I can think of a few in Welsh:-
"Mynd dros ben llestri"...lit "Go over the crockery".. means "Go over the top."
"Paid â chwerthin ar fy mhen i".. lit " Don't laugh on my head."
means.."Don't laugh at me."
"Paid â gwneud hwyl ar fy mhen.." lit.."Don't make a sail on my head".. means "Don't make fun of me."
"Mae'n codi pwys arna'i"..lit "It's lifting a pound on me".. means.."It makes me sick."
2007-05-24 05:44:23 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Thank you all except peely wally..(the second part of his name is very apt)
he can't even write English properly so no wonder he doesn't want anyone to learn another.
2007-05-24 07:33:37 · update #1
Gaelic.
'Cu*m cluas ri claisneachd' -' Keep an ear to hearing ' - Listen out for.
' 'Sann dhut a'rug an cat an cuilean' -'Your cat's given birth to a puppy' - Aren't you lucky.
'Dean eaglais no muileann dheth' - 'Make a church or a mill of it' - Make what you will of it.(On your own head be it.)
Lol,no asterisk in the first word,but it won't let me write it without one!
2007-05-24 09:23:02 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In Italian:
ho le gambe che fanno Giacomo Giacomo
I have my legs that are doing James James
=I'm very frightnened
sei fuori come un balcone
you're out like a balcony
=you're really crazy
siamo a cavallo
we are at horse
=we are making good progress, we are in a good situation, we are sitting pretty
ho una fame che non ci vedo
I'm so hungry that I don't see
=I'm very very hungry
ti apro in due come una cozza
I'll open you in two like a mussel
=I'm gonna destroy you
non fa una piega
it doesn't make a fold
=it's airtight, it has no weak points
2007-05-24 06:39:15 · answer #2 · answered by raggiante 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Handle with care = Hawakan na me pag-alaga. Eat all you can = Kain lahat ikaw lata. Do not block the driveway = Gawin huwag harang ang maneho daanan. Watch out for pickpockets = Relo labas sa pulot bulsa.
2016-04-01 05:59:42 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Dutch word ondernemer (entrepreneur) literally means undertaker in English. Some Dutch people make this mistake and make a complete fool of themselves.
2007-05-24 06:02:08 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Spanish
"tomar el pelo", literally "take the hair," meaning "pull someone´s leg (as in joking)"
"a las mil", literally "at 1000," meaning "marvelous, terrific"
"agarrar el toro por los cuernos", literally "to grab the bull by the horns", meaning "to bite the bullet"
2007-05-24 09:29:41 · answer #5 · answered by Carlos Esteban 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Brazil - " A vaca foi pro brejo" - Lit .The cow went to the swamp, means "things are going bad" or " we're f***d "
2007-05-24 06:20:02 · answer #6 · answered by M.M.D.C. 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There's a classic one in which English is translated somewhat literally into Spanish and then literally back into English.
Come in, come in, take a seat. > Entre, entre, tome un asiento. > Between, between, drink a chair.
2007-05-24 05:56:27 · answer #7 · answered by RE 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well "chupamedias" in Latin American Spanish is literally a "sock-sucker"
2007-05-24 05:51:28 · answer #8 · answered by Makisapa 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
hast du bonen in deine ohren/ hast du tomaten in deinen augen means don you have beans in your ears/ do you have tomatoes in your eyes....it's basically the german way of saying pay attention. they're asking if your deaf or blind.
2007-05-24 06:12:07 · answer #9 · answered by Elise T 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋
"oh la vache" in french is damnit but in English it means "oh the cow"
"c'est pas tes oignons" in french is it's none of your business but in English it means "it's not your onions"
2007-05-24 06:04:20 · answer #10 · answered by waffles 2 · 5⤊ 0⤋