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What weird idioms/phrases does your language have? (lemmy.blahaj.zone)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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In Finnish we have "kissanristiäiset" (literally means a cat's christening), which means some trivial and meaningless celebration/event.

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[–] [email protected] 54 points 1 year ago (20 children)

There's a bunch of weird ones in Portuguese.

"Caroço de manga não é sabonete" Do you think that mango seed is soap? = "this is an absurd proposal/situation/etc."
"Pobre só sobe na vida quando o barraco explode" Poor people only ascend on life when the [shit]shack explodes. = "don't expect social ascension"
"Enquanto vem com o milho, já comi a polenta." While you're bringing the corn, I already ate the polenta. = "I've already handled this, you're too late."
"um polaco de cada colônia" a Pole from each settlement = a bunch of randomly picked people or items. I don't think that people use this too much outside Paraná.
"farinha do mesmo saco" flour from the same bag = extremely similar in some aspects that matter (and usually negative ones)
"comer o pão que o diabo amassou" to eat the bread kneaded by the devil = to go through rough times
"Vai chupar prego até virar tachinha!" Go suck an [iron] nail until it becomes a thumbtack! = somewhat polite way to tell someone to fuck off
"Vai ver se estou na esquina." *Go check if I'm around the corner." = also a way to tell people to fuck off
"anta quadrada" squared tapir = "anta" tapir is used to call someone stupid, so anta quadrada is stupid to the power of two.
"anta cúbica" cubed tapir = because some people do some really, really stupid shit.
"mais louco que o Requião de pedalinho" crazier than Requião on a paddle boat = Requião is a politician here in Paraná known for his crazy antics. The phrase highlights that something is completely fucking crazy. Clearly local.
"teu cu" your arse[hole] = definitively, clearly, and blatantly "no".

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

"While you're bringing corn, I already ate the polenta" is brutal

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