What expression do you guys use in this sense?
2007-07-03 02:19:34 · 5 answers · asked by Alexander T 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
As "when pigs fly" is used to express something that is unlikely to happen there are several ways of saying this in German:
Wenn Ostern und Pfingsten auf einen Tag fallen. (When Easter and Pentecost fall together on one day.)
Wer's glaubt wird selig. (Whoever believes it will be blessed.)
Da müsste schon ein Wunder geschehen. (A miracle would have to happen.)
am St. Nimmerleinstag (on St. Neverbeday)
zu Pflaumenpfingsten (on Plum Pentecost)
and many more, depending on which dialect of German you speak.
The flying pigs thing is really a very nice picture, but I cannot remember having heard it in a literal translation in German (which would be Wenn Schweine fliegen.)
2007-07-03 02:30:37 · answer #1 · answered by Masterswot 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I've heard that expression in German before (wenn Schweine fliegen)
You can also say "wenn die Hölle zufriert" (when hell freezes)
2007-07-03 09:33:36 · answer #2 · answered by The baby penguin 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My English is not so well but I think "when pigs fly" means something like it will never happen.
In German (at least here in Austria) we have e.g.
"am St. Nimmerleinstag" = St.Never's Day
2007-07-03 02:28:06 · answer #3 · answered by Martin S 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
wenn Schweine fliegen
2007-07-03 02:27:32 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Where I'm from we also say something like.
"Dann fress ich 'nen Besen"
(if that happens I'll eat a broom)
2007-07-03 03:01:28 · answer #5 · answered by m....n... 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