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Animal idioms illustrated and translated to Catalan
(to) be restless, uneasy. Catalan: un sac de nervis (literally, a bag of nerves).
A misleading clue or piece of information. Catalan: pista falsa (literally, false clue).
Sex education. Catalan: la cigonya (literally, the stork)
An unwated or annoying possession. Catalan: Regal enverinat (literally, poisoned gift)
… And while we’re at it, some jokes about elephants:
What did the elephant say to a naked man?
Hey that’s cute but can you breath through it?
What’s grey, stands in a river when it rains and doesn’t get wet?
An elephant with an umbrella!
Why does an elephant wear sneakers?
So that he can sneak up on mice!
A short sleep. Catalan: fer una becaina (literally, to take a nap)
Very happy. Catalan: content com un gínjol (literally, happy as a jujube).
Odd, strange, suspicious. Catalan: (hi ha) gat amagat (literally, there’s a hidden cat here).
While we’re at it, a fish joke:
What did the fish say when he posted bail? “I’m off the hook!”
Someone who has only one ability or good quality . Catalan: there is no equivalent, the literal translation is Poni d’un sol truc.
A completely different thing, topic or subject (very similar to a horse of a different colour). Catalan: figues d’un altre paner (literally, figs from another pannier or basket)
A completely different thing, topic or subject (very similar to a different kettle of fish). Catalan: figues d’un altre paner (literally, figs from another pannier or basket).
Someone used as part of an experiment or trial. Catalan: conillet d’indies)
While we are are it, here is a joke about guinea pigs…
Q: When do guinea pigs run away from rain? A: When its raining cats and dogs!
(to) abandon their responsibility or commitment in a way that is sneaky or cowardly. Catalan: escaquejar-se (colloquial, literally, to cop out).
While we are at it, here is a joke about weasels:
A 13 year old weasel walks into a bar and approaches the counter. The bartender immediately notices the underage weasel.
“Sir, you look extremely young. I can’t serve you even a single beer.”
“Oh c’mon. You can’t just slide me one?”
“Can’t and will not serve to anyone under age.”
“Fine. Well what other things do you have?”
“Well for non-alcoholics I have tap water and bottled water, I have coffee, and I have pop. Which would you like?”
“Pop.” Goes the weasel.
A very peaceful and non-violent person. Catalan: No li faria mal a una mosca (literally, wouldn’t hurt a fly).
While we’re at it, here is two jokes about flies:
What is the difference between a fly and a bird? A bird can fly but a fly can’t bird!
What do you call a fly that is ill? Answer: The flew
Extremely angry or upset. Catalan: empipat com una mona (angry as a monkey).
Also Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle! Used to express complete surprise, amazement or disbelief . Catalan: N’hi ha per a llogar-hi cadires (literally, there is to rent chairs!) or Me’n faig creus (literally, I make myself crosses).
An exaggerated or falsified story or explanation. Catalan: un sopar de duro (literally, a one coin dinner).
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Meaning. Examples. Equivalents in other languages.
You can’t get blood out of a stone or You can’t get blood from a stone means that it is pointless to expect positive results from someone or something that doesn’t have the will, the ability or the resources.
Persuading Mary to come to the party is like getting blood from a stone.
Getting him to come clean is like trying to get blood out of a stone.
C’est comme se heurter à un mur (literally, It’s like hitting your head against a wall).
Is doiligh olann a bhaint de ghabhar ( literally, it’s hard to get wool off a goat).
Verlorene Liebesmüh ( literally, Love’s Labour’s Lost).
Come picchiare un cavallo morto ( literally, It’s like flogging a dead horse) .
Tirar nabos da púcara ( literally, to throw prickly turnips).
No le pidas peras al olmo (literally, don’t ask for pears to an elm tree)
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(to) drive someone bananas meaning, synonyms, examples and equivalents in other languages.
To drive someone bananas means to drive one crazy or to make someone feel stressed. You can also go bananas if you get angry; or go mad.
