If you want to check out the video version, be sure to check out our youtube channel: @cultureclashparenting

In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of idiomatic expressions across English, French, and German. Have you ever translated a phrase word-for-word and ended up with total nonsense? We’ve all been there! Language is more than just words—it’s history, humor, and culture wrapped into unique expressions.

Join us as we explore some of the funniest and most unexpected idioms that reveal cultural differences, generational shifts, and even a bit of linguistic humor from our kids!

Vocabulary Shared in This Episode

• Making assumptions too soon
  • English: Don’t count your chickens before they hatch
  • French: Ne vends pas la peau de l’ours avant de l’avoir tué (Don’t sell the bear’s skin before you’ve killed it)
  • German: Man soll den Tag nicht vor dem Abend loben (Don’t praise the day before the evening)
• Having a hoarse voice
  • English: To have a frog in your throat
  • French: Avoir un chat dans la gorge (To have a cat in the throat)
  • German: Einen Frosch im Hals haben (To have a frog in the throat)
• Standing someone up
  • English: To stand someone up
  • French: Poser un lapin à quelqu’un (To leave a rabbit with someone)
  • German: Jemanden sitzen lassen (To leave someone sitting)
• Children resembling their parents
  • English: The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
  • French: Les chiens ne font pas des chats (Dogs don’t make cats)
• Accepting fate or that something is hopeless
  • English: That’s the way the cookie crumbles
  • French: C’est la fin des haricots (It’s the end of the beans)
• Not caring about something
  • French: C’est égal (It’s all the same to me)
  • German: Das ist mir Wurst (That’s sausage to me)
• Everything eventually coming to an end
  • German: Alles hat ein Ende, nur die Wurst hat zwei (Everything has an end, only the sausage has two)
• Heavy rain
  • English: It’s raining cats and dogs
  • French: Il pleut des cordes (It’s raining ropes)
  • German: Es regnet Bindfäden (It’s raining threads/strings); Es regnet wie aus Kübeln (It’s raining buckets)
• Describing terrible weather
  • German: Sauwetter (Female pig weather) or Das ist ein Wetter, um im Bett zu bleiben (That’s a weather to stay in bed)
• Telling someone to mind their own business
  • English: That’s none of your business
  • French: C’est pas tes oignons (That’s not your onions!)
  • German: Das geht dich nichts an

Your turn!

What are your favorite idioms from your l

--
We want to hear from you! Share your personal stories of parenting across cultures or suggest topics for future episodes!

And don’t forget to like, follow, and subscribe and leave us a review.

Connect with Us:

• Instagram: @cultureclashparenting
• Email: [email protected]

Culture Clash Parenting is lovingly produced by Astrid and Marisa, fueled by laughter, late-night texts, and a shared passion for embracing the chaos that comes with raising multicultural children. We believe in the power of storytelling to create a more peaceful, patient, and equitable world.

Music and editing by Lonely Heaven Music