If you’ve ever listened to Germans speak and thought,
“Wait, did they just say he’s got tomatoes on his eyes?” 🍅
You’re not imagining things. You’re hearing idioms — expressions that don’t translate literally but carry cultural flavor and emotional meaning.
Idioms are everywhere in German. They’re funny, visual, often a little dark… and key to sounding like a native.
This article will teach you:
- What idioms are and why they matter
- 30+ popular German idioms and their real meanings
- The cultural mindset behind them
- How to learn and use them naturally
Let’s make your German more expressive — and a lot more fun.
🤔 What Are Idioms, Really?
An idiom is a fixed expression whose meaning isn’t obvious from the words themselves.
Example:
“It’s raining cats and dogs” 🐱🐶
Means: It’s raining heavily — not a pet apocalypse.
German is full of these. They reflect how Germans think, joke, criticize, or cope — often with visual metaphors, food references, or surprisingly grim humor.
🎯 Why You Should Learn German Idioms
- 💬 They make you sound more fluent and less robotic
- 🧠 You learn vocab in context, not isolation
- 🤝 You connect better with native speakers
- 🎬 You’ll finally understand jokes in shows like Dark or Stromberg
- 🔥 And let’s be honest — they’re just more interesting than verb tables
🔟 10 Classic German Idioms You’ll Hear Everywhere
These are the bread-and-butter expressions every learner should know:
| Idiom | Literal Meaning | Actual Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof. | I only understand train station. | I don’t get it at all. |
| Da liegt der Hund begraben. | That’s where the dog is buried. | That’s the real issue. |
| Tomaten auf den Augen haben. | To have tomatoes on your eyes. | To be oblivious. |
| Ich drücke dir die Daumen. | I’m pressing my thumbs for you. | I’m wishing you luck. |
| Das ist nicht mein Bier. | That’s not my beer. | That’s not my problem. |
| Jetzt mal Butter bei die Fische. | Now put butter on the fish. | Get to the point. |
| Jemandem einen Korb geben. | To give someone a basket. | To reject someone. |
| Das ist mir Wurst. | That’s sausage to me. | I don’t care. |
| Eine Extrawurst bekommen. | To get an extra sausage. | To get special treatment. |
| Ins Fettnäpfchen treten. | To step in the fat bowl. | To put your foot in your mouth. |
🍽️ Idioms Involving Food (Because of Course)
Germans love food — and idioms show it. Here are some tasty expressions:
1. Du hast wohl eine Schraube locker.
You must have a loose screw.
➡️ You’re acting crazy / something’s off upstairs.
2. Die Suppe auslöffeln, die man sich eingebrockt hat.
To spoon out the soup you yourself brewed.
➡️ Deal with the mess you made.
3. Er hat eine lange Leitung.
He has a long wire.
➡️ He’s slow to understand things.
4. Die beleidigte Leberwurst spielen.
To act like an offended liver sausage.
➡️ To sulk / overreact.
🧠 Cultural Note: Germans really say this. It’s their way of calling someone passive-aggressively pouty.
😵 Idioms About Confusion, Mistakes & Awkward Moments
1. Ich bin völlig durch den Wind.
I’m completely through the wind.
➡️ I’m confused / frazzled.
2. Das geht auf keine Kuhhaut.
That doesn’t fit on a cowhide.
➡️ That’s outrageous / too much.
3. Etwas aus dem Ärmel schütteln.
To shake something out of your sleeve.
➡️ To come up with something effortlessly.
4. Den Nagel auf den Kopf treffen.
To hit the nail on the head.
➡️ Exactly right.
😈 Idioms with a Dark (and Very German) Twist
1. Mit dem linken Fuß aufstehen.
To get up with the left foot.
➡️ To start the day in a bad mood.
2. Eine Leiche im Keller haben.
To have a skeleton in the closet.
➡️ To have a dark secret.
3. Das Leben ist kein Ponyhof.
Life is not a pony farm.
➡️ Life isn’t easy or always fun.
🧠 Cultural Insight: Germans often use these to bring conversations back to reality — practicality over fluff.
🧠 How to Learn and Use Idioms Effectively
1. Don’t memorize lists — learn them in context
Hear them in shows, podcasts, or conversations.
2. Use spaced repetition flashcards
Apps like Anki, Quizlet, or LingQ let you review idioms with example sentences.
3. Group by theme or imagery
Learning food-based idioms together makes them more memorable.
4. Say them out loud
Practice using idioms in real conversations — even with yourself.
5. Make them visual
Draw the literal image of the idiom — the more ridiculous, the better.
🧠 Example: For “Tomaten auf den Augen haben”, draw a person with actual tomatoes over their eyes.
🗨️ Sample Dialogue with Idioms (B1–B2)
Max: Wie war dein Date gestern?
Lena: Ach, Katastrophe. Ich hab total ins Fettnäpfchen getreten.
Max: Echt? Was hast du gesagt?
Lena: Ich dachte, er sei der Kellner…
Max: Oof. Aber hey, das ist nicht dein Bier jetzt.
Lena: Stimmt. Ich drück mir einfach selbst die Daumen fürs nächste Mal. 😅
➡️ Translation:
Max: How was your date yesterday?
Lena: Ugh, disaster. I totally put my foot in it.
Max: Really? What did you say?
Lena: I thought he was the waiter…
Max: Oof. But hey, not your problem now.
Lena: True. I’ll just keep my fingers crossed for next time.
📌 Quick Idiom Recap Sheet (Cheat Mode)
| Idiom | Use It When… |
|---|---|
| Da liegt der Hund begraben | You’re uncovering a hidden issue |
| Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof | You’re lost in a convo |
| Butter bei die Fische | You want someone to get to the point |
| Das ist mir Wurst | You genuinely don’t care |
| Er hat nicht alle Tassen im Schrank | Someone’s acting weird |
✍️ Final Thought
Idioms are the soul of a language — illogical, emotional, and often hilarious.
By learning and using German idioms, you’re not just studying vocabulary —
you’re joining the culture, thinking more like a native, and making your German infinitely more expressive.
So next time you’re in a conversation and someone says “Da liegt der Hund begraben,”
don’t just nod. Smile. You get it now. 🐶💡