Olla pipo kireällä

Meaning: To be uptight, grumpy or in a foul mood.

Literally: To have your beanie on tight

Example: “Älä häiritse isää, hänellä on pipo kireällä tänään.” — Don't bother Dad; he got up on the wrong side of the bed today.

English equivalent: To get up on the wrong side of the bed

Origin: A pipo is a knitted woolly hat. Wearing it too tight squeezes the head, and someone whose hat is tight is tense, grumpy and short-tempered. The phrase is modern colloquial Finnish with no particular story behind it.

Equivalents in other languages

French: Se lever du pied gauche Literally: To get up on the left foot
Polish: Być nie w sosie Literally: To be out of the sauce
English: get up on the wrong side of the bed

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More Finnish idioms

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.
Olla pinna kireällä To be on edge and short-tempered.
Lyödä rahoiksi To cash in; to profit handsomely.

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