The Idioms I Love

Idioms add spice to our spoken or written language.

It’s true.

Just remember, they can be the toughest things to grasp!

(Read on X—formerly Twitter!)

Let’s look at some of my favourites

1. The ball is in your court: “Der Ball liegt in deinem Feld”: It’s your turn to make a decision or take action.
2. To burn the midnight oil: “Die Mitternachtsöl verbrennen”: To work late into the night.
3. To cry over spilt milk: “Über die verschüttete Milch weinen”: To cry over a past loss.
4. Every cloud has a silver lining: “Jedes Unglück hat sein Gutes”: Even difficult times have something good in them.
5. Hit the nail on the head: “Den Nagel auf den Kopf treffen”: To get something exactly right.
6. In the heat of the moment: “Im Eifer des Gefechts”: Acting impulsively due to strong emotions.
7. Miss the boat: “Den Zug verpassen”: To miss a chance.
8. Absence makes the heart grow fonder: “Die Liebe wächst mit der Entfernung”: Being apart from someone you love can make you miss them and appreciate them more.
9. Once in a blue moon: “Einmal in einem blauen Mond”: Very rarely.
10. Speak of the devil: “Wenn man vom Teufel spricht”: When someone you were talking about suddenly appears.

It’s your decision whether you want to learn idioms or not.

Just be aware that your conversation partner might not understand them!