Just love those ridiculous direct translations of expressions and proverbs ...
Recently a friend wrote to me 'your *rse is surrounded by noodles' - a French expression to say you are very lucky 'tu as le cul bordé de nouilles! - it took me a few seconds to get it.
What are your favourites, in either Swiss language- to and from English?
One of our daughters always said 'il pleut des chats et des chiens' (raining cats and dogs) - but in English 'it's raining strings and ropes' (il pleut des ficelles - or 'il pleut des cordes'.
One of my German colleagues particularly likes the expression "In the middle of nowhere". I believe the German translates as "where the foxes and hares play".
In her autobiography, Maria von Trapp set out some of her difficulties in learning English. At a market, she wanted to complain about the high prices compared to another stall, and said that around the corner she could "become a cauliflower" for much less.
I don't think they're equivalent. The German expression means "this is the core/main issue", "that's what it's all about".
"where the foxes and hares play" has an almost verbatim cousin in "wo sich Fuchs und Hase gute Nacht sagen" (literally where they wish each other good night).
From the German "Mein Name ist Hase, ich weiss von nichts!" which is usually shortened to "Mein Name ist Hase!". The meaning is "I have no idea what you're even talking about", also "I'm innocent" in an everyday setting.
Il n'y a pas le feu au lac , which literally means the lake isn't on fire; better said no need to panic, take it easy.
Quand les poules auront des dents , lit. when chickens will have teeth, i.e. never. Chickens don't have teeth and will never have 'em, same way that pigs cannot fly.
I remember seeing an "International tickets don't have to be composted" translation when accessing the SNCF platforms at Geneva station a few years back. I took a photo of it, can't find it any more though.
Interesting is the number of these colloquial expressions that have a near direct translation although there may be other subtle connotations depending on the context of their usage:
For the non-German speakers - "Schwarzfahrer" has a double meaning. It literally means "black rider" but more idiomatically means "fare dodger." At the end, the old lady is the true Schwarzfahrer