What happens when you ask AI to translate a German proverb

A client was preparing for a workshop. She wanted to use a German proverb – “Wo gehobelt wird, fallen Späne” – and asked AI to translate it.

The AI gave her: “You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs.”

Then she asked me: “Will others understand that?”

Yes. Completely.

Same idea. Different image. Wood shavings became eggs. The meaning travelled perfectly.

That’s how idioms work across languages. You don’t translate the words. You find the idea behind them. That idea almost always has an English home.

She had already done it. She just didn’t trust herself.

Quick win: When a German idiom comes to mind, don’t search for the exact English words. Ask: what is the idea behind it? Then find the image that carries it.

💬 Have you ever avoided using a phrase because you weren’t sure it would travel?

— Christine