Neues Konzept

Pictures in words

Every language paints pictures. Finnish idioms often come from the countryside, the forest and the winter — and they rarely translate word for word:

Finnish Literally English equivalent
olla pihalla kuin lumiukko to be out in the yard like a snowman not to have a clue
tehdä kärpäsestä härkänen to make an ox out of a fly to make a mountain out of a molehill
mennä metsään to go into the forest to go wrong, to go pear-shaped
vetää herne nenään to pull a pea up your nose to take offence, to get the hump
ottaa lusikka kauniiseen käteen to take the spoon in the nice hand to grin and bear it
olla kuin kala vedessä to be like a fish in water to be in your element
  • Projekti meni ihan metsään. — The project went completely pear-shaped.
  • Älä vedä hernettä nenään! — Don't take it the wrong way!