GermanDas Leben ist kein Ponyhof
Meaning: Life is not all fun and games; expect hardship.
Literally: Life is no pony farm
Example: “Zwei Jobs und ein krankes Kind: das Leben ist kein Ponyhof.” — Two jobs and a sick child: life is no bed of roses.
English equivalent: No bed of roses
Origin: A Ponyhof (pony farm) is the classic family outing for small children, a picture of a world without hardship. The sentence belongs to a 1980s pattern, das Leben ist kein X, alongside kein Wunschkonzert (no request concert) and kein Zuckerschlecken (no sugar-licking). Its first written record is the title of a 2001 album by the punk band Die Schröders, whose bassist is said to have coined it at a rehearsal, and the TV series Stromberg (2004–2012) helped spread it. Redensarten-Index files it as a proverb (Sprichwort).
Equivalents in other languages
Hungarian: Nem fenékig tejföl Literally: It's not sour cream all the way to the bottom
English: bed of roses
More German idioms
- Die Katze im Sack kaufen To buy something sight unseen and get cheated.
- Eine Extrawurst verlangen To expect special treatment.
- Da kannst du Gift drauf nehmen You can bet your life on it; it's absolutely certain.
- Den Nagel auf den Kopf treffen To be exactly right.
- Da wird der Hund in der Pfanne verrückt An exclamation of utter disbelief.
- Die Kuh vom Eis holen To resolve a precarious situation.
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