Schwein haben
Meaning: Getting unexpectedly lucky — rooted in medieval tournaments where the last-place finisher won a live piglet as a consolation prize, turning misfortune into a surprise reward.
Language: German
Literally: To have pig
Category: Animals
Origin: Medieval German — the last-place finisher in a contest won a pig as consolation.
Equivalents in other languages
- Czech: Mít kliku — literally: To have a door handle
- English: lead a charmed life
More idioms — Animals
- Da liegt der Hund begraben — That's the crux of the matter.
- 猫の手も借りたい (Neko no te mo karitai) — I'm so busy I'll take help from anyone.
- 猿も木から落ちる (Saru mo ki kara ochiru) — Even experts make mistakes.
- 猫をかぶる (Neko wo kaburu) — To hide one's true nature; to act innocent.
- 馬の耳に念仏 (Uma no mimi ni nenbutsu) — Wasted advice on someone who won't listen.
- 雀の涙 (suzume no namida) — A pitifully small amount.
More German idioms
- Die Daumen drücken — To wish someone good luck (like crossing fingers).
- Seinen Senf dazugeben — To give an unsolicited opinion.
- Klar wie Kloßbrühe — Completely obvious.
- jemandem einen Bären aufbinden — To tell someone a deliberate lie or deceptive story for amusement or manipulation.
- in den sauren Apfel beißen — To accept an unpleasant necessity or disagreeable situation with resignation and stoicism.
- mit jemandem Katz und Maus spielen — To tease or toy with someone's emotions, alternating between kind and cruel treatment for…
From our compliments & insults
- Du bist klasse — You're brilliant — excellent, impressive, top-notch.
- Faulpelz — A lazybones — someone who lounges around and avoids any effort, as warm and inert as a fu…
- Griesgram — A perpetual grump who radiates dissatisfaction and sucks the joy out of every room.