Learning new words is important, but it’s also important to learn how those words are used. One of the problems for people learning a new language is that the words in common idioms can be hard to understand without the cultural background in the language. An idiom is a phrase in which the meaning of the individual words used doesn’t really translate to the meaning of the phrase as a whole. For example, the English idiom “raining cats and dogs” doesn’t mean that you’ve got hairy animals falling from the skies, just that the rain is particularly heavy. Whether you’re learning English as a second language, or adding a new language to your set of skills to help with work or travel, you’ll find that you fit in better with the people around you – and will certainly understand them better! – if you work on the idioms for that language.

Spanish Idioms

nacio con el pan bajo el brazo
Literal translation: born with bread under the arm
English equivalent: born with a silver spoon in your mouth
(to be born with all the advantages, like being in a wealthy family)

no me tomes el pelo
Literal translation: don’t take my hair
English equivalent: don’t pull my leg
(don’t try to fool me)

Italian Idioms

sei sempre in mezzo come il prezzemolo
Literal translation: you’re always in the middle like parsley
English equivalent: you’re always underfoot

far d’una mosca un elefante
Literal translation: to make an elephant out of a fly
English equivalent: to make a mountain out of a molehill
(to make a big deal out of something insignificant or unimportant)

French Idioms

plein comme un oeuf
Literal translation: full as an egg
English equivalent: filled to the top

occupe-toi avec tes oignons
Literal translation: take care of your onions
English equivalent: mind your own business

For more interesting idioms from around the world, check out Jag Bhalla’s book, “I’m Not Hanging Noodles on Your Ears.”