i think my fav german idioms are “es zieht wie hechtsuppe”, “da brat mir einer nen storch!”, “holla die waldfee”, “perlen vor die säue”. most of them are untranslateable but i’ll try.
es zieht wie hechtsuppe = literally: It drafts like pickerel soup. Meaning: There is a strong draft in this place. Ex. “Close the window, es zieht wie Hechtsuppe in here!”
da brat mir einer nen storch! = literally: Someone should roast a stork for me now! Meaning: That’s incredibly surprising. Ex. “Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt split up? Da brat mir doch einer ‘nen Storch!”
holla die waldfee = literally: Wowsie the forest fairy. Meaning: That’s surprising and slightly unbelievable. Ex. “You managed to drink one liter of gasoline? Holla die Waldfee.”
perlen vor die säue = literally: pearls in front of the sows. Meaning: something is wasted on people who can’t appreciate it. Ex. “No wonder the Kingergarteners didn’t appreciate your brilliant lecture on Nietzsche’s morality. Da hast du Perlen vor die Säue geworfen.”
that’s just all. so nonsensical when you stop to think about it… they all have linguistic explanations (hechtsuppe comes from a yiddish word, for example) but they’re just… hilariously dadaistic. (and perlen vor die säue is just too cool)