The Viennese sometimes have their own special way of using the German language, especially when they lapse into dialect. It is often a mixture of eloquence, flattery, gleeful malice and… “charm” for which there are often no comparable idioms. So instead, we decided to give you the literal translation of the following expressions with a crib as to what they really mean. Herewith, a small selection of Austrian originality!
1) Du host ausgschissn! (You have shit everything out.)
Meaning: I want nothing to do with you (or this) anymore.
2) Du gehst ma am Zaga! (You affect me like the hands of a clock!)
Meaning: You are really getting on my nerves.
3) Des is a gmahte Wiesn. (This is a mowed lawn.)
Meaning: Something is easily done, victory is close.
4) Hin in der Marün. (broken in the apricot)
Meaning: to be a dead head, to be stupid.
5) Sich über die Häusa haun. (to throw oneself over the houses)
Meaning: to leave a place
6) Wia a Aanser stehn. (to stand like a one)
Meaning: to stand up upright, to persevere.
7) Da krieg I an Hois! (I am getting a neck!)
Meaning: to get very angry
8) Si an eineschraubn. (to screw one in)
Meaning: to get drunk
9) Krochen wie a Kaisersemmel (crackle like a bun)
Meaning: to heavily be in debt
10) Da is da Hund begrobn! (Here is where the dog is buried!)
Meaning: This is the crux of the matter.
11) An Elefantn auf da Blosn habn. (to have an elephant sitting on one’s bladder)
Meaning: really having to urinate
12) Jemand in Grund und Bodn saufn. (to drink someone into the floor and ground)
Meaning: to destroy someone by drinking him the “under the table”
13) Hupf in Gatsch und schlog a Wöln! (Hop in the mud and make a wave!)
Meaning: Asking someone to leave asap.
14) Si hamdrahn. (to turn oneself home)
Meaning: to commit suicide
15) ‘N Leffl ohgebn. (to give up the spoon)
Meaning: to die
16) Si di Radieschen von unt auschaun (to look at the radishes from below)
Meaning: to die, i.e. “pushing up the daisies.”
