IdiomFood & Drink
Finnish
FinnishMaksaa maltaita
Meaning: To cost a fortune.
Literally: To cost malts
Example: “Uusi katto maksoi maltaita.” — The new roof cost an arm and a leg.
English equivalent: To cost an arm and a leg
Origin: Mallas is malt, the sprouted grain used for brewing beer, which takes much grain and work to make. Costing malts is costing a great deal. The usual explanation is that malt was valuable in the old farm economy; no source documents a particular tax or story behind it.
Equivalents in other languages
Spanish: Costar un ojo de la cara Literally: To cost an eye from the face
English: To cost an arm and a leg
French: Ça pique Literally: It stings- French: Coûter un bras Literally: To cost an arm
- French: Coûter la peau des fesses Literally: To cost the skin off one's backside / the eyes out of one's head
More Finnish idioms
- Heittää lusikka nurkkaan To die.
- Olla pipo kireällä To be uptight, grumpy or in a foul mood.
- Päästä kuin koira veräjästä To escape consequences entirely; to get off scot-free.
- Olla kuin Ellun kanat To live a carefree, comfortable life.
- Vetää lonkalta To improvise; to wing it.
- Mennä metsään To go completely wrong.
Explore another collection: Proverbs
Short sayings of timeless wisdom from more than 50 cultures, each with its meaning and origin.
- The Internet never forgets Digital actions persist permanently; careless words or images posted online create lastin…
- The Lord helps those that help themselves Self-directed effort attracts divine favor; passivity alone cannot substitute for persona…
- The more one learns about people, the more one likes one's pet Familiarity with human flaws makes the unconditional loyalty of animals more precious.
Keep exploring