Collection of Proverbs and Idioms

1
Comenius 2011 Germany/Romania/Turkey
German proverbs and idioms related to `water`:
A
Alle Wasser laufen ins Meer.
All the water runs into the sea.
auch nur mit Wasser kochen
they`re no different from anybody else
B
Bei ruhigem Wasser kann jeder leicht Steuermann sein.
It is easy to stear a ship if the water is calm.
bei Wasser und Brot
behind bars
Bis dahin fließt noch viel Wasser den Bach hinunter.
A lot of waterwill have flowed under the bridge by then.
Blut ist dicker als Wasser.
Blood is thicker than water.
Blut und Wasser schwitzen
To sweat blood and water.
D
das hat sich gewaschen
that really had an effect
Das Wasser, das du nicht trinken kannst, lasse fließen.
Don`t try to reach out for the stars.
das Fass zum Überlaufen bringen
to put the tin lid on it
das Wasser abgraben
to take the bread from somebody`s mouth
das Wasser bis Oberkante Unterlippe stehen
to have too much work to do
2
das Wasser bis zum Hals stehen haben
to be in it up to one`s neck
das Wasser läuft im Mund zusammen
It makes my mouth water.
dem Fass den Boden ausschlagen
that beats everything
dem Wasser seinen Lauf lassen
not to try to intervene or prevent
den Brunnen erst zumachen, wenn das Kind in den Brunnen
gefallen ist
to lock the door after the horse has bolted
Der Krug geht solange zum Brunnen bis er bricht.
If you keep doing this you will fail.
E
ein Schlag ins Wasser
a washout, a let-down
ein Tropfen auf dem heißen Stein
a drop in the ocean
eine Handbreit Wasser unterm Kiel wünschen
to wish good luck
Eine Hand wäscht die andere.
If you scratch my back I`ll scratch yours.
Er kann ihm das Wasser nicht reichen. /
He can’t hold a candle to him.
Er kann kein Wässerchen trüben.
He cannot do any harm to anybody.
Er predigt Wasser und trinkt Wein.
He prays water and drinks wine.
Es treibt ihm das Wasser in die Augen.
He gets water in the eyes.
etwas ausbaden
to carry the can for
3
F
Fünf sind geladen, zehn sind gekommen, tu´ Wasser zur Suppe
- heiß alle willkommen.
Everybody is welcome even if they are not invited.
I
In großen Wässern fängt man große Fische.
In big waters you can catch big fishes.
ins Wasser fallen
to fall through
ins Wasser gehen
to commit siucide through drowning
J
jemanden im Regen stehen lassen
to leave somebody although he has got problems
jemanden ins kalte Wasser werfen
to force someone to do something although he hasn`t got enough
experience
M
Man muss den Brunnen so tief graben, bis er Wasser gibt.
not to surrender to difficulties
mit allen Wassern gewaschen sein
to know all the tricks
mit einem Sieb Wasser schöpfen
to try in vain
N
nahe am Wasser gebaut
to be inclined to tears
R
Rotz und Wasser heulen
to blubber
4
S
seine Hände in Unschuld waschen
to be innocent
schmutzige Wäsche in der Öffentlichkeit waschen
to was hone`s dirty linen in public
sich fühlen wie ein Fisch im Wasser
to feel comfortable
sich über Wasser halten
to keep one`s head above water
Sprung ins kalte Wasser wagen
to have the courage to do something new
Spucke nicht in den Brunnen, du musst selbst aus ihm
trinken.
Do not spit into the well, you'll have to drink from it.
Stein ins Wasser werfen
to make something start
Steter Tropfen höhlt den Stein.
Constant dripping wears the stone.
Stille Wasser gründen tief.
Still waters run deep.
Sturm im Wasserglas
much ado about nothing
T
Tadle nicht den Fluss, wenn du ins Wasser fällst.
Do not blame the water when you fall into it.
wie Feuer und Wasser
Like fire and water
5
V
vom Regen in die Traufe
out oft he frying pan into the water.
von reinstem Wasser
of high quality
W
waschecht
genuine, real
Wasser auf die Mühlen gießen
to support someone
Wasser hat keine Balken
Water is dangerous.
