One idea · 4 languages

“Eat humble pie”in other languages

Admit you were wrong and apologize humbly.

  • English
  • French
  • Hindi
  • Swedish
Behind the words

Same idea, different pictures

English is a pun. “Umble pie” was made from the umbles, a deer's heart, liver and other innards, a dish for servants while the lord ate the venison. Humble and umble sounded alike, and the pie became a lesson in humility.

French faire amende honorable was once a real penalty: the condemned person, in a plain shirt and with a rope around the neck, begged forgiveness in public. Hindi rubs the nose on the ground, नाक रगड़ना. Swedish does a poodle, göra en pudel, a fairly new expression for a public, groveling apology.

Keep exploring

More sayings in other languages

Browse all idioms