10 Idioms In English Using Nationalities and Countries

1. It’s all Greek to me – we use this expression when we cannot understand something we read or hear

“I recently read this book on Metaphysics. Did you understand it, because it was all Greek to me”.

 To je pre mňa španielska dedina. 

2. Go Dutch – we go Dutch when we go to a restaurant and share the bill.

“Rachel does not like her male companion to offer her dinner. She always prefers to go Dutch”.

 Platiť každý sám za seba. 

3.  Chinese Whispers (UK) – this expression is often used as a metaphor for mistakes and inaccurate information which comes from rumours of gossip.

“All this talk about the Prime Minister resigning is just Chinese Whispers. There’s no truth in the rumour”

 Tichá pošta. 

4. Talk for England – when someone can talk for hours and hours

“I’m so sorry I’m late. I couldn’t get away from Linda. She can talk for England!”

Veľa rozprávať, byť utáraný. 

5. Dutch Courage – when you need a little alcohol to give you the courage or confidence to do something.

“I think I’ll have a quick drink for Dutch Courage before I ask that girl to dance with me”.

Opilecká guráž. 

6. Pardon My French (UK) – we use this expression before or after we have said something rude, for example, a swear word.

” If you’ll pardon my French, but I think you’re a %^&*!”

 S prepáčením.. 

7. A Mexican Standoff – this expression is often used in a business situation when two sides cannot agree.

” There appears to be a Mexican Standoff as neither party can agree on the terms of the merger”.

 Patová situácia, mŕtvy bod, obojstranné vyčkávanie 

8. Indian Summer (UK) – a period in late autumn when the weather is unusually warm

“Much as I love this Indian Summer,  I wish we had this warm weather in the summer rather than in October”. 

 Babie leto. 

9. Slow Boat to China – we use this expression to describe something that is very slow and takes a long time. 

“Waiting for the architects to produce their plans was like taking the slow boat to China”.

 Príliš pomaly a dlho.  

10. Too Many Chiefs and Not Enough Indians – this is often used to describe a company where there are too many managers and not enough people doing the actual work

“The trouble with that company is that there are too many chiefs and not enough Indians”.

Veľa náčelníkov a málo indiánov. 

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