The pandemic and the war in Ukraine have dominated headlines in recent years and months, but our planet is also demanding attention. To honor Earth Day, here are a few "down-to-earth" idioms from the German language.
Image: picture-alliance/U. Baumgarten
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8 German expressions using the word 'earth'
The German language has a host of expressions using the word "earth." In honor of Earth Day, we present some of them to you.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/NASA
Wie Pilze aus der Erde schießen
"To shoot up out of the earth," but the more common variant is "(wie Pilze) aus dem Boden schießen." It means that something appears very quickly, or that things spring up all over the place, just like mushrooms seems to multiply before your very eyes.
Image: Hans Reinhard/Okapia/picture-alliance
Etwas aus der Erde/aus dem Boden stampfen
Literally, "to stomp or pound something out of the earth/the ground," the expression evokes the idea of magic and means "to make something out of nothing, to set something up quickly" — whether a building or a successful business. Not to be confused with the English "stomping ground," a place where someone used to hang out, and originally referred to a spot that animals would frequent in nature.
Image: picture-alliance/blickwinkel/fotototo
Kein Bein auf die Erde bekommen
"You can't get a leg down on earth" means that you are unsuccessful at something, you can't gain a foothold.
Image: mago
Jemanden unter die Erde bringen
"Jemanden unter die Erde bringen" literally translates as "to place someone underground" and actually means "being at fault for a person's death." That is akin to the English "to put someone to bed with a shovel." This shovel here, however, is merely an artwork in Amsterdam.
Image: DW/D. Dedović
Verbrannte Erde
Literally "burned earth," it refers to a military strategy of destroying essential infrastructure, like bridges, streets, train tracks, factories, fields, food and livestock, entire villages or cities, to prevent them from being of use to one's opponent, either in one’s own land or one which a military has invaded. The tactic often results in famine or the destruction of the civil population.
Image: picture-alliance/U. Baumgarten
Mit beiden Beinen auf der Erde bleiben
"To keep standing with both legs on earth/the ground": that's what this German maxim says. What it means is to stay down-to-earth and grounded, to not delude oneself, to remain realistic.
Image: Maria Sbytova/Colourbox
Den Himmel auf Erden haben
Who wouldn't want it: to have heaven on earth?! It's the same in German as in English. But beware if someone sometimes promises you heaven on earth (jemandem den Himmel auf Erden versprechen). If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Pictured above, Luke Jerram's artwork entitled "Gaia" was shown in London in Summer 2020.
Image: Imago Images/i-Images/M. Thomas
Das Salz der Erde sein
Of Biblical origins and Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, this expression is the same as in English: to be the salt of the earth. If someone is the salt of the earth, it means they are a good and honest person; they are respected for tackling challenges without complaint and remain true to their values. They are of great worth.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/CTK
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With the world in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic, another global challenge — the climate crisis — has taken a back seat in many people's minds.
Still, the pandemic heightened a collective solidarity that has recently extended to the people of Ukraine suffering an armed invasion by Russia — a war with potential climate consequences as countries seek to reduce their dependence on Russian fossil fuels by switching to clean energy.
But our ability to work together needs to focus directly on the challenges of the climate crisis, while also acknowledging our contribution to the problem.
Earth Day is April 22, with the motto in 2022 being "Invest in our Planet."
"This is the moment to change it all — the business climate, the political climate, and how we take action on climate. Now is the time for the unstoppable courage to preserve and protect our health, our families, our livelihoods," says the Earth Day website.
To pay tribute to Mother Earth, for "Meet the Germans," we look at German phrases using the word "earth."
