Cross Cultural communication
“The camel cannot see its own hump” Arabic
People don’t notice their own flaws but easily see others’.
“Pull someone’s leg” English
To tease or joke with someone.
Break the ice
To initiate a conversation in a social setting, especially with strangers.
“Under the weather”
Feeling sick or unwell.
Not my circus, not my monkeys
It’s not my problem or responsibility.
“Don’t set the cat among the pigeons” British english
Don’t create unnecessary trouble or drama.
“Bite the bullet”
To endure something difficult or unpleasant with courage.
“Throw in the towel”
To give up or admit defeat.
“To wear a hat on your hat”
“To wear a hat on your hat”
“To tie a dog with sausages” German
To spoil someone excessively or act unrealistically generous.
“Piece of cake”
Something very easy to do.
“The ball is in your court”
It’s your decision or responsibility to take the next step.
“To have a snake in one’s pocket” French
To be stingy or cheap.
“To boil the ocean” American English
To attempt something impossible or overly ambitious.
Let the cat out of the bag
To reveal a secret or disclose information accidentally.
“Costs an arm and a leg”
Something that is very expensive.
“The grapes are sour”
Dismissing something as undesirable because you can’t have it (similar to sour grapes).
Let’s table this
postpone
“Spill the beans”
To reveal a secret.
“Burn bridges”
To destroy relationships or opportunities.