Å snakke rett fra leveren
Meaning: To speak frankly, without softening anything.
Language: Norwegian
Literally: To speak straight from the liver
Category: Body & Senses
Origin: Norse tradition seated the emotions in the liver, not the heart, so blunt honesty came straight from that organ.
Equivalents in other languages
- Spanish: No tener pelos en la lengua — literally: To have no hairs on the tongue
- French: Appeler un chat un chat — literally: To call a cat a cat
- Italian: Non avere peli sulla lingua — literally: To have no hairs on your tongue
- English: call a spade a spade
More idioms — Body & Senses
- At slå koldt vand i blodet — To calm down and keep a cool head.
- Брати ноги в руки (Braty nohy v ruky) — To hurry up and get moving quickly.
- על הפנים (al hapanim) — Terrible, awful, in a wretched state.
- Les doigts dans le nez — To do something with the greatest of ease.
- By the skin of your teeth — By the narrowest possible margin.
- Ser uña y carne — To be inseparable; the closest of friends.
More Norwegian idioms
- Helt texas — Utterly wild, chaotic or out of control.
- Å koke bort i kålen — To come to nothing; to fizzle out unresolved.
- Å være midt i smørøyet — To be in the most fortunate spot imaginable.
- Å svelge noen kameler — To make big concessions and accept what you dislike.
- Å ha en høne å plukke med noen — To have a bone to pick with someone.
- Å gjøre kål på noe — To finish something off completely.
From our compliments & insults
- Sei un fenomeno — You're amazing — exceptionally good at what you do.
- Eres la leche — You're the best — absolutely fantastic.
- Eline sağlık — Praise and thanks to someone — especially a cook — for something made beautifully by hand.