Redewendungen — fixed expressions that don't translate
An idiom (Redewendung, feste Wendung, or Redensart) is a fixed multi-word expression whose meaning isn't the sum of its parts. jemandem auf die Nerven gehen literally = 'to go on someone's nerves'; idiomatically = to get on someone's nerves. etwas auf die lange Bank schieben lit. = 'to push something onto the long bench'; idiom. = to procrastinate. Native speakers reach for these dozens of times a day; learners who avoid them sound textbook-flat, while learners who over-do them sound like they swallowed a phrasebook. The trick at C1 is to recognize a wide repertoire but deploy a smaller, register-appropriate set. Idioms have frequency (some are heard daily, some are once-a-decade) and register (some are casual-only, some are stuffy and bookish). When learning a new idiom, note: (1) the fixed structure — most idioms have a frozen verb and frozen prepositions you cannot vary; (2) the valency — does it take a Dativ object (jemandem auf die Nerven gehen) or Akkusativ (jemanden auf die Palme bringen)?; (3) the register — neutral, casual, formal, or vulgar.
What counts as an idiom
Three overlapping categories: (1) Redewendungen (idiomatic phrases) — the figurative ones: die Daumen drücken (lit. press the thumbs = wish someone luck), den Nagel auf den Kopf treffen (hit the nail on the head — same idiom in English), ins Fettnäpfchen treten (step into the little fat-pot = put your foot in your mouth). (2) Sprichwörter (proverbs) — full-sentence wisdom: Aller Anfang ist schwer. (every beginning is hard), Übung macht den Meister. (practice makes perfect), Wer A sagt, muss auch B sagen. (in for a penny, in for a pound). (3) Kollokationen (collocations) — fixed but not figurative pairings: eine Entscheidung treffen (make a decision — not machen), eine Frage stellen (ask a question — not fragen + Akk in this exact frame). At C1 you need all three. This lesson focuses on Redewendungen, the figurative idioms.
High-frequency idioms — body parts and senses
A surprising chunk of German idioms uses body-part nouns. Memorize these — they're heard daily. jemandem auf die Nerven gehen = to get on someone's nerves. Die ständigen Anrufe gehen mir auf die Nerven. Tomaten auf den Augen haben = to fail to see something obvious (lit. 'have tomatoes on the eyes'). Hast du Tomaten auf den Augen? = Are you blind? (about something visible). die Nase voll haben (von etwas) = to be fed up (with something). Ich habe die Nase voll von dieser Arbeit. kalte Füße bekommen = to get cold feet. etwas auf der Zunge haben = to have something on the tip of one's tongue. jemandem die Daumen drücken = to keep one's fingers crossed for someone. Ich drücke dir die Daumen! die Ohren spitzen = to prick up one's ears. den Kopf in den Sand stecken = to bury one's head in the sand. Body parts are pleonastic in German idioms: native speakers don't notice them anymore.
Procrastination, decisions, action
etwas auf die lange Bank schieben = to put something off, procrastinate (lit. shove onto the long bench, where the unfinished cases used to sit in court). Schieb die Hausaufgaben nicht auf die lange Bank! ins kalte Wasser springen = to dive in at the deep end, take the plunge. Ich musste am ersten Tag gleich ins kalte Wasser springen. den Stier bei den Hörnern packen = to take the bull by the horns. die Flinte ins Korn werfen = to give up, throw in the towel (lit. throw the rifle into the corn). die Zähne zusammenbeißen = to grit one's teeth, push through. am Ball bleiben = to stay on it / keep at it. etwas in die Hand nehmen = to take something on, take charge of.
