Common Idioms | General | Vocabulary | German

Idioms give color to language and reveal cultural values through vivid imagery. This guide covers frequent German idioms that learners can use in everyday speech.

Time

Time idioms often relate to punctuality, deadlines, and the value of moments. They reveal attitudes toward planning and seizing opportunities.

Idioms

German Expression	English Translation	Literal Meaning	Notes
Zeit ist Geld	Time is money	Time is money	Used to emphasize efficiency
die Zeit totschlagen	to kill time	to kill time	Doing something to pass time
auf die lange Bank schieben	to put off	to push onto the long bench	To delay or procrastinate
im letzten Moment	at the last moment	in the last moment	Very close to a deadline
Zeit nachholen	to make up for lost time	to catch up on time	To recover delays

Fill in the BlankIch versuche, keine Zeit zu(waste).

I'm trying not to kill time.

Animals

Animal idioms draw on traits associated with different creatures, like cunning, laziness, or strength. They are common in both speech and writing.

Idioms

German Expression	English Translation	Literal Meaning	Notes
ein alter Fuchs	a sly fox	an old fox	A clever, experienced person
die Katze aus dem Sack lassen	to let the cat out of the bag	to let the cat out of the sack	To reveal a secret
wie Hund und Katze	like cats and dogs	like dog and cat	Constantly fighting
jemandem einen Bären aufbinden	to pull someone's leg	to tie a bear to someone	To tell a tall tale
die Taube auf dem Dach	a bird in the hand	the dove on the roof	Preferring a sure thing

Food

Food idioms often relate to appetite, value, and senses. They make expressions more relatable by linking abstract ideas to everyday experiences.

Idioms

German Expression	English Translation	Literal Meaning	Notes
das ist nicht mein Bier	that's not my problem	that's not my beer	Not my concern
jemandem Honig ums Maul schmieren	to butter someone up	to smear honey around someone's mouth	To flatter someone
Butter bei die Fische	get to the point	butter with the fish	Give the real facts
sich die Rosinen rauspicken	to cherry-pick	to pick out the raisins	Taking only the best parts
da liegt der Hund begraben	that's the crux	that's where the dog is buried	That's the real issue

Colors

Color idioms invoke emotions and traits associated with different hues, such as envy, bravery, or shame. They are often used in vivid descriptions.

Idioms

German Expression	English Translation	Literal Meaning	Notes
rot sehen	to see red	to see red	To become very angry
grün hinter den Ohren sein	to be green	to be green behind the ears	To be inexperienced
blaumachen	to play hooky	to make blue	To skip work or school
ins Schwarze treffen	to hit the mark	to hit the black	To be exactly right
jemandem hörig sein	to be under someone's thumb	to be obedient to someone	To be dominated by someone

Weather

Weather idioms use natural phenomena to describe moods, situations, and changes. They are common in both literal and figurative language.

Idioms

German Expression	English Translation	Literal Meaning	Notes
es regnet Bindfäden	it's raining cats and dogs	it's raining ropes	Very heavy rain
unter vier Augen	in private	under four eyes	A private, confidential talk
alles im grünen Bereich	everything's fine	everything in the green area	Everything under control
das ist Schnee von gestern	that's old news	that's snow from yesterday	No longer relevant
den Sturm im Wasserglas	a tempest in a teapot	the storm in a glass of water	Making a big deal out of nothing

Money

Money idioms focus on wealth, value, and spending habits. They reflect practical attitudes and sometimes social criticism.

Idioms

German Expression	English Translation	Literal Meaning	Notes
ein Vermögen kosten	to cost a fortune	to cost a fortune	Very expensive
Geld zum Fenster rauswerfen	to throw money away	to throw money out the window	Waste money
auf großem Fuß leben	to live large	to live on a big foot	To live extravagantly
wie ein Geizhals sein	to be stingy	to be like a miser	Very tight with money
seine Brötchen verdienen	to earn a living	to earn one's little breads	To make money for necessities

Summary

Idioms enrich speech by packing cultural meaning into short phrases. Learning common idioms in categories like time, animals, food, colors, weather, and money helps learners sound natural and understand nuances.

Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025