Wasser in den Rhein schütten
to do something senseless
Wasser in den Wein gießen
to pour cold water on somebody`s ideas
Wasser ins Meer tragen
to do something senseless
Wasser und Blut schwitzen
to sweat water and blood
wie ein Wasserfall reden
to talk nineteen to the dozen
wie Feuer und Wasser
like fire and water
6
Turkish proverbs and idioms related to ‘ water’.
‘water’= ‘su’
A
Akan su yosun tutmaz
Running water gathers no moss
Ağzının suyu akmak
Want to eat or drink something very much
Ayaklarına kara sular inmek
Walk someone’s feet off
Aralarından su sızmamak
Be bosom friends
B
Balık baştan kokar, su dipten bulanır
Trouble starts either by senseless leadership or by underground
activities
Bir içim su
She’s an absolute knockout
Bir kaşık suda boğmak istemek
Hate somebody’s guts
Bin dereden su getirmek
Beat about the bush
Bulanık suda balık avlamak
Fish in troubled waters
Bir bardak suda fırtınalar koparmak
Have a storm in a tea cup
D
Damlaya damlaya göl olur.
Drop by drop the lake is formed.
7
Denize düşen yılana sarılır
Desperate times call for desperate measures
E
Eline su dökememek
Not hold a candle to someone
Elini sıcak sudan soğuk suya sokmamak
Lead a comfortable life
H
Havadan sudan konuşmak
Speak sweet nothings
Havanda su dövmek
Beat the air
I
İçtikleri su ayrı gitmez
live in each other’s pockets
İyilik yap denize at
Do good and throw it into the sea: if the fish don’t know, God will
K
Köprünün altından çok sular geçti
İt’s all water under the bridge
P
Pişmiş aşa su katmak
Throw cold water over an idea/a plan
S
Saman altından su yürütmek
Act on the sly
Su koyvermek
Back on one’s word
8
Sudan ucuz
Very cheap
Su gibi ezberlemek
memorize something perfectly
Su akarken testiyi doldurmalı
Better to save money when you’re able to work
Su götürmez
undeniable
Su götürür
be debatable
Su gibi akıp gitmek
fly by
Su gibi gitmek
go like a bomb
Suyunu çekmek
run out
Suya düşmek
fail
Suya sabuna dokunmamak
avoid meddling
Sudan çıkmış balığa dönmek
feel awkward because you’re not familiar with a situation
Su yüzüne çıkmak
come out
Su uyur düşman uyumaz
Water sleeps enemies never, a foe is wideawake at all times.
Su testisi su yolunda kırılır
Testicle is broken in the waterway
Suyu görmeden paçaları sıvamak
Don’t count your chicken before they’re hatched
9
Su akar yatağını bulur
Whatever will be, will be
T
Taşıma su ile değirmen dönmez
Carrying water is not returned to the mill
Y
Yüreğine su serpmek
Comfort somebody
Z
Zeytinyağı gibi suyun yüzüne çıkmak
pretended to be right
10
Romanian proverbs and idioms related to
“water”.
A
Apa trece, pietrele rămân.
Water flows, the stones remain.
Apa, vântul şi gura lumii nu le poţi opri.
You can’t stop the water ,the wind and the world’s mouth.
Apa nu stă pe munţi, nici răzbunarea într-o inimă mare.
The water doesn’t stay on the mountains, neither does revenge ,in a big
heart.
Apa care vine mare e un semn că se termină repede.
The water that comes much is a sign that it ends fast.
Apa cand se umfla si pe munti ii cufunda.
When water swells it plunges the mountains.
Apa tulbure e bucuria pescarilor.
Muddy water is the fisherman’s joy.
B
Binele te scapa de foc si de apa.
Good saves you from fire and water.
Bogatia nu vine la nimeni pe apa.
Wealth doesn’t come to anybody on the water.
Bun ii vinul, nu-i ca apa, nici friptura nu-i ca ceapa.
Wine is good,it’s not like water, but nor roast is like onion.
C
Cuvintele sunt doar bulbuci de apă, pe când faptele sunt stropi
de aur.
Words are just bubbles on water, but deeds are drops of gold.
Când apa este prea limpede, acolo nu se găsesc peşti; când
omul este virtuos, nu are prea mulţi prieteni.
When the water is too clear, there aren’t fish;when a man is virtuous, he
doesn’t have many friends.
11
Creste de parca ar avea apa la radacina.
He grows as if he had water on his roots.
