Don't make a mountain out of a molehill

On the map

Making it bigger

The same idea in 35 versions, colored by the picture each one uses. Each country shows the version in its main language.

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21 more languages on the map

• Ukrainian Робити з мухи слона (Robyty z mukhy slona)“To make an elephant out of a fly”Source: Wiktionary; Ukrainian school phraseology exercises (naurok.com.ua)
• Belarusian Рабіць з мухі слана (Rabits' z mukhi slana)“To make an elephant out of a fly”Source: Wiktionary; Uzhhorod University study of “fly” idioms in Ukrainian, Belarusian and Russian
• Bulgarian Правя от мухата слон (Pravya ot mukhata slon)“To make an elephant out of the fly”Source: Wiktionary; “Funniest Bulgarian expressions” (Goodreads author blog)
• Serbo-Croatian Praviti od muhe slona“To make an elephant out of a fly”Source: University of Zagreb (FF press) study of Croatian phraseology; Sublearn
• Slovenian Narediti iz muhe slona“To make an elephant out of a fly”Source: Wiktionary; given as the Slovenian equivalent in a Croatian idiom source
• Danish Gøre en myg til en elefant“To turn a gnat into an elephant”Source: Lex (Danish encyclopedia), “Elefanter som symbol”; Wiktionary
• Hungarian Bolhából elefántot csinál“To make an elephant out of a flea”Source: Wiktionary; italki (mosquito variant)
• Estonian Teha sääsest elevant“To make an elephant out of a mosquito”Source: Wiktionary; ICDS editorial headline “Sääsest elevant” (2009)
• Hebrew עושה מזבוב פיל (Ose mi-zvuv pil)“Making an elephant out of a fly”Source: Wiktionary; Ben-Yehuda Project (Hebrew text using the phrase)
• Slovak Urobiť z komára somára“To make a donkey out of a mosquito”Source: Wiktionary; Slovak school phraseology worksheet (8th grade)
• Finnish Tehdä kärpäsestä härkänen“To make a little ox out of a fly”Source: Wiktionary; University of Jyväskylä, “Finnish sayings and their meanings”
• Icelandic Gera úlfalda úr mýflugu“To make a camel out of a midge”Source: Wiktionary; ConceptNet
• Georgian ბუზის აქლემად ქცევა (Buzis aklemad ktseva)“Turning a fly into a camel”Source: Tbilisi State University, Georgian idioms and proverbs database
• Persian از کاه کوه ساختن (Az kāh kuh sākhtan)“To make a mountain out of a straw”Source: Abadis dictionary; Setare (Persian proverb collection)
• Hindi and Urdu राई का पहाड़ बनाना (Rāī kā pahāṛ banānā)“To make a mountain out of a mustard seed”Source: Rekhta dictionary; Wiktionary
• Bengali তিলকে তাল করা (Tilke tal kora)“To turn a sesame seed into a palm fruit”Source: Satt Academy (Bangladesh exam reference); Sublearn
• Korean 침소봉대 (Chimsobongdae)“A needle made as big as a club”Source: Wiktionary; Kyeonggi Ilbo (Korean daily)
• Greek Κάνω την τρίχα τριχιά (Káno tin trícha trichiá)“To make a hair into a rope”Source: Wiktionary; GreekPod101
• Swedish Göra en höna av en fjäder“To make a hen out of a feather”Source: Wiktionary; Linköping University page on the Andersen tale behind it
• Portuguese (Brazil) Fazer tempestade em copo d'água“To make a storm in a glass of water”Source: Wiktionary; Tribuna de Minas (Brazilian daily)
• Portuguese (Portugal) Fazer uma tempestade num copo de água“To make a storm in a glass of water”Source: Wiktionary (Portugal form); Lingoland dictionary