Exploring idioms. A How do you say this in English?

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1 Sometimes idioms are the same in two different languages, sometimes similar, sometimes completely different and sometimes there is simply no idiom in the other language. A How do you say this in English? 1. jemandem ein Loch in den Bauch reden a) to talk a hole in someone s stomach b) to talk someone s ear off c) to talk someone s head off 2. Hals- und Beinbruch! a) Neck and leg breakage! b) Break a leg! c) Good job! 3. jemanden auf den Arm nehmen a) to take someone s arm b) to pull someone s leg c) to tickle someone s knees 4. Schmetterlinge im Bauch haben a) to have airplanes in your stomach b) to have butterflies in your stomach c) to be very nervous 5. ihm klingeln die Ohren a) his ears are ringing b) his ears are burning c) his head is spinning 6. Das war für die Katz! a) That was for the cat! b) All for nothing! c) That was for the dogs! 7. ein Tropfen auf dem heißen Stein a) a drop on a hot stone b) a drop in the bucket c) a puddle in the ocean 8. die Katze aus dem Sack lassen a) to let the cat out of the bag b) to spill the beans c) to sow oats 1

2 B Using idioms Write a German equivalent for these English idioms. If there is no German idiom, write a short example sentence with the English idiom. 1. to be green with envy (eifersüchtig) = 2. to feel blue (sad) = 3. to kick the bucket (die) = 4. to be a piece of cake (very easy) = 5. to cost an arm and a leg (very expensive) = 6. to have a gut feeling (intuition) = 7. Excuse my French. (apologize for using bad language) = 8. to beat around the bush (avoid) = 9. it s Greek to me (incomprehensible) = C The world of sports a) In your notebook make a table with these headings. Leave room under each heading to write in the sports idioms. Write the idioms under the sport that they come from. American football Track and field Baseball Archery Billiard Boating Boxing Horse racing to toe the line to jockey for position three strikes and you re out to kick off saved by the bell ballpark estimate to be behind the eight ball even keeled to come out of left field down for the count in the homestretch to be off base to tackle a problem to touch base with someone across the board below the belt to be wide of the mark to jump the gun to move the 2

3 goalposts to go to bat for someone to play hardball with someone to call the shots to roll with the punches neck and neck right off the bat to hit the bull s eye to have the inside track to cover all the bases to step up to the plate to take the wind out of someone s sails to be right on target b) Now find the correct idiom from the world of sports to replace the words in parentheses. 1. Sue is a really (calm) person. Nothing can upset her. a. below the belt b. even-keeled c. neck and neck 2. My parents told me to (accept the challenge) and apply for the job. a. jockey for position b. roll with the punches c. step up to the plate 3. Jen and I met yesterday and we became friends (right away). a. right off base. b. right off the bat. c. at the kick off. 4. Please wait until we have all the information and don t (start anything too soon). a. jump the gun. b. hit the bull s eye. c. play hardball. 5. My mom (makes all the decisions) in our family. Talk to her. a. calls all the shots b. has the inside track c. comes out of left field 6. You are so (wrong)! That s just not right. a. behind the eight ball b. down for the count c. off base 7. He said he didn t think I could do it. He really (discouraged me). a. took the wind out of my sails. b. covered all the bases. c. toed the line. 8. I want to (contact) Gabe and get a quick report on how he s doing. a. touch base with b. go to bat for c. step up to the plate with 9. We have to (look for an answer to this difficulty). a. tackle this problem. b. move the goalposts. c. jockey for position. 10. It s (a very close) election. I have no idea who will win. a. an even-keeled b. a neck-and-neck c. a ballpark estimate 3

4 D Spotting idioms a) Read this text and underline the 12 idioms. I don t know about you, but flirting is just not my cup of tea. I mean if I had to decide which was worse flirting or taking a math test it would be a toss-up because they re both awful. Here s an example. I heard through the grapevine that this guy Chad was interested in me but he didn t know if I liked him. Maybe I had noticed him making eyes at me, but every time I thought about flirting or even just talking to him, I got cold feet. And I certainly didn t want everyone and their brother to be watching me! But one day I saw Chad standing all alone at the bus stop. I crossed my fingers, imagined us talking about everything under the sun, walked over and said hi, in what I thought was a very flirtatious voice. Chad just mumbled something that was maybe hi, but I couldn t really tell. I tried to make conversation, but he wouldn t even look at me. He was so stuck up! Had I done something wrong? I couldn t make head or tail of it first I hear he likes me and then he won t even look at me. So much for my attempt at flirting! I was back to square one. Maybe I should add learning to flirt to my bucket list. b) Now translate the text into German in your notebook. E Last chance! Can you find equivalents for these idioms? 1. einen Ohrwurm haben 2. wenn man vom Teufel spricht 3. close but no cigar 4. drive someone up a wall 5. dropping like flies 4

