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Sprichwörter/Sprüche (Proverbs/Sayings)
Tricia Pahner wrote to mention that whenever she claims that something is unfair, a German friend of hers always chimes in with: So ist das Leben--hart aber dafür gemein. ("Such is life--hard but mean.") That reminded me of another saying about life that I learned long ago from an Austrian friend, which you'll find below under "Similes."
Sven Bergmeier contributed his favorite proverb: Wess' Brot ich ess', dess' Lied ich sing. ("Who pays the piper, calls the tune," lit., "Whose bread I eat is whose song I sing.")
Gleichnisse (Metaphors/Similes)
A bit of philosophy contributed by Herb Kernecker, an Austrian friend of mine: Das Leben ist wie ein Kinderhemd--kurz und beschissen. ("Life is like a child's shirt--short and crappy.") But he adds this slightly more positive proverbial view: Es ist noch nicht aller Tage Abend. ("Things could still turn out OK.")
Al Roehl, a Californian who grew up in Germany but finished his education in the U.S., reminded me of the expression: Das sind mir spanische Dörfer. = "That is something unfamiliar to me." The variation Das sind mir bömische Dörfer ("Bohemian villages") is similar, and both versions convey the idea of a strange, faraway place that is unknown. Interestingly, the Spanish phrase may go back to Kaiser (emperor) Karl V. ("der fünfte"), who was also the Habsburg King of Spain (1516-1556) and who introduced Spanish customs and dress that were strange to the court in Vienna. Another "Spanish" expression in German has two forms: Das kommt mir spanisch vor, ("It seems odd to me; I find that hard to believe.") and the similar Das ist mir spanisch. ("It's Greek to me.")
Obviously, we'll have to revisit the topic of idioms, sayings, and proverbs at a later date. What we have so far, is merely ein Tropfen auf den heißen Stein or "a drop in the bucket (on the hot stone)." For more on proverbs and idioms, see the related links below. We also offer two idiom quizzes.
BACK > Favorite Expressions: Part 1
Sources about the origin of some expressions:
dtv Wörterbuch der deutschen Alltagssprache (Heinz Küpper, Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag), Guide to German Idioms (Peter Lupson, Passport Books)
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