Cele rele sa le scrii pe apa ce curge, iar facerea de bine in piatra
sa o sapi.
You should write the bad things on flowing water, and the good things
on rocks.
Cerul, pamantul, focul si apa n-au judecata.
The sky, the earth the fire and the water don’t have judgment.
D
Duce apa cu ciurul.
Carry the water with the sieve.
Degeaba cauţi urme de paşi sub apă.
You’re searching in vain for footprints under water.
Din pumni straini nu te saturi cand bei apa.
From the hands of a stranger you won’t get enough water.
De apa mica sa-ti fie frica.
You should be scared of small waters.
E
E greu să mai strângi la loc apa vărsată.
It’s hard to gather back the water after it’s spilled.
Efortul de a gândi seamănă cu săparea unui puţ; acesta dă la
început apă tulbure, apoi ea se limpezeşte încetul cu încetul.
The effort of thinking is alike digging a shaft;first it gives muddy
water, but with time it gets clear.
F
Focul, apa şi mintea îţi sunt de folos atât timp cât ştii să-i
stăpâneşti.
The fire, the water and the mind are useful as long as you know how to
control them.
Fereşte-te de omul care priveşte în jos şi de apa care curge lin.
Avoid the man who’s looking down and the water that flows smooth.
12
Focul cu apa nu se imprietenesc.
Fire and water won’t be friends.
I
Întreaga apă a mării nu-i ajunge decât la genunchi celui care
nu se teme de moarte.
The water from the whole sea will get only to the knee to those who
aren’t afraid of death.
In apa in care te scalzi, in aceea te vei ineca.
The water you are swimming in, is the water you’ll drown in.
In apa lina te ineci usor.
In the smooth water you’ll drown easily.
L
Lumea e amăgitoare: ca o floare trecătoare, ca o apă
curgătoare.
The world is disappointing like a passing flower, like a flowing water.
M
Minte de ingheata apele.
His lies make the water freeze.
Morarul, cand are apa la moara, bea vin, si cand n-are vin, nu
bea nici apa.
When the miller has water on his mill, he drinks wine, and when he
hasn’t got any wine, he doesn’t drink water either.
Multa apa a trecut de-atunci.
Lots of water passed since then.
Mai multi se ineaca in bautura decat in apa.
More people drown in alcohol than water.
N
Nu este treaba măgarului de unde beau oile apă.
It’s not the donky’s business where the sheeps drink water.
Nu poţi învăţa să înoţi dacă nu cobori în apă.
You can’t learn how to swimm, if you don’t go into the water.
Nu arunca cu pietre în fântâna din care bei apă.
Don’t throw stones in the fountain you’re drinking water from.
13
O
O vorbă bună stinge focul mai repede decât apa.
A few good words put the fire out faster than water.
Omul seamana cu apa – daca sta mult, se strica.
A man is like water-if he stays much, he spoils.
Oricata apa bea un peste, toata o scoate pe urechi.
It doesn’t matter how much water a fish drinks, because it’s coming all
out of his ears.
P
Poţi duce un cal la apă, dar nu-l poţi forţa să bea.
You can bring a horse to the water, but you can’t force him to drink.
Precum apa inima ti-o racoreste, asa si invatatura mintea ti-o
limpezeste.
Like water cools the heart, so does knowledge clear the mind.
Printr-o crapatura mica strabate apa in corabia cea mare.
Though a small crack comes water in a big ship.
Pentru corabie mare trebuie apa multa.
For a big ship you need much water.
R
Răbdarea îndrăgostitului e ca apa în sită.
The patience of a person in love is like the water in a sieve.
Raul lin are apa afunda.
The smooth river has deep water.
S
Sângele apă nu se face.
Blood won’t turn into water.
Sângele nu se spală cu sânge, ci cu apă.
You don’t wash blood with blood, but with water.
Setosul bea apa din orice lac.
The thirsty one drinks water from any lake.
14
Sa nu te faci viteaz la apa mare.
Don’t make yourself brave in big water.
T
Toata apa stinge focul.
Every water extinguishes a fire.
Toate apele in mare se varsa si marea nu se mai umple.
Every river flows into the sea, but the sea never fill up.
U
Ulciorul nu merge de multe ori la apă.
A pitcher doesn’t go often to the water.
V
Va veni apa si la moara mea.
The water will come to my mill too.