Spanish Spanish speaking countries

ahogarse en un vaso de agua

Expression USED Very frequently BY everybody

(to drown in a glass of water) • When a person is being dramatically negative and cannot see a solution to their very insignificant problem.

"Qué le pasa a Jaime? Parece que se va a acabar el mundo." "Perdió el autobús." "Este chico se ahoga en un vaso de agua."

"What's wrong with James? It looks like he's devastated." "He missed the bus." "This guy drowns in a glass of water."

Italian Italy

a babbo morto

Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People

(to dead father) • It means someone can't pay and is not expected to pay anytime soon, so they say I will pay my debt when I will inherit my father's property.

"Ma il saldo?" "A babbo morto."

"What about the debt?" "to dead father."

English New Zealand

the wop wops

Expression USED On Occasion BY Most People

Expression referring to rural areas or the countryside, way out in the middle of nowhere, or 'the boonies'. Just refers to a place away from major towns and cities.

"Their family live way out in the wop wops."

English United States

what's crackalackin'?

Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People

This is an informal, joking way of saying "what's up" or "how are you?". It's a way to ask what's happening in your life or in the situation, as if something in your life or the situation is "crackalacking". Crackalacking is a fake verb, and usually pronounced with a funny accent and with an -in ending instead of -ing. The term is never used seriously.

"What's crackalackin'?" "Haha not much."

German | South german Variation South of Baden-Wütttemberg, Germany

der hat grade Corinna

Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People

(at the moment he has Corinna) • Corinna is a German female name, but here it is an alternative for saying that someone tested positive for Corona (Covid).

"Wo ist eigentlich Julian, arbeitet er heute nicht?" "Der hat grade Corinna."

"Where is Julian, is he not working today?" "At the moment he has Corinna."

Serbian Serbian speaking countries

pijan kao majka

Expression USED Frequently BY Older as well as young people

(drunk as a Mother) • It's often used to describe a very drunk or intoxicated person who can't even stand or walk properly. It was made a long time ago when pregnant women used to drink alcohol to ease their pain when giving birth.

"Došao je sinoć kući pijan kao majka. Nije mogao na nogama da stoji."

"He came home last night drunk as a Mother. He couldn't stand on his own feet."

Croatian | Kaikavian Northern Croatia, Croatia

šeflja

Expression USED Very frequently BY Almost Everyone

(n.) • It's the thing used to grab liquid, most commonly soups.

"Možeš li mi dohvatiti šeflju da izgrabim juhu?"

"Can you give me the grabber to grab the soup?"

Portuguese Alentejo, center-south Portugal, Portugal

mata-velhos

Expression USED Very frequently BY Most People

(old-people-killer) • Used to refer to microcars. Since these cars don't need a license to be driven, lots of elderly drive these cars hence becoming the ones most prone to having a microcar accident. In northern regions, it's called it "papa-reformas"

"Olha, vai ali um mata-velhos!"

"Look, there goes an old-people-killer!"

Portuguese Portugal

mata-velhos

Expression USED Frequently BY Most People

(old-people-killer) • This is one of the expressions used to refer to microcars, the ones that don't require a driving license. This term is usually used in Alentejo (a province in the center-south of Portugal). We call it "mata-velhos" because, usually, elderly people are the ones who drive microcars and because of this, they're more prone to having accidents driving microcars (or being hit by them). In northern regions we call it "papa-reformas" (pension-eater) because they're very expensive and one can spend their entire pension money paying for it.

"Olha, vai ali um mata-velhos!"

"Look, there goes an old-people-killer!"

Italian Italy

ti voglio bene

Expression USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(I want you well) • It express non-romantic love for someone. It's like "I love you" used for friends and family.

"Grazie per essermi stata vicina. Ti voglio bene"

"Thank you for having been close to me. I want you well"

Polish Poland

nie mój cyrk, nie moje małpy

Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People

(not my circus, not my monkeys) • It’s an expression used to say it’s not my problem so I’m not going to worry about it!

“Och nie, Thomas i Ileana znów się kłócą!” “Nie mój cyrk, nie moje małpy.”

“Oh no, Thomas and Ileana are fighting again!” “Not my circus, not my monkeys.”

Persian Iran

خر تو خر

Expression USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone

(donkey inside donkey) • A crazy situation. The idea of a donkey being inside another is crazy, so it is analogous to a crazy situation.

"من در فرودگاه برای چک کردن پروازم در حال صف‌ستانی بودم، اما آنقدر شلوغ و آشوب‌آمیز بود که واقعاً خر تو خر بود!"

"I was queuing up to check in for my flight at the airport, but it was so busy and chaotic, that it was (as if it were) a khar tu khar!"

Italian Italy

mi sento come un pesce fuor d'acqua

Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People

(I feel like a fish out of water) • A way to say you feel uncomfortable, like you don't fit in or that the task is above your capabilities.

"Come va il nuovo lavoro?" "Mi sento come un pesce fuor d'acqua."

"How is your new job going?" "I feel like a fish out of water."

French France

comme cul et chemise

Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People

(like ass and shirt) • This expression is a metaphor used to describe friendships, « special » bonds people have.

"Aujourd’hui, il ne s’entendent plus. Mais fut un temps, ils étaient comme cul et chemise."

"Today, they don’t get along anymore. But at some point, they were like ass and shirt."

Dutch | Flemish Flanders, Belgium

Zo zot als een achterdeur

Expression USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(As crazy as a back door) • used to refer to someone who is very crazy, or behaving like they are.

"Caligula was zo zot als een achterdeur: hij benoemde zelfs zijn paard tot consul!"

"Caligula was as crazy as a back door: he even made his horse consul!"

English United States

it’s been a minute

Expression USED On Occasion BY Millenials

It’s been a while, it’s been a long time, it has not happened recently

"It’s been a minute since I’ve seen my coworkers in person. The office has been closed for over a year. "

French France

je m'en bats les couilles

Expression USED Very frequently BY French people

(I beat my testicles with it) • I don't care.

"As-tu vu le nouveau film des Avengers?" "Franchement, je m'en bats les couilles!"

"Did you see the new Avengers movie?" "Frankly, I beat my testicles with it!"

Slovak Slovakia

halabala

Expression USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

Messy, slovenly, or careless.

"Nemôžeš tu pobehovať len tak, halabala!"

"You cannot just run careless over there!"

German German speaking countries

am Arsch der Welt

Expression USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone

(at the ass of the world) • In the back of beyond, in the middle of nowhere, in the boondocks.

"Lass uns nach Hintertupfingen umziehen. " "Nein, das liegt ja am Arsch der Welt!"

"Let's move to Podunk." "No, that's in the middle of nowhere!"

Slovak Slovakia

vonku sa všetci čerti ženia

Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone

(all the little devils are getting married outside) • An expression used to describe dark, windy, stormy weather. A čert (chort) is a Slavic mythological being, who lives in hell and looks kind of like the greek god Pan - “a little devil”.

“Dávaj si na ceste pozor, vonku sa všetci čerti ženia.”

“Drive carefully, outside all the little devils are getting married.”