German-English Idioms Glossary
Idioms/Redewendungen | Slang • F
An annotated collection of idioms,
sayings, proverbs, and slang in German
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Also see:
> Introduction to this glossary
> Idioms and Sayings: Contents
GLOSSARY GUIDE: To find an idiom, saying, or proverb, look for it alphabetically by key word or key phrase. Example: To find "Alles hat ein Ende, nur die Wurst hat zwei," you could look under "A" for "alles," "E" for "Ende," or "W" for "Wurst" (when the glossary is complete). All idioms or sayings are listed in German with an English translation. English in parentheses ( ) indicates the literal translation of an expression or proverb.
F
F > nach Schema F (according to a set routine or pattern)
formulaic, in the usual (formulaic) way, “business as usual”
Example: “Der Thriller nimmt seinen Lauf nach Schema F und wird gemischt mit einem oberflächlichen Sozialdrama.” (The thriller runs its formulaic course, mixed with a superficial social drama.)
Fach betreut werden
to get expert service
Fach (subject) > ein Mann/eine Frau vom Fach
an expert (= r Fachmann/e Fachfrau)
Fach (subject) > etwas unter Dach und Fach bringen/haben
to get/have something in the bag/wrapped up, to get/have something signed, sealed, and delivered
Fach (subject) > sein Fach verstehen
to know one's stuff/one's field
Faden (thread) > nach Strich und Faden
(in a) good and proper (manner)
Fäden haben/ziehen
to be/become stringy/tacky
Example: “Der Käse zieht Fäden.” (The cheese has gone stringy.)
Fahrt (trip) > in Fahrt kommen
to (really) get going, to hit one's stride
Similar: “auf Touren/in Schwung kommen”
Fährte (trail) > eine (falsche) Fährte verfolgen
to follow a (bad) lead
Fährte (trail) > jemanden auf die falsche/richtige Fährte bringen
to put someone on the wrong/right track
Fall (case) > Das ist nicht mein Fall.
That's not my thing/my cup of tea.
(eine) Farbe bedienen
to follow suit (cards)
Farbe bekennen
to come clean, make a clean breast of it; to show one's colors, to nail one's colors to the mast (make one's decision clear)
Example: “Ich habe ihn gezwungen, Farbe zu bekennen.” (I called his bluff. I forced him to come clean.)
Faust (fist) > auf eigene Faust
on one's own (initiative), off one's own bat (Br.); under one's own steam (travel)
Faust (fist) > Das passt wie die Faust aufs Auge.
It's all wrong. It's out of place. It clashes. (colors)
Note: The same expression can also mean the opposite: It's just the thing!
Fehler (mistake) > Aus Fehlern wird man klug.
We learn from our mistakes. ("from mistakes you become smart")
Fell (fur, skin) > Man soll das Fell des Bären nicht verteilen, bevor man ihn erlegt hat.
Don't count your chickens before they're hatched. (Don't divide up the bear skin before you've killed the bear.)
fertig (ready) > Achtung, fertig, los!
Ready, set, go! On your mark, ready, go!
fertig (ready) > fix und fertig sein
to be at the end of one's rope/tether, to be all in/exhausted
fertig (ready) > ganz fertig sein
to be all in, be totally exhausted; be ruined, finished (financially); be amazed
Fettnäpfchen (grease bowl) > ins Fettnäpfchen treten
to put one's foot in it, put one's foot in one's mouth, commit a faux pas ("to step into the grease bowl")
Feuer (fire) > Gebranntes Kind scheut das Feuer.
Once bitten, twice shy. (A burnt child avoids the fire.)
finden (find) > Das wird sich alles finden.
Everything will turn out all right.
Finder (finder) > der ehrliche Finder (honest finder)
Der ehrliche Finder bekommt 100 Euro.
The person who finds and returns it will get a reward of 100 euros.
Fisch (fish) > Der Fisch stinkt vom Kopf her.
The problems start at the top. (Fish starts stinking from the head.)
