13 Expressions from different countries, full of love and tenderness

All languages ​​have strange phrases that are almost impossible to translate correctly into another language. Such words are rarely discussed in language classes, but without understanding them, one can get into a mess. How to distinguish a compliment from a warning? Should you be offended if they call you an old boat, or compare your gait to an elephant’s tread? Should we be happy if a German calls us a bird, what if an Englishman says you’re dressed like a dog’s dinner?

O incredible.club has compiled unconventional expressions and phrases that will be useful for passionate, sociable people and those who simply love to travel and study other cultures.

The French Praise mon petit chou (“my little cabbage”) came from the phrase chou à la crème“cabbage with cream”. It is often used to refer to children and pretty girls. There are other affectionate names related to food: ma mie“my little breadcrumb”, mon crevettemy little shrimp or mon saucisson, my sausage. And what do you say about “mon mignon” (my little boy) or “mon dodu” (my cutie)?

In exceptional cases, a man can be heard calling a woman a mouse. It’s an affectionate, old-fashioned way that comes from mon chat, mon rat, “my kitten, my mouse”. That’s what they said about theater actresses who ran backstage like mice, squeaking on their toes and in lush dresses.

the old expression the apple of my eye (“the apple of my eye”) is used today as the expression “the light of my eye” in reference to a loved one. But in young people’s conversation, the expression hunny bunny (“honey bunny”), which correctly translates as “baby” or “little one”. Family members are called “little ducks” and “little chickens”, and the obedient young “little lambs” or “little sheep”.

If you’re told you’re dressed like a dog’s dinner (dressed up like a dog’s dinner), it means that you chose a way that is extravagant and inappropriate for that particular place and time.

Many compliments to women are associated with something tasty: polpetto – “door”; cioccolatino – “little chocolate”; formaggino – “little cheese”; and zuccherino – “candy”. Fragile and young women can be called farfallin – “little butterfly”.

Children are treated differently: passerotto or passerotta – “little sparrow”; cucciolo – “puppy”; up until patatin or patina – “little potato”.

The expression Knuddelbär (“teddy bear to hug”) is popular with family and friendsbut Mauszähnchen (“rat’s tooth”) is more suitable for women, although in most cases children are told that they are losing baby teeth. There is a special word to refer to the gift that is given to the wife to redeem herself from guilt, drachenfutter, which translates to “feed the dragon”. When accepting a gift, the German will say: “Danke für die Blumen!”, that is, literally: “Thank you for the flowers!”. If you need to emphasize that the gift means a lot to you, say “Danke für die Extrawurst!” (“Thanks for the extra sausage”).

But if they told you “Du bist ein Vogel“, which literally means “You are a little bird”, do not rejoice. In this context, it means “You are a fool”.

If we ignore the literal translation, then the expression moosh bokhoré torō in Persian it means “you are very tender”🇧🇷 But you have to be careful with this phrase: you can say it to a grandmother or when you pinch a baby’s cheek. It is also used by a man addressing his beloved when they are alone. Declaring true love, Iranians will say: “I will eat your liver”, which means that a person is ready to do everything for his beloved.

Don’t be offended if they call you a “salty person” (ba namak🇧🇷 It actually means that you are a nice and interesting person.

目の中に入れても痛くない (“I won’t feel pain if I put it in my eyes”) is what a young Japanese girl will say when she sees a cute dog or a cute baby. In other words, it concerns something or someone that you always want to keep close, in your sight, that gives you so much happiness that your eyes shine (as if they were crying).

But if someone tells you that you behave as if you’ve put on a cat (猫を被る), it means that you try to look better than you are and behave unnaturally.

傻瓜 means “silly melon” or, more precisely, “silly”, but is used as a way of referring to the loved one when they are alone. In public, it is better to highlight the person’s actions or achievements: the completion of a successful project, a profitable purchase or a new hobby.

You can tell a woman close to you that she has straight legs or a big nose, because this will emphasize your closeness to the socially accepted ideal of beauty in the country.

The phrase Balık etli (“fleshy little fish”) is a compliment for chubby women which are very popular among Turkish men. And if a person was called Şeytan tüyü, which literally translates as “devil’s pen”, it means that he is incredibly attractive, as if endowed with devilish charm.

Like the Iranians, the Turks also left in the language the expression Çiğerimin köşesi, which literally translates as “the corner of my lungs” and means that someone is very dear and occupies a special place in your heart.

The compliment ใจดี (“good heart”) is only said for a very nice and nice person. Women like it when they are called thin, pale and round-faced, and men love it when their intelligence and friendliness are emphasized. Husbands can call their wives “hot meat mothers”, emphasizing the figure features and passion of mature women. But be careful: it’s a rather vulgar little compliment.

In Portuguese chuchuzinho is how loved ones are affectionately called in Brazil. In jargon, it means “baby” or “cute”.

It is no less strange if they call you an old monkey. It means you have experience or are wiser than people your age. At the heart of the expression is the old saying that a wise old monkey will not put his hand in a pot, referring to pot-like fruits, as his hand can get caught. Therefore, astute adult animals use some object at hand to reach the succulent pulp, while young animals use their hands.

girl gamini(“she walks like an elephant”), so they will say in the Hindu language about a woman who walks gracefully. In India, elephants are not considered clumsy. Rather, its slow pace reflects grace.

But if a Tamil native tells you that you are pacalai, that is, “pale with love”, he will only do it out of pity: this kind of pallor arises from the suffering caused by separation from a loved one. For locals, fair skin is a gift from heaven, but not when it’s received that way.

“Кровь с молоком” (“blood with milk”) refers to a sane person, with rosy cheeks, full of strength. “Быть как огурчик” (“to be fresh as a cucumber”) is a similar expression referring to a strong and energetic person who has a fresh appearance. Many like the Russian nicknames “dove” and “sweetheart”.

Foreigners admire the richness of Russian phrases that are completely impossible to understand if translated literally. For example, the expression “пристал как банный лист” (“stuck like a birch leaf”), used to describe a boring suitor, or “вешать лапшу на уши” (“hang noodles in ears”), which is used to describe a person who tries to win the sympathy of others through flattery and deceit.

Old marmite 🇧🇷an old pot”) is a compliment given to a person who cooks very well and considers himself to be an excellent human being. Cameroonians believe that the most delicious food can only be cooked in an old pot, as it accumulates fat that gives each new dish a special taste.

And if Cameroonians call you a baobab, it means you’ve done a great job and deserve special respect.

And what expressions and strange compliments from other cultures do you know? Share them in the comments!