Meaning: Not being able to see obvious things. Sort of like saying “he has his head in the sand.” Meaning: I don’t understand anything that is being said. Apparently it originates from the fact that when announcements are made at train stations they are usually hard to understand, so all you get is “bla bla bla bahnhof (trainstation)”. Hence, only understanding “train station”. Meaning: To buy something without inspecting it first. In the old days, sellers at the market would sometimes stuff a worthless cat into the buyer’s bag instead of the rabbit they had ordered. Apparently rabbits taste better. Meaning: I don’t care. One theory as to where this came from is that it doesn’t really matter what a sausage is filled with, as long as it tastes good. Meaning: Are you making stuff up/crazy? This originates from the fact that back in the day women used to sit up all night spinning and they would tell each other stories to pass the time. Today, however, it generally means something more along the lines of “are you crazy?”. Meaning: Nobody was there. “Pig” is one of those words in German that can have both a positive or negative meaning. If you directly call somebody a pig (Schwein)…get ready to fight. But if you call somebody a “poor pig” (armes Schwein), then it’s more like saying “poor guy/bloke”. Meaning: I don’t believe anything you’re saying. Maybe your grandma will believe you… Meaning: I’ve had enough of this already! Meaning: That is the problem/cause/issue. It would often be used after figuring out what the issue is e.g. “So that’s where the dog is buried!”. Nobody is exactly sure where this came from but it is suspected that it has something to do with dogs following their masters to the grave. Meaning: It’s okay/mediocre/average. Some cool history is warranted here. The 08/15 was the standard issue rifle during World War I. Since then, saying 08/15 has basically evolved to mean anything that was just okay. How was your trip? 08/15. Meaning: The most important thing. Not unlike English, the “A and O” refers to the Alpha and Omega. Meaning: Exaggerated/smothering love. It is typically used to describe the love of some parents towards their children. Coined in the 18th century it refers to the way monkey mothers dote over their children, licking them etc. It can also refer to blind love. Meaning: To bear the consequences of something that somebody else caused. This originated from the fact that in the olden days many people would use the same bath water. It would then fall to the last person to not only bathe in the cold and dirty water, but also clean out the tub. Meaning: To avoid risk or not take chances. This comes from soccer/football where players would make low passes in order to have more control over the ball. Meaning: To be done/complete. During the Middle Ages it was customary in some places to serve people according to the order in which they were sitting at the table. Once the bench was done, you had served everybody. The task was complete. Meaning: To fight hard/be relentless. This comes from the world of boxing before the widespread use of boxing gloves. Fighters would just wrap their hands, and the tighter they wrapped them, the harder the punches would fall. Meaning: Something is going on there. This comes from the Middle Ages when circuses would come to town with dancing bears. Meaning: To help somebody while risking your own well-being. During the Middle Ages, when castles or forts were stormed, the invading army would try to open holes in the defenses. These holes could only be closed up with great risk to life and limb. Meaning: To give up. In English, a similar saying would be “to throw in the towel. The German version comes from when mercenaries (who were only fighting for money) would throw their weapons into the field (corn) and just leave the fight, especially when the the battle looked hopeless. Meaning: Somewhere really far or unreachable. Basically, if you ever want to tell someone to get lost, you would tell them to go “where the pepper grows” Meaning: Where the problem is. This (perhaps obviously) relates to the idea that new shoes can often put pressure on your feet. So if you ask someone “where is the shoe pressing?”, you are asking them where the problem is. Meaning: To suck up to somebody. Meaning: That feels strange to me. This phrase probably originated when Charles V of Spain became the Kaiser of Germany. He implemented various changes, like Spanish being used as the official language. This was foreign to the local Germans and hence the phrase. Meaning: To overdo it/react excessively Meaning: To reject somebody. This is usually said in relation to relationships/dances/etc. Instead of “she rejected me” it would be “she gave me a basket.” This stems from stories and songs during the Middle Ages when a bachelor would propose to the girl he liked and she would pull him up to her window in a basket. If she didn’t reciprocate his love, she would just let him fall back down to the ground or leave him hanging there. Rejections used to be brutal…