Money, weather, emotions
Geld zum Fenster hinauswerfen = to throw money out the window (waste it). das kostet ein Vermögen = that costs a fortune. ein Schnäppchen machen = to get a bargain. das Wetter spielt verrückt = the weather's gone crazy. es regnet Bindfäden = it's raining cats and dogs (lit. ropes/strings). wie aus Kübeln gießen = to pour with rain. rot sehen = to see red, get furious. aus der Haut fahren = to lose it (lit. jump out of one's skin). auf Wolke sieben schweben = to be on cloud nine (Germans count to 7). Bauchschmerzen mit etwas haben = to have misgivings about something (lit. stomachache). da läuft mir kalt den Rücken hinunter = a chill runs down my spine.
Communication and social life
den Nagel auf den Kopf treffen = hit the nail on the head. um den heißen Brei herumreden = beat around the bush (lit. talk around the hot porridge). kein Blatt vor den Mund nehmen = not mince words (lit. not hold a leaf in front of one's mouth). jemandem reinen Wein einschenken = to tell someone the unvarnished truth (lit. pour someone pure wine). etwas durch die Blume sagen = to say something indirectly (lit. through the flower). ins Fettnäpfchen treten = to put one's foot in one's mouth. jemandem einen Bären aufbinden = to pull someone's leg (lit. tie a bear onto them). etwas geht mir nicht aus dem Kopf = I can't get it out of my head.
Valency — does the idiom take Dativ or Akkusativ?
When you learn an idiom that involves another person, note the case. jemandem auf die Nerven gehen — Dativ (jemandem). Du gehst mir auf die Nerven. jemandem die Daumen drücken — Dativ. Ich drücke dir die Daumen. jemandem reinen Wein einschenken — Dativ. Ich schenke dir reinen Wein ein. jemanden auf die Palme bringen — Akkusativ (jemanden). Du bringst mich auf die Palme. = You're driving me up the wall. jemanden in den Wahnsinn treiben — Akkusativ. Das treibt mich in den Wahnsinn. = That drives me crazy. jemandem den Kopf verdrehen — Dativ. = to turn someone's head (romantically). The case is fixed; getting it wrong reveals the idiom hasn't fully sunk in.
Sprichwörter — proverbs you can drop into a conversation
Full-sentence wisdom that survives unchanged. Aller Anfang ist schwer. = Every beginning is hard. Übung macht den Meister. = Practice makes perfect. Wer A sagt, muss auch B sagen. = If you commit, follow through. Was du heute kannst besorgen, das verschiebe nicht auf morgen. = What you can do today, don't put off till tomorrow. Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund. = The early bird catches the worm (lit. morning hour has gold in its mouth). Wer zuletzt lacht, lacht am besten. = He who laughs last, laughs best. Reden ist Silber, Schweigen ist Gold. = Speech is silver, silence is gold. Use sparingly — one well-timed proverb wins the room; three in a row sounds like a fortune cookie.
Register and overuse
Some idioms are everywhere (auf die Nerven gehen, die Daumen drücken, die Nase voll haben) — neutral register, safe to use. Some are casual / colloquial (echt der Hammer = really awesome; das ist mir wurscht = I don't care). Some are bookish or dated (das schlägt dem Fass den Boden aus = that takes the cake — heard, but slightly stilted from a learner). A few are vulgar and you should recognize but not deploy. Two practical guidelines: (1) only use an idiom you've heard a native speaker use in a similar register — not just one you found in a phrasebook. (2) don't stack idioms — one per paragraph maximum, otherwise you sound performative. Idioms are spice, not the meal.
Quick decoder
(1) Encounter a phrase whose meaning is opaque from its parts? It's an idiom — note the fixed structure, the valency (Dat / Akk), and the register. (2) Body parts (Nerven, Augen, Nase, Kopf, Hand, Daumen, Ohr, Zunge) appear in many high-frequency idioms — these are the safest to use. (3) jemandem = Dativ (lots of idioms); jemanden = Akkusativ (fewer). Memorize the case with the phrase. (4) Use idioms sparingly. One well-chosen Redewendung per conversation = native-sounding; six in a row = phrasebook performance. (5) When you don't know an idiom, paraphrase: 'I'm fed up with this' → Ich habe genug davon is just as fine as Ich habe die Nase voll, and clearer.
