Lithuanian Lithuania

atitiko kirvis kotą

Expression USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(fits like an axe to its handle) • used to indicate that something fits very well.

"Girdėjau, kad po to, kai naujasis įmonės vadovas apkaltino savo verslo partnerį sukčiaujant, neilgai trukus išaiškėjo jo paties slapti kėslai prieš jį." "Kaip sakoma, atitiko kirvis kotą."

"I heard that soon after the new CEO blamed his business partner for cheating his own secret intentions against him were revealed." "Well, fits like an axe to its handle."

English United States

going postal

Expression USED On Occasion BY People Over 30

A reference to the highly-publicized string of workplace shootings by United States Postal Service (USPS) workers, beginning in 1986. This expression is used to refer to someone suddenly becoming extremely angry.

"Don't go postal or anything, but your coffee might be cold by now."

German Worldwide

08/15

Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone

(Frequently pejorative) term for something common, unsurprising, boring or dull. It is believed to come from WWI machine gun MG 08/15.

"Lass dir was besseres einfallen, der Anmachspruch ist so 08/15"

"Come up with something better, that pick-up line is so 08/15"

Scots Scotland

Yer aff yer heid!

Expression USED Very frequently BY Everyone bar young kids

When someone suggests doing something irresponsible or absurd, or perhaps when they say something crazy.

"am hinkin aboot gawn fur a wee dip in the watter, wanty come tae?" "Yer aff yer heid! It's pure stoatin doon oot ther the day"

"I'm thinking about going for a little swim in the water, do you want to come too?" "You're crazy! It's raining so much outside today."

Polish Poland

zrobić coś na kolanie

Expression USED Frequently BY Everyone

(to do something on a knee) • To do something the very last minute, without much care, messily.

"Jak zwykle robisz pracę domową na kolanie!"

"As always, you’re doing your homework on a knee!"

English Australia

Face like a dropped pie

Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone

In Australia, people eat meat pies, a small palm-sized pie filled with minced beef, most often topped with tomato sauce (ketchup). A dropped pie does not look very nice! It is an expression that is used to say that someone looks ugly.

“That person has a face like a dropped pie”.

That person is ugly

Spanish | Cucuteño Norte de Santander, Colombia

toche

Expression USED Frequently BY People from the border between Colombia and Venezuela

It's a expression you use when someone does or says something dumb. It's also the name of a famous bird of the region.

“Ella pensó que Nueva York es la capital de Canadá, qué toche."

“She thought that New York is the capital of Canada, what a toche."

Spanish Mexico

perro oso

Expression USED Very frequently BY Young People

(dog bear) • Expresses a huge embarrassement. "Dog" is used as quantity, and "bear" as an embarrassing situation or event. Can also be used to express second-hand embarrassment.

"Estaba criticando a mis suegros a sus espaldas y me escucharon. ¡Perro oso!"

"I was bad-mouthing my in-laws behind their backs and they heard me. What a dog bear! "

Spanish Chile

se me echó la yegüa

Expression USED On Occasion BY Adults

(the mare fell over me) • Used to express that you are all of a sudden tired and don't feel like doing anything else. Also used when, after having agreed on doing something, you suddenly just don't have the motivation to do it.

"Entonces, ¿vamos a ir al cine como planeamos?" "Oh no, se me echó la yegüa, otro día nomás."

"So, are we going to the movies like we said?" "Ah, nah, the mare fell over me, maybe another day."

Spanish Mexico

No pela un chango ni a mordidas

Expression USED Frequently BY Everyone

(He/she doesn't peel a monkey even by bites) • It refers to a person not able to perform a simple task. A person who is useless, futile, or dead loss.

"Le estoy diciendo a Joel cómo preparar un lonche y sigue sin entender." "Él nomás no pela un chango ni a mordidas."

"I am telling Joel how to make a sandwich and he still doesn't understand" "He just doesn't peel a monkey even by bites."

Italian Italy

buono come il pane

Expression USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(as good as bread) • Literally "as good as bread", translates into "as good as gold".

"Quel ragazzo è buono come il pane!"

"That guy is as good as bread!"

French France

avoir une araignée au plafond

Expression USED On Rare Occasion BY Everyone

(to have a spider on the ceiling) • Describes someone who is not the brightest or someone crazy. If a spider has the space to make a net inside your head, it is not a good sign, as the spider lives in a room that is not used a lot.

"N'écoute pas ce mec, il a une araignée au plafond." "Ton pote est un peu bizarre, il doit avoir une araignée au plafond."

"Don't listen to this guy, he has a spider on the ceiling." "Your mate is a bit weird, he must have a spider on the ceiling."

Portuguese Brazil

o que é que tem a ver o cu com as calças?

Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People

(what does the asshole has to do with the pants?) • Used when you think someone is talking about two things that are not related to one another.

Vou casar amanhã, preciso comprar uma bicicleta amarela! Que que tem a ver o cu com as calças?

I am getting married tomorrow, I need to buy a yellow bike! What does the asshole has to do with the pants?

Portuguese Brazil

tá na Disney?

Expression USED On Occasion BY Young People

(are you at Disney?) • A way of telling someone they are out of their minds, being too crazy, too naive or saying something that makes no sense.

"Eu acho que a Maria gosta de mim!" "Tá na Disney, cara? Ela nem sabe que você existe!"

"I think Maria likes me!" "Are you at Disney, man? She doesn't even know you exist!"

English Canada

a few fries short of a Happy Meal

Expression USED On Rare Occasion BY Some people

Variation of “a few bricks short of a load” to describe someone who isn’t very smart.

“That guy just cut me off on the road! Couldn’t he see my car?” “He must be a few fries short of a happy meal.”

Spanish Maracaibo, Venezuela

más lento que alka-seltzer en vaso de chicha

Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People

(slower than Alka-Seltzer in a glass of chicha) • It's an exaggeration used to describe people who are not too bright or a bit dumb, or to describe slow things in general.

"¿Todavía no entiendes la película? Sois más lento que alka-seltzer en vaso de chicha."

"Do you still not get the movie? You're slower than alka-seltzer in a glass of chicha."

Portuguese Brazil

burro como uma porta

Expression USED Frequently BY Everyone

(dumb like a door) • It's an expression you use to emphasize how stupid someone is.

"O Marcelo é mesmo burro como uma porta!"

"Marcelo really is dumb like a door!"

Swedish Sweden

Hjulet snurrar men hamstern är död

Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People

(The wheel is spinning but the hamster is dead) • An expression used to describe someone who isn’t very clever

"Hörde du att han fick underkänt?" "Ja, hjulet snurrar men hamstern är död där."

"Did you hear that he failed (the test)?" "Yes, the wheel is spinning, but the hamster is dead on that one. "

Trentino dialect Italy

te si ndrio come la coa del porco

Expression USED On Occasion BY Mostly old people

(you're as behind as a pig's tail!) • It's used to address someone who isn't very bright or who just acted stupid or made a stupid mistake.

"G'ho coresto drio a l'orso per farghe na foto ma el s'ha girá e 'l m'ha dato na zatada!" "Alora te si ndrio come la coa del porco!"

"I was chasing a bear to take a picture of it, but he turned around and attacked me!" "Then you're as behind as a pig's tail!"

French French speaking countries

ne pas avoir la lumière à tous les étages

Expression USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(not have light at every floor) • Used to talk about someone who does not think before acting and does weird things. Someone who is not very smart (i.e. dumb).

"Regarde cet homme qui court nu dans la rue !" "Oh.. Il n'a pas la lumière à tous les étages celui-là !"

"Look at this man, he is running naked in the street!" "Oh.. This one does not have light at every floor!"