(to) grind one’s gears (AmE), get someone’s goat, drive crazy, drive nuts, drive round the bend, give a hard time, harass, tease, irritate, bother, distress, plague, persecute, annoy, trouble, hound, agonize, vex, crucify, torture, harry, harrow, excruciate, nag, punish, bait, break, wring, afflict, worry, pester, provoke, rack, bedevil, try, devil, smite.
All that noise was driving him bananas!
Tom’s acting childish today, it’s driving me bananas.
sb = somebody
In Catalan it is Treure de polleguera (literally, take out of the hinge).
In French, as in Catalan, it is Faire sortir quelqu’un de ses gonds (literally, pull someone out of their hinges).
In German you say jdn. wahnsinnig machen (literally, to drive crazy)
In Spanish it is Sacar de quicio (meaning to aggravate or annoy).
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Nuts meaning, examples, synonyms. Nuts in other languages.
Nuts, in a figurative sense, means to be crazy or foolish. You can go nuts (go crazy) or something can drive you nuts (crazy). It also means to be very enthusiastic about something.
Nutcase, crazy, cracked, whacky, batty, moonstruck, loony, barmy (GB), crackers (GB), daft, screwy, mental, maniac, haywire, crackpot, kook (US)
She went nuts when she won the lottery. He lost all the money just one year after.
I sometimes go nuts when people touch my stuff.
I’m nuts about boardgames, specially Settlers of Catan.
In Catalan you can say tocat del bolet (literally,touched by a mushroom) for Nuts or estar tocat del bolet for (to) be nuts. You can also say et falta un bull (literally, you lack a boil) or estàs com un llum (literally, you are like a light) or even estàs com una cabra (literally, you are like a goat).
In Basque language we have a number of choices: burutik eginda egon, (burutik) jota egon, (burutik) eraginda egon, (burutik) ondo egon ez, (burutik) sano egon ez, harrikadea euki/harrikada eduki (hum.), ganbaratik ondo egon ez (hum.), burua pitzatuta eduki, zoratuta egon.
In French you can say complètement cinglé(e) o complètement à la masse. For example: Mon Dieu, il est complètement cinglé! (OMG, he’s gone completely nuts!)
In Italian, there is the expression Passo. For instance, No, allora sì che crederanno davvero che sono pazzo (Now they will think that I’ve really gone nuts).
Depending on the context, in Irish Gaelic nuts can be:
He’s completely nuts: tá sé glan as a mheabhair, tá sé iomlán craiceáilte, tá sé ar mire glan
She went nuts: chaill sí an bloc, spréach sí, chuaigh sí ar mire
It’s driving me nuts: tá sé do mo chur soir, tá sé do mo chur as mo mheabhair
(to) be nuts in German is Spinnen (informal): (to) go nuts is durchdrehen or anfangen zu spinnen.
In Scots Gaelic, Nuts is Cnóthan (as in nuts/bolts; walnuts etc.) As in crazy/nuts, craicte.
In Spanish you can say estar como un cencerro (literally, to be like a cowbell). You can also say chiflado (loony, whacky) or estar como una cabra (literally, to be like a goat).
Nuts is knäpp in Swedish.
(to) sleep like a log: meaning, synonyms, example and translations to other languages
(to) sleep like a log means to sleep like a baby, like a rock, like a top… that is to say, to sleep heavily, long and without disturbance.
You slept like a log. You didn’t even hear the storm.
In Catalan you can say either Dormir com un tronc (literally, to sleep like a log) or Dormir com un soc (literally, to sleep like a stump). You can also say Dormir com un bebè (to sleep like a baby).
In French it is Dormir comme un loir (literally, to sleep like a dormouse). A dormouse is a rodent of the family Gliridae that likes sleeping very much.
In Portuguese, like in English, there is the idiom Dormir como uma pedra (literally, to sleep like a rock).
In Spanish it is Dormir como un lirón (literally, to sleep like a dormouse) or Dormir como un ceporro (literally, to sleep like a fool). They also say Dormir como un bebé (to sleep like a baby)
In Welsh it is Cysgu fel clawdd (literally, cover sleeping).
