Have you ever thought beyond your language when it comes to what words literally mean and what they can be translated to word-for-word? It’s just fun, like anything multilingual. We brought to you today some of the most hilarious literal translations from all across the languages of the world to give you a sense of how beautiful languages can be. Don’t forget to share your favorite and if you have other examples, do kindly share them.
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English: lady bug
Hebrew: the cow if our rabbi Moses
No, it’s not the cow ” if ” but the cow “of” = Our Rabbi Moses’ cow. By the way, lady bug is American English. In British English it’s lady bird.
I have another comment to make. When I was in France, many, many years ago, I wanted to buy a bra but I didn’t know what it was called. I finally went up to someone, and using my hands, asked in French how one says. “something that a woman wears here”, pointing to my chest. The answer was: “soutien gorge” . The literal translation=supports the throat! I never knew that my bust was that high up.
19 – in English a speed bump is also called a “sleeping policeman”
English: cobblestone
Dutch: ??♀️?♂️
English: what?
Dutch: little child’s head
“Gorge” in French also translates to “chest”, although it is more of a 19th century meaning.
Lady bug.
Brazilian : little Joane.
English: We’re doomed!
Brazilian: the cow went to the swamp.
English: your plan didn’t work out well.
Brazilian: your plan gave with donkeys on the water.
In Hungarian we also say lying policeman for a speed bump. I was kind of disappointed that you didn’t include our language there. Great compilation though.
The Norwegian word for butterfly=sommerfugl
translates literally as “summer bird”
And ladybug=marihøne
is “Mary’s chicken” (or even “a chicken named Mary”)
Television=fjernsyn
lit. “far sight” (which really applies to the the English word too), BUT a possible literal translation of “television” into Norwegian is “sights of frozen earth.”
I am fluent in Croatian but never ever heard that ladybug would be “god’s little sheep”. Never.
Rather, “Mary bug” (bubamara).
In Russian speed bump would also be “lying policeman”. And ladybug is “God’s little COW”! Nice!)
So if “gorge” is also “chest” can a man wear it to support a flabby chest?
A number of languages associate scallops with St. James, since according to the Bible he carried one or something.
I am Croatian and I’ve heard that name too (božja ovčica), but it’s used very rarely.
Same in Polish!:)
Speed bump-leżący policjant
Lady bird – święta krówka (though it’s a folk name, most often it’s called ‘biedronka’)
Even in Filipino, we say “fingers in the feet” for toes.
English: Womb
Filipino: “House child”
It is also know as bozja ovcica. So it is correct.
In Spanish it is a dead policeman.
In Spain we don’t say ananas, but “piña”…..
In Hebrew, too.
English: backache
French: kidney pain
Furthermore, in the song “Je t’aime moi non plus”Jane Birkin exhorts Serge Gainsbourg to “enter” between her kidneys. Quite a performance.
English: Khaki
French: Goose poo.