Idiomatic Expressions – parte one

Every language has idiomatic expressions that are difficult for a foreigner to understand. Some expressions seem quite logical, and some are completely inexplicable.

Today we will consider some of them, be surprised, laugh, think and try to remember.

Falar para as paredes

Literally, this expression is translated as “to speak for the wall“. To feel the real meaning hidden in it, it is enough to go up to the wall and say something. What will be the effect? What will you hear? What will happen? Absolutely nothing! That is, speaking for the wall means not being heard, which means the interlocutor ignored you.

Nunca ouves o que eu digo. Parece que estou a falar para as paredes. (Never listen to what I say. Seems like I’m talking to a wall.)

Such an expression sounds reproachful!

Falar pelos cotovelos

This is hard to imagine if you know the direct translation – “speak with your elbows“. However, you can still draw some analogy with the real meaning, if you imagine what happens to a person, even if his elbows are talking. Maybe he’s just a talker?

A Maria nunca se cala. Fala pelos cotovelos. (Maria never shuts up. She is a talker.)

Ficar de boca aberta

The direct meaning is to stay with your mouth open. There are only two options here: you can open your mouth in fear or in surprise. This dictates the real meaning of the idiomatic expression. Quando recebeu a notícia, ficou de boca aberta. Nem queria acreditar. (When he received the news, he opened his mouth. He did not even want to believe.)

From the example, it is not clear what kind of message the expression has: positive or negative, so we hasten to inform you that in this case the mouth opens with admiration, with joy.

Ficar para tia

No, nothing will “go to the aunt”, as the expression says. So it says about a person who likes to be single.

Ela nunca quis casar. Preferiu ficar para tia. (She never wanted to get married. She preferred to remain single.)

Ficar a ver navios

“Stay looking at the ships” – this expression literally says, but it has much more philosophical meaning. Just imagine yourself on the pier, when your eyes follow the departing ships. These ships will not return and you will never be able to go with them. Seems like a missed opportunity, right?

Ele pensava que ia herdar uma fortuna, mas ficou a ver navios. (He thought he would inherit fortune, but was left with nothing/miss the opportunity.)

Fugir a sete pés

Everything is absolutely logical here. “Hiding on seven legs,” which is the idiomatic expression, means to run much faster than on two. Sometimes life circumstances force you to run so fast. See an example to see this:

Quando viu o polícia, o ladrão fugiu a sete pés. (When he saw the police, the thief fled quickly.)

Fugir com o rabo à seringa

The expression is translated very frighteningly “to run away from the syringe with your booty”. Nobody likes injections since childhood. It is not so much painful as unpleasant and everybody would like to avoid this procedure. That is why this expression has a figurative meaning – “to avoid a difficult situation“.

Não fujas com o rabo à seringa. Disseste que ias comigo, por isso tens de vir. (Don’t avoid a difficult situation. Said you’d come with me, so you must go.)

Ir a Roma e não ver o papa

“To go to Rome and not see the Pope” is truly a big omission. It cannot be said that this is a loss of a unique opportunity, because not everyone needs to see the Pope in Rome so much. However, this item is on the “must seen” list. If you don’t do it, then you won’t get the most out of the situation. This is precisely the true meaning of this idiomatic expression.

Foste a Lisboa e não provaste os pastéis de Belém? Isso é como ir a Roma e não ver o papa. (Did you go to Lisbon and didn’t try pasta from Belem? That means not getting the most out of your trip!)Although, of course, the expression sounds joking, not serious.

Ir desta para melhor

Probably, this is how they express it in all languages ​​of the world and in all religions – “to leave here for the better”. If people thought differently, then life would be scary and pointless. No one wants to believe that after death there will be endless torment or just emptiness. Therefore, such a comforting expression was born that can be used instead of the banal verb “die”.

O senhor Vicente foi desta para melhor. Paz à sua alma. (Mr. Vicente has gone to a better world. Peace be to his soul.)

Andar para trás como o caranguejo

In nature, the crab moves quite normally, but when it is on land or in danger, it begins to back away. They say the same about a person – “backs away like a crab”, that is, refuses, surrenders, frightened by the consequences.

Primeiro, disseste que me emprestavas o dinheiro, e agora andas para trás como o caranguejo. (At first he said that you would lend me money, but now you refuse.) 

Passar de cavalo para burro

This is a very funny and even offensive expression. A person who gets off his horse and sits on a donkey clearly loses the respect of others, and with it his status.

Coitado do Filipe! Desde que faliu que tudo lhe corre mal. Passou de cavalo para burro. (Poor Philip! Ever since he went bankrupt, everything has gone wrong. He loses his status.)

When conditions change from better to worse, it always entails negative experiences.

Conclusion

Almost all of today’s expressions had an explainable origin. It is based on sensations and comparisons. Philosophical, funny, Curious to know how the Portuguese think? Then we will not dwell on today’s list of idiomatic expressions.