5 Teacher s page: Exploring idioms A How do you say this in English? 1. b; 2. b; 3. b; 4. c (the English idiom butterflies in your stomach exists, but it means something different than the German idiom; it means to be very nervous and not in love as in German); 5. a (AE) or b (BE); 6. b; 7. b; 8. a & b B Using idioms 1. to be green with envy (eifersüchtig) = gelb/grün vor Neid 2. to feel blue (sad) = My dog died yesterday and I m feeling very blue. 3. to kick the bucket (die) = ins Gras beißen 4. to be a piece of cake (very easy) = ein Klacks/Honiglecken sein 5. to cost an arm and a leg (very expensive) = mir mein letztes Hemd kosten 6. to have a gut feeling (intuition) = Bauchgefühl 7. Excuse my French. (apologize for using bad language) = Oh shit! Sorry, I didn t mean to swear. Excuse my French. 8. to beat around the bush (avoid) = um den heißen Brei reden 9. it s Greek to me (incomprehensible) = das kommt mir Spanisch vor C All sports a) American football to kick off to tackle a problem to move the goalposts Track and field to toe the line in the homestretch to jump the gun to have the inside track Baseball three strikes and you re out ballpark estimate to come out of left field to be off base to touch base with someone to go to bat for someone to play hardball with someone right off the bat to cover all the bases to step up to the plate Archery to hit the bull s eye to be (right) on target to be wide of the mark Billiard to be behind the eight ball to call the shots Boating even keeled to take the wind out of someone s sails Boxing saved by the bell down for the count below the belt to roll with the punches Horse racing to jockey for position across the board neck and neck b) 1. b.; 2. c.; 3. b.; 4. a.; 5. a.; 6. c.; 7. a.; 8. a.; 9. a.; 10. b. D Spotting idioms a) not my cup of tea be a toss-up heard through the grapevine making eyes at me got cold feet 5

6 Teacher s page: Exploring idioms everyone and their brother crossed my fingers everything under the sun to be stuck up couldn t make head nor tail of it back to square one bucket list b) Ich weiß nicht, wie es dir geht aber das Flirten ist nicht mein Ding. Wenn ich mich entscheiden müsste was schlimmer ist Flirten oder eine Mathearbeit schreiben wäre es ein Unentschieden weil sie beide furchtbar sind. Hier ein Beispiel. Ich habe über den Buschfunk gehört, dass dieser Typ Chad mich mag aber nicht weiß, ob ich auch ihn mag. Vielleicht habe ich schon mal bemerkt, wie er mir schöne Augen machte, aber immer wenn ich daran dachte mit ihm zu flirten oder sogar mit ihm zu reden, bekam ich kalte Füße. Und ich wollte ganz sicher nicht, dass alle Welt mir dabei zuschaute. Aber eines Tages sah ich Chad ganz allein an der Bushaltestelle. Ich machte drei Kreuze, stellte mir vor, wie wir über Gott und die Welt redeten, ging hinüber und sagte hi in einer wie mir vorkam sehr koketten Stimme. Chad murmelte ein hi vor sich hin aber ich war mir nicht sicher. Ich versuchte mich mit ihm zu unterhalten, aber er schaute mich nicht mal an. Er war so arrogant! Hatte ich was Falsches gemacht? Ich konnte mir keinen Reim darauf machen erst höre ich, dass er mich mag und dann schaut er mich nicht mal an. So viel zu meinem Flirtversuch. Ich war wieder am Anfang. Vielleicht sollte ich Flirten lernen auf meine persönliche Wunschliste meiner Lebensträume setzen. E Last chance! 1. einen Ohrwurm haben can t get something out of your head 2. wenn man vom Teufel spricht speak of the devil 3. close but no cigar knapp daneben ist auch vorbei 4. drive someone up a wall jemandem auf den Wecker gehen 5. dropping like flies einer nach dem anderen schlappmachen 6