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Scottish proverbs translated to English and Catalan
Previously on Nuts ~ Tocat del Bolet we posted the most important Catalan Sayings and Proverbs translated to English. A saying is a short, pithy, commonly known expression which generally offers advice or wisdom, and contains truth or value. As everybody knows, Scotland is a beautiful country full of history and folk wisdom. So without further ado, let’s take a look at some delightful Scottish proverbs:
Scottish Gaelic: Am mac mar an t-athair.
Catalan: De tal pare, tal fill.
Scottish Gaelic: Chan urrainn do dhuine ‘sambith seirbhis a dhéanamh do dhà mhaighstir.
Catalan: Ningú pot servir a dos senyors. (literally, Nobody can serve two lords).
Scottish Gaelic: an car a bha san t-seana mhaide ‘s duilich a thoirt às (literally, the twist which is in the old stick is difficult to take out).
Catalan: Cabra avesada a saltar, fa de mal desvesar (literally, A goat used to jump is difficult to unveil).
Scottish Gaelic: tha a’ ghrian air cùlaibh gach sgothan (literally, The sun is behind each boat).
Catalan: Es tanca una porta i s’obre una finestra (literally, a door closes and a window opens) or No hi ha mal que per bé no vingui (literally, there is no evil that does not come for a good purpose).
Scottish Gaelic: Am fear a chailleas a chanain caillidh e a shaoghal.
Translation into Catalan: Qui perd el seu idioma, perd el seu món.
Scottish Gaelic: Bainne nan gobhar fo chobhar ’s e blàth, ’s e chuireadh an spionnadh sna daoine a bha
Catalan: És la llet escumosa i calenta de la cabra, la que va donar força a les anteriors generacions.
Do you know any other Scottish proverbs? Tell us! We look forward to your comments and suggestions.
Scottish Gaelic: A’ bhiast as mutha ag ithe na beiste as lugha.
Catalan: el peix gran es menja el petit.
Although…
Scottish: Whit’s fur ye’ll no go by ye!
Catalan: El que hagi de passar, passarà.
Scottish: Mony a mickle maks a muckle! (Saving a small amount soon builds up to a large amount)
Catalan: De mica en mica s’omple la pica.
Scottish: Dinnae teach yer Granny tae suck eggs!
Catalan: No vulguis ensenyar res a algú que ja en sap.
Thank you for your visit. Nuts ~ Tocat del Bolet is a blog that aims to promote and share Catalan language and culture throughout its most typical expressions, in a fun and informative way.
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Idioms ~That’s a different kettle of fish in other languages
(to) be a different kettle of fish refers to a topic or situation which is enterily different from the one that was just being discussed. Synonym: It’s a horse of a different color.
… I suppose we could organize a party, but that’s an entirely different kettle of fish, we were discussing about the impact of the economic crisis on the labour market.
However, MPs are something of a different kettle of fish to the MEPs in my view.
In Catalan there is the idiom Són figues d’un altre paner (literally, These are figs from another basket).
In French, the closest equivalent is Une autre paire de manches (literally, another pair of sleeves).
In German it is ein ganz anderes Para Schuhe (literally, These are another pair of shoes).
Depending on the context, there are 3 versions in Italian, namely, la cosa cambia aspetto (literally, the thing changes of aspect) , è un altro paio di maniche (literally, that’s another pair of sleeves) o questo è ben altro affare (literally, That’s a completey different matter).
In Spanish there is the idiom Eso es harina de otro costal (literally, this is flour from another sack/bag).
Nuts ~ Tocat del Bolet is a blog that aims to promote and share Catalan language and culture throughout its most typical expressions, in a fun and informative way.
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Scots gaelic and Catalan greetings
Here is a list of the main greetings in Scots Gaelic translated to Catalan language. Scottish Gaelic is a Goidelic language of the Celtic and Indo-European language family, native to the Gaels of Scotland. Most of modern Scotland was once Gaelic. One curious fact about Scots Gaelic Gaelic is that it has no words for “yes” (in Catalan, Sí) and “no” (in Catalan, No), and replies are made with the relevant verbs. For questions beginning with “a bheil?”, the appropriate word for “yes” is “tha”. An alternative is “seadh”, pronounced shugh, which means “yeah” or “uh-huh”. At the end of this post there is a comprehensive list of resources to learn Scottish Gaelic or Catalan.
