maybe even with lots of thought and/or effort.
"I gatti che hanno il pelo tricolore sono solo femmine! Wow!" "Ma va? Hai scoperto l'acqua calda!"
"Tricolor cats are only female! Wow!" "Oh really? You discovered warm water!"
Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People
(bad smell for thanks) • When you do something nice for somebody and you get nothing or even something negative in return.
"Ik gaf een vriendin van mij een plek om te slapen, bleek dat ze met mijn man naar bed ging." "Stank voor dank."
"I gave my friend a place to stay, then I found out she was sleeping with my husband." "Bad smell for thanks."
Expression USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone
(little house little tree little animal) • An expression used to refer to the standard middle-class lifepath of a family, with a house, a tree (garden), and an animal (pet) - all the things you are 'supposed' to have and do in life. It is sometimes used in a slightly negative way to refer to the predictable nature of this lifestyle.
"Niet iedereen wil huisje-boompje-beestje."
"Not everyone wants little house little tree little animal."
