comparative phrases in German?

Question

What are some equivalents for such German phrases in other languages?
Do you know any other such examples (in any language)?


blau wie das Meer
rot wie das Liebe
weiß wie der Schnee
schwarz wie die Nacht
grün wie das Gras

grün vor Neid
rot vor Zorn

Er sieht alles rosa.
Sie sieht alles schwarz.
Er fährt schwarz.
Sie macht blau.
Er ist blau.

Answer 1

In English they are mainly different, and not as common as in German, except the blue sea, which has to be international, same as the green grass and the white snow.

But in English sombody is "yellow with envy", "blue" with sadness/nostalgia, "puce with anger", and they see the world "through rose-tinted glasses". There is no equivalent for any of the others. "Sie macht blau" is "She is mitching", but mainly in Ireland.

We do have "the black economy" and the "black market" in English, but they are direct translations fom German.

Answer 2

These are not "direct" translations, but I am giving the English phrasal equivalent:

as blue as the ocean
as red as love
as white as snow
as black as night
as green as grass

green with envy
red with anger

He sees everything through rose-colored glasses
He sees everything black (negatively)
He rides public transportation without a ticket. (A "schwarzfahrer")

The last two, literally meaning, "She makes blue" and "He is blue" probably mean that she makes people depressed and he is depressed, but I'm not sure on those. Just a guess.

Answer 3

I've never heard of "yellow with envy" or the puce one but I agree with the others the first poster mentioned.

I know "green with envy" or "a yellow-bellied coward" (or just "yellow" to mean a coward).

"Seeing red" means angry.

You can say "as white as the driven snow" instead of just "as white as snow".
"Black as the ace of spades"

Answer 4

"Pan" is Spanish and Japanese for "bread"! Neat aint it?