Romanian Expressions That Will Make You Laugh (or Scratch Your Head)
Romanian is full of colorful idioms that sound absolutely hilarious when translated word for word. Some make sense… eventually. Others? Not so much. Here’s a taste of this linguistic treasure trove:
“I-a picat fața” – “Her/his face has fallen off”
Don’t worry, no faces were harmed. It simply means someone is shocked or surprised – like “jaw-dropping”, but a little more dramatic.
“A scoate din pepeni” – “To take someone out of their melons”
It’s not about watermelons at all. This phrase means “to drive someone crazy”. A close cousin is “a scoate din sărite” – “to drive someone up the wall”.
“A i se lua o piatră de pe inimă” – “To have a stone lifted off your heart”
Sounds poetic, right? It means to feel relieved, like a burden has been lifted.
“A se simți cu musca pe căciulă” – “To feel the fly on your hat”
This one’s for guilty consciences. It describes someone who acts like they’ve got something to hide.
“Plimbă ursul” – “Go walk the bear”
A colorful way to say “leave me alone” – though, why the poor bear needs a walk is still a mystery.
“A vorbi în doi peri” – “To talk in two pear trees”
This one is pure nonsense – and that’s exactly what it means: to speak ambiguously or say silly things.
“A avea pitici pe creier” – “To have dwarfs on the brain”
Not Tolkien’s fault! This expression means someone is a little… eccentric.
“A face cu ou și cu oțet” – “To make someone with egg and vinegar”
When you really scold or lecture someone, this is the Romanian way to say it.
“A face capul calendar” – “To turn someone’s head into a calendar”
No, it’s not about organization. It means to confuse or overwhelm someone with too much information.
“A călca pe bec” – “To step on a lightbulb”
Oops! That’s breaking a rule or making a mistake.
“A o face de oaie” – “To do it sheep-like”
No offense to sheep – this means to screw things up.
“A avea ac de cojocul cuiva” – “To have a needle for someone’s coat”
Basically, to know exactly how to get back at someone.
“A vinde gogoși” – “To sell donuts”
Delicious? Yes. Honest? Not really. It means “to tell lies” or “to sell tall tales.”
Language is where imagination runs wild. And sometimes, the only way to make sense of idioms is… not to. Just memorize them and enjoy the ride!
Want more? Check out:
🔗 List of Romanian expressions (Wikipedia)
🔗 A plânge cu lacrimi de crocodil – “To cry crocodile tears”