IdiomNature
Finnish
FinnishMennä metsään
Meaning: To go completely wrong.
Literally: To go into the forest
Example: “Kakku meni metsään, kun unohdin sokerin.” — The cake went pear-shaped when I forgot the sugar.
English equivalent: To go pear-shaped
Origin: "To go into the forest": to go wrong. Finland is mostly forest, and someone who leaves the path quickly gets lost. The phrase is said of plans, guesses and work that miss badly. No particular story lies behind it.
Equivalents in other languages
English: go pear-shaped
Portuguese: Dar com os burros n'água Literally: To end up with the donkeys in the water
Spanish: venir mal dadas Literally: To come badly given
More Finnish idioms
- Olla pinna kireällä To be on edge and short-tempered.
- Lyödä rahoiksi To cash in; to profit handsomely.
- Ei ole kaikki muumit laaksossa Someone isn't quite all there.
- Maksaa maltaita To cost a fortune.
- Heittää lusikka nurkkaan To die.
- Olla pipo kireällä To be uptight, grumpy or in a foul mood.
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- Tête de linotte A scatterbrain who can't hold a thought.
- Courir sur le haricot To get badly on someone's nerves.
- Tienes menos luces que un barco pirata You're really not the brightest.
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