Every language has those weird little phrases that make perfect sense to native speakers and absolutely zero sense to everyone else. English tells you to “break a leg” when it wants you to succeed. That’s bonkers.
But Frisian? Frisian has idioms that are actually logical. Like, shockingly logical. They paint pictures that your brain can actually process without needing a cultural decoder ring.
Take “in each om in each” for example. Literally “an eye for an eye.” Okay, that one exists in English too. But here’s where it gets good.
When something is really expensive in Frisian, you say “dat kostet in each út ‘e holle” which means “that costs an eye out of your head.” Not an arm and a leg. An eye. From your actual head. Somehow that feels more visceral and more accurate when you’re looking at overpriced cheese at the market.
Or when someone is being sneaky or dishonest, Frisians say “hy hat boter op ‘e holle” meaning “he has butter on his head.” The idea is that if you’re walking around with butter on your head, you better stay out of the sun or it’ll melt and everyone will know. It’s a metaphor for having something to hide. And it’s weirdly brilliant.
English would just say someone is “fishy” or “shady.” But Frisian makes you picture an actual person nervously avoiding sunlight because of their butter situation. That’s poetry.
When Frisians want to say someone is very busy, they say “hy hat it ta de earen ta” which translates to “he has it up to his ears.” Not over their head. Up to their ears. You can still breathe, but you’re definitely drowning in work. The visual accuracy is kind of perfect.
Here’s one that’ll make you smile: “as in wjok efter de doar” means “like a wick behind the door.” It describes someone who is constantly hanging around, lurking, waiting for something. Picture an old candle wick just stuck behind a door, useless but always there. It’s oddly specific and somehow universally relatable.
When something happens very rarely, English says “once in a blue moon.” Fine. But Frisian says “om ‘e sânde jier in skiep mei fiif poaten” which means “every seventh year a sheep with five legs.” That’s not just rare. That’s rare AND absurd AND creates a mental image you’ll never forget.
If someone is really stubborn in Frisian, they’re “sa stijf as in stok” or “as stiff as a stick.” Not stubborn as a mule. A stick. Something with literally zero flexibility. The metaphor does exactly what it needs to do.
And when Frisians want to say that something is going really well, they say “it sit fan wyn” which means “it sits from wind” or basically “it’s going with the wind.” For a seafaring, sailing culture, this makes total sense. When the wind is right, everything works. When it’s not, you’re stuck. The idiom grew straight out of lived experience.
One of my favorites is “de hân leit der op” meaning “the hand lies on it.” It’s used when you want to grab something quickly or when something is readily available. The image is simple and clear. The thing is right there. Your hand is already on it. Done.
There’s also “mei de hân oer it hert strike” which translates to “stroke your hand over your heart.” It means to be honest with yourself or to have a serious think about something. It’s asking you to literally and figuratively check in with yourself. The physical gesture matches the emotional meaning perfectly.
Compare that to English expressions like “beating around the bush” or “letting the cat out of the bag.” These require historical context to understand. They’re divorced from their original meanings. They’re linguistic fossils.
Frisian idioms often feel alive. They describe the world in ways that are direct, visual, and rooted in the landscape and culture they came from. Butter melts. Wind moves boats. Sticks don’t bend. Sheep don’t have five legs.
Learning Frisian idioms isn’t just about memorizing phrases. It’s about seeing how a language builds meaning from the ground up, using images and experiences that actually make sense.
And honestly? After learning a few of these, English idioms start to feel unnecessarily complicated. Why are we beating around bushes when we could just be checking if there’s butter on our heads?
