Seinen Senf dazugeben
Meaning: To give an unsolicited opinion.
Language: German
Literally: To add one's mustard
Category: Food & Drink
Origin: Often told as a 17th-century innkeeper custom, but that story is undocumented; more likely from mustard as a cheap, ubiquitous condiment added whether wanted or not. True origin uncertain.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: Mettre son grain de sel — literally: To add one's grain of salt
- English: stick your oar in — literally: to stick your oar in
More idioms — Food & Drink
- Klar wie Kloßbrühe — Completely obvious.
- 花より団子 (Hana yori dango) — Substance over style; practicality over beauty.
- Tener mala leche — To be in a foul mood or have bad intentions.
- Ser pan comido — To be extremely easy.
- Dar calabazas — To reject someone romantically.
- Non tutte le ciambelle riescono col buco — Things don't always go as planned.
More German idioms
- 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…
- Das ist mir Wurst — I couldn't care less either way.
- Auf dem Holzweg sein — To be on completely the wrong track.
- Die Kirche im Dorf lassen — To keep things in proportion and not get carried away.
From our tongue twisters
- Fischers Fritz fischt frische Fische, frische Fische fischt Fischers Fritz. — The German 'f' / 'sch' staple.
- Blaukraut bleibt Blaukraut und Brautkleid bleibt Brautkleid. — A 'bl' / 'br' brain-twister.
- Zehn zahme Ziegen ziehen zehn Zentner Zucker zum Zoo. — A sustained 'z' / 'ts' drill — every word starts with the same affricate.