In Finnish we have “kissanristiäiset” (literally means a cat’s christening), which means some trivial and meaningless celebration/event.

  • Lvxferre@lemmy.ml
    7·
    1 year ago

    There’s a bunch of weird ones in Portuguese.

    • “Caroço de manga não é sabonete” Do you think that mango seed is soap? = “this is an absurd proposal/situation/etc.”
    • “Pobre só sobe na vida quando o barraco explode” Poor people only ascend on life when the [shit]shack explodes. = “don’t expect social ascension”
    • “Enquanto vem com o milho, já comi a polenta.” While you’re bringing the corn, I already ate the polenta. = “I’ve already handled this, you’re too late.”
    • “um polaco de cada colônia” a Pole from each settlement = a bunch of randomly picked people or items. I don’t think that people use this too much outside Paraná.
    • “farinha do mesmo saco” flour from the same bag = extremely similar in some aspects that matter (and usually negative ones)
    • “comer o pão que o diabo amassou” to eat the bread kneaded by the devil = to go through rough times
    • “Vai chupar prego até virar tachinha!” Go suck an [iron] nail until it becomes a thumbtack! = somewhat polite way to tell someone to fuck off
    • “Vai ver se estou na esquina.” *Go check if I’m around the corner." = also a way to tell people to fuck off
    • “anta quadrada” squared tapir = “anta” tapir is used to call someone stupid, so anta quadrada is stupid to the power of two.
    • “anta cúbica” cubed tapir = because some people do some really, really stupid shit.
    • “mais louco que o Requião de pedalinho” crazier than Requião on a paddle boat = Requião is a politician here in Paraná known for his crazy antics. The phrase highlights that something is completely fucking crazy. Clearly local.
    • “teu cu” your arse[hole] = definitively, clearly, and blatantly “no”.
    • dave@hal9000@lemmy.world
      3·
      1 year ago

      Alternative for “vai ver se estou na esquina” is “vai catar coquinho” (go gather little coconuts), I guess because it’s a silly, futile task?

    • dave@hal9000@lemmy.world
      2·
      1 year ago

      I always said it as while you’re bringing the wheat I already ate the bread. But in my family we exaggerated it for effect: while you’re buying the wheat seed, I already shat the bread 😂

      • Lvxferre@lemmy.ml
        2·
        1 year ago

        while you’re buying the wheat seed, I already shat the bread

        Like, “enquanto você tá comprando o trigo, já caguei o pão”? That’s hilarious!

        • dave@hal9000@lemmy.world
          3·
          1 year ago

          Isso, e era competição entre meus irmãos pra exagerar ao máximo : tipo, enquanto você estava a caminho da loja pra comprar o trigo, eu já comi o pão, caguei, fiz composto com a merda e plantei mais trigo, etc, etc

    • xinayder@infosec.pub
      2·
      1 year ago

      Haven’t seen some of these before. Ones I particularly like are:

      • Tirar o cavalo da chuva: take your horse away from the rain = give up on something
      • Lavar as mãos: wash (the) hands = do not involve yourself in something
      • dave@hal9000@lemmy.world
        2·
        1 year ago

        Wash your hands of [something] is also in American English, although I think more typically used when you were already involved in something then removed yourself from the situation

        • fubo@lemmy.world
          2·
          1 year ago

          Another Bible reference; this one refers to Roman governor Pontius Pilate washing his hands to indicate being done with the issue of Jesus’s execution.