English > Scots Gaelic (pronunciation) ⇆ Catalan (audio)
Hello > Halò. (ha-LAW) ⇆ Hola
Welcome > fàilte – (faaltshæ) ⇆ Benvingut
My name is [your name]> Is mise … [your name] ⇆ En dic… [your name]
How are you? > Ciamar a tha thu/sibh? (KEM-mer uh HA oo?) ⇆ Com estàs?
Good morning > madainn mhath (matin vah) ⇆ Bon dia
Good day > latha math (laah mah) ⇆ Bon dia
Good afternoon/evening > feashar math – (fesker mah) ⇆ Bona tarda / vespre
Good night > oidhche mhath – (oychæ vah) ⇆ Bona nit
Bye for now > tiaraidh an dràsda (tsheearee an draasha) ⇆ Fins ara!
Goodbye > beannachd leibh (byannachk leyv) ⇆ Adéu
Excuse me > gabh mo leisgeul (gav mo leshæl) ⇆ Perdoni
I am sorry > tha mi duilich (haa mee doolich) ⇆ Perdó
Thank you > tapadh leibh (tahpæ leyv) ⇆ Gràcies / Mercès
Many thanks > mòran taing (mohræn tigh -ng) ⇆ Moltes gràcies
You’re welcome ( Reply to thank you ) > ´s e ur beatha (shey oor behah) ⇆ De res
Gaelic> Gàidhlig [ˈkaːlɪkʲ] ⇆ Gaèlic · Catalan > Catalanach ⇆ Català
Recommended posts:
Scottish Gaelic learners’ materials on the Internet:
Adhartach (Advanced)
Supplements to particular textbooks (Advanced)
E-books – $
Catalan learners’ materials on the Internet:
Information about Catalan
Courses and lessons
Gamified lessons & Flashcards(most sites here have mobile apps)
Online dictionaries
valenciàCatalan monolingual
valencià balearvalenciàvalenciàTranslators
Verb conjugation
Pronunciation
Multiple – Catalan Oral Dictionary / MapMaps & Images
Interactive Dialect/Pronunciation/Accent maps
MediaOnline radio
Audio
Podcasts
TV
català valencià mallorquíVideos
mallorquívalenciàFilms
Anime
You can normally find Catalan dubs of popular anime on YouTube if you search “title + catala”, but they’re frequently removed due to Copyright restriction, so the below links may not work forever.
Songs
valenciàTextOnline News
Literature
valencià multiplevalenciàComics
Misc
Information on Catalancheck out the ca.wikipedia.org versions of the pages!
Tapadh leibh, Gràcies!
Thank you and see you soon!
Catalan Sayings, Catalan proverbs, Catalan expressions
Here is a list of the most important and widespread Catalan Sayings and proverbs, which are sentences that convey the collective wisdom of our forefathers and have been passed down to successive generations over the years. While a saying is a familiar expression that is often repeated, a proverb is a type of saying that contains a piece of advice or simply contains truth or a value. We will provide a literal, word-by-word, translation as well as the closest equivalent saying and proverb in English and French. There is an audio recording of every expression too, so that you can learn how to pronounce them.
✪ Qui no s’arrisca, no pisca ✪
Literal translation: He who doesn’t take risks, doesn’t grab (anything).
English closest equivalent: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀
✪ Com més serem, més riurem ✪
Literal translation: The more we will be, the more we will laugh.
English equivalent: The more, the merrier.
🧑🏿🤝🧑🏿🧑🤝🧑🧑🏻🤝🧑🏽 🧑🏿🤝🧑🏿🧑🤝🧑🧑🏻🤝🧑🏽
✪ A poc a poc i bona lletra ✪
Literal translation: slowly and neat handwriting.
English equivalent: The more haste, the worse speed / More haste, less speed.
✍✍✍✍✍ ✍
✪ De mica en mica, s’omple la pica ✪
Literal translation: Bit by bit, one fills the sink.
English equivalents (depending on the context): Many a little makes a mickle, Take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves or Constant dripping wears away the stone. In French: Petit à petit, loiseau fait son nid (literally, little by little the bird makes its nest).