Fisch (fish) > nicht Fisch, nicht Fleisch/weder Fisch noch Fleisch
neither fish nor fowl; nothing definite or recognizable (Ger., neither fish nor meat)
Example: Nicht Fisch, nicht Fleisch is the title of a play (Arbeiterdrama) by Franz Xaver Kroetz. (“Diese Geschichte zweier Ehepaare ist ja schon ein Klassiker... Jenes Stück, das Kroetz zwei Jahre nach der Uraufführung 1981 selbst an den Münchner Kammerspielen herausgebracht hat. Nun gibt es ein Wiedersehen mit diesem streng sozialkritischen Text.” - Münchner Merkur)
fix und fertig sein
to be at the end of one's rope/tether, to be all in/exhausted
fix (quick, smart) > Mach fix!
Be quick (about it)! Look lively!
Flasche (loser) > Du Flasche!
You loser!
The German word die Flasche normally means "bottle." As a slang word it means "failure, loser" (der Versager).
Fliege (fly) > zwei Fliegen mit einer Klappe schlagen
to kill two birds with one stone (hit two flies with one swatter)
Fliege (fly) > zwei Fliegen mit einem Schlag treffen
to kill two birds with one stone (hit two flies with one blow)
Fliege (fly) > Sie fielen um/starben wie die Fliegen.
They dropped/died like flies.
Frankreich (France) > wie Gott in Frankreich leben
to live very well, live the life of Riley (...like God in France)
Fuchs (fox) > wo sich Hase und Fuchs gute Nacht sagen
out in the middle of nowhere, in the back of beyond (where hare and fox say good night)
Variation: wo sich die Füchse gute Nacht sagen
Fuß (foot)
German has many “foot” expressions that are similar or identical to English: kalte Füße bekommen (to get cold feet), den Fuß auf den Mond setzen (to set foot on the moon), den Fuß in die Tür stellen (to get one's foot in the door), etc. See Fettnäpfchen above for “put one's foot in one's mouth.” Below we list primarily those German “foot” expressions that are different from English.
SEE > Lesson 15: From Head to Toe (German for Beginners)
Fuß = Bein (foot = leg)
In Austrian and Bavarian German, der Fuß is often synonymous with das Bein, meaning “leg,” as an extension of the foot.
Fuß (foot) > Fuß!/Bei Fuß!
Heel! (dog) - See German Dog Commands for more.
Fuß fassen
to gain a foothold, become established; to settle down (somewhere)
Example: “Nokia will auf dem chinesischen Handymarkt weiter Fuß fassen.” (Nokia wants to continue gaining a foothold in the Chinese wireless phone market.)
Fuß > mit jemandem auf gutem Fuß stehen
to be on good terms with someone
Fuß > jemanden auf freien Fuß setzen
to release someone, set someone free
Fuß > weder Hand noch Fuß haben
to make no sense at all (to have neither hand nor foot)
Fuß (foot) > wo der Kaiser zu Fuß hingeht (da, wo...; der Ort, wo...)
the loo, the facilities, restroom, toilet (where the emperor goes on foot)
Example: "Es gibt aber immer noch viele Leute, die in der täglichen Zeitung mehr sehen als die Unterlage für den Vogelkäfig oder das Papier für den Ort, wo der Kaiser zu Fuß hingeht."
EUPHEMISMS for die Toilette/das Klo/das WC or "I gotta go" include: "das stille Örtchen," "wo der König allein hingeht," "ich muss mal," "ich muss wohin."
Fuß > zu Fuß
on foot
Fuß > zu Fuß gehen/kommen
to walk, to go/come on foot
Fußbreit (foot's width) > keinen Fußbreit weichen
to not budge/give an inch
Füße (feet) > auf eigenen Füßen stehen
to stand by oneself (without help)
to stand on one's own two feet (be independent)
Füße > etwas mit den Füßen treten
to treat something with contempt
Füße > jemanden mit den Füßen treten
to walk all over someone
Füße > sich jemandem zu Füßen werfen
to prostrate oneself before someone, to fall at someone's feet
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START > Introduction to this glossary
MORE > Idioms and Sayings: Contents
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