Arabic Algeria

وش مداير فيها؟

Expression USED Very frequently BY Young People

(what are you doing in it?) • Means "what are you up to?," but is frequently used just to initiate a conversation. Mostly used with those you are familiar with and close to you in age; could be used with a friend or someone you just met, however it is impolite when speaking with an elder. Can be used in different tenses as well.

"وش؟ وش مداير فيها؟" "هاني نخدم من نتفرج من, و نتا وش كاش جديد" "والو من غير الخدمة والو"

"What's up? What are you doing in life?" "I'm working on one hand and watching movies on the other hand. And you, is there anything new?" "Nothing other than work."

French France

mitonner un plat

Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone

(v.) • To cook a dish slowly and with a lot of love. It conveys the idea that you care about what you are cooking and the people who will eat it.

"Je vais vous mitonner un petit plat, vous m'en direz des nouvelles."

"I'm going to make a meal for you and I bet you'll like it."

Japanese Japan

お待たせしました。

Expression USED Frequently BY Everyone

(I have kept you waiting) • It means "thank you for waiting". You can also just say 「お待たせ。」 but it makes it sound much more casual.

"お待たせしました。行きましょうか。"

"Thank you for waiting. Let's go."

French | Paris France

avoir le seum

Expression USED On Occasion BY young people

(v.) • (to have the venom) • To be angry, frustrated or enraged. From the Arabic word "سم" (venom).

"Ouf j'ai le seum mec! Saïd m'a pas renvoyé de l'argent!"

"I'm angry man! Saïd hasn't given me the money back!"

French Québec, Canada

avoir son voyage

Expression USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(to have your holiday trip) • to be fed up with something, annoyed or disgusted. can also be used to mark astonishment ("I can't believe it!")

"Ma soeur vole toujours mes vêtements, j'en ai mon voyage!!"

"My sister always steals my clothes, I've had enough of it!"

French Québec, Canada

cogner des clous

Expression USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone

(banging nails) • Used to describe the behavior of someone trying to stay awake despite being very obviously tired.

"J'ai pas dormi de la nuit, alors j'ai passé la journée à cogner des clous."

"I didn't sleep at all last night, so I spent the day struggling to stay awake"

French Québec, Canada

avoir la chienne

Expression USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(to have the (female) dog) • Synonymous with being afraid, it designates a state of anxiety or fear.

"Je dois faire un discours devant l'école demain. J'ai la chienne."

"I need to do a speech in front of the school tomorrow. I'm terrified."

French Québec, Canada

ne pas lâcher la patate

Expression USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone

(don't let go of the potato) • An invitation to persevere, to not give up.

"Je serai incapable de réussir mon examen de math." "Lâche pas la patate! Tu peux y arriver!"

"There's no way I'll pass my math exam." "Don't let go of the potato! You can do it!"

Italian Italy

Andrà tutto bene

Expression USED Frequently BY Everyone

(Everything will be alright) • During the corona virus pandemic, people affixed cardboards everywhere with this slogan on them. It became the most trending hashtag in Italy when everything seemed dark.

“Non aver paura! Andrà tutto bene”

"Don't panic! Everything will be alright"

Croatian | Kajkavian Zagreb, Croatia

kaj ima?

Expression USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(What is there?) • An informal way to greet friends.

"Di si care, kaj ima?"

"Hey man, what's up?"

English United Kingdom

got the morbs

Expression USED In the past BY Victorians in the 1880's

Used to describe temporary melancholia, coined from the word "morbid".

"I've got the morbs walking around this cemetery."

Dutch Netherlands

verdiende loon

Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone

(deserved paycheck) • Used when someone gets what they deserve. To suffer from the negative consequences of your own bad behavior.

“Ik hoop dat hij z’n verdiende loon krijgt na alles wat hij gedaan heeft”

“I hope he gets his deserved paycheck after everything he did”

Dutch Netherlands

de les lezen

Expression USED On Occasion BY Most People

(to read the lesson) • To lecture someone.

“Ga je mij nou echt de les lezen over goed gedrag?”

“Are you really going to read me the lesson on good behavior?”

Dutch Netherlands

zo gepiept

Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People

(squeaked like that) • Used for something that can be done very quickly, as in, it can be done in a squeak or peep.

“Gaat het lang duren?” “Nee joh, zo gepiept”

“Will it take long?” “No, squeaked like that”

Italian Italy

il giorno del poi e il mese del mai

Expression USED On Occasion BY Adults

(the day of later and the month of never) • You want your nosy aunt to stop asking you when you're going to get a boyfriend? Answer this and you'll see her wheels spinning trying to figure out you just told her you're going to postpone as much as you can.

"Ma, allora, quando ti fidanzi?" "Il giorno del poi e il mese del mai!"

"So when are you gonna get engaged?" "The day of later and the month of never!"

Dutch Netherlands

onder vuur liggen

Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone

(v.) • (lay under fire) • To receive criticism for something

“De schrijver ligt onder vuur voor zijn recentelijke uitspraken op Twitter.”

“The writer is laying under fire for his recent remarks on Twitter.”

Spanish Spain

Para ti la perra gorda

Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone

(The fat coin (goes) to you) • You say this when you want to give up on an argument and tell the other person they're right without actually meaning it.

"La pizza con piña está muy rica." "Que no, que es una aberración." "Está buenísima." "Dejémoslo ya, pa ti la perra gorda."

"Pineapple pizza is very tasty." "It's not, it's an abomination." "It's delicious." "Let's leave it, the fat coin goes to you."

Dutch Netherlands

het zekere voor het onzekere nemen

Expression USED On Occasion BY Most People

(to take the certain before the uncertain) • To take the safest option

“Moet ik m’n jas meenemen of zal ik ‘m hier laten?” “Ik zou het zekere voor het onzekere nemen”

“Should I take my jacket or should I leave it here?” “I would take the certain before the uncertain”

Dutch Netherlands

Joost mag het weten

Expression USED On Occasion BY some people

(Joost may know it) • Used when you have no idea and also have no intention of finding out.

"Wie mijn vader nu weer aan het daten is, Joost mag het weten"

"Who my dad is dating right now, Joost may know"

Spanish Spain

Se te fue la olla

Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone

(You lost your pot) • To go crazy, with the pot referring to one's head.

“¿Qué! ¿No quieres llevar paraguas con la de lluvia que hace? Se te fue la olla, mijo.”

“What?! You don't want to take an umbrella with how bad it's raining? You lost your pot, son.“