🚰🚰🚰🚰🚰🚰
✪ Si vols estar ben servit, fes-te tu mateix el llit ✪
Literal translation: If you want to be well served, make the bed yourself.
English equivalent: If you want something done right, do it yourself.
🛏️ 🛏️ 🛏️ 🛏️ 🛏️ 🛏️
✪ Els catalans, de les pedres en fem pans ✪
Literal translation: Catalans make bread out of stones.
Meaning: Catalan people get ahead in spite of difficulties because they are productive and can make a virtue out of necessity.
🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞
✪ Hi ha més dies que llonganisses ✪
Literal translation: there are more days than sausages. (llonganisa is a speciality cold sausage with spiced pork filling and intestine skins).
English equivalent: There’s plenty of time.
🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖
✪ Al pot petit hi ha la bona confitura ✪
Literal translation: In the small jar there is the good jam.
English equivalent: Good things come in small packages.
🏺🏺🏺🏺🏺🏺
✪ Tal faràs, tal trobaràs ✪
Literal translation: Such you will do, such you will find.
English equivalent: What goes around, comes around.
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
✪ No diguis blat fins que no el tinguis al sac i ben lligat ✪
Literal meaning: Don’t say wheat until you have it in the bag and well tied up.
English equivalent: Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched.
🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾
✪ Qui de jove no treballa, de vell dorm a la palla ✪
Literal translation: He who doesn’t work when young, will sleep on the straw when old.
English equivalent: If you lie upon roses when young, you will lie upon thorns when old.
👷👩💼🧑🏿🏭 👷👩💼🧑🏿🏭
✪ Cel rogent, pluja o vent ✪
English closest equivalent: Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in morning, sailor’s warning.
Literal meaning: Reddish sky, rain or wind.
French closest equivalent: Ciel rouge le soir laisse bon espoir. Ciel rouge le matin, pluie en chemin.
🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥
✪ A l’estiu, tota cuca viu ✪
Literal translation: In summertime, every bug comes alive.
We haven’t found any equivalent for this saying, but here is this one: Friends, sun, sand, and sea, that sounds like a summer to me. It also conveys the liveliness inherent in summertime.
🐛🐞🦗🦟 🐛🐞🦗🦟
✪ Qui no vulgui pols, que no vagi a l’era ✪
Literal meaning: If you don’t want dust, don’t go to the threshing floor.
English closest equivalent: If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. French closest equivalent: Qui craint le danger ne doit pas aller en mer (literally, He who is afraid of danger, shouldn’t go to the sea)
☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️
✪ Per Nadal, cada ovella al seu corral ✪
Literal translation: At Christmas, every sheep to its yard.
English closest equivalent: All hearts come home for Christmas
French closest equivalent: Tout le monde devrait être à la maison pour Noël (Everybody should be at home for Christmas)
🐑🐏 🐑🐏 🐑🐏
✪ Qui dia passa, any empeny ✪
Literal translation: He who a day passes by, pushes a year.
Closest equivalent in English: Tomorrow is another day .
Closest equivalent in French: Demain est un autre jour.
🗓️🗓️🗓️🗓️🗓️🗓️🗓️
✪ Qui no té memòria, ha de tenir cames ✪
Literal meaning: He who doesn’t have (a good) memory, needs legs.
Closest equivalent in English: One would forget one’s head if it weren’t screwed on.
🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️
✪ Pagant Sant Pere canta ✪
Literal meaning: If you pay, Saint Peter sings.
English closest equivalent: Money talks.
French closest equivalent: L’argent a le dernier mot (literally, money has the last word).
💰💰💰💰💰💰
✪ De més verdes en maduren ✪
Literally: Even greener ones have ripened
Closest equivalent in English: Stranger things have happened.
Closest equivalent in French: De drôles de choses se sont passées (literally, stranger things have happened)
👽👽👽👽👽👽
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Don’t miss out on:
Common British English expressions translated to Catalan I
Common British English expressions translated to Catalan II
Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle in Catalan
An easy guide to Catalan flags
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