5 Tamil Expressions That Have No Direct English Translation

 

Even ChatGPT and Gemini may find the following day to day tamil expressions difficult to translate: 

1. வேண்டாம் என்கிட்டே வெசிக்காத

2. சனியனே ஏன் என் உயிரை வாங்குற? 

3. போடா போடா புண்ணாக்கு போடாத தப்பு கணக்கு

4. சாவு கிராக்கி வீட்ல சொல்லிட்டு வந்திட்டியா?

5. தொலைச்சி கட்டிருவேன்

The literal translation would be funny and sound bizarre (warning: please don't try): 

1. No don't keep with me - வேண்டாம் என்கிட்டே வெசிக்காத 

2. Hey Planet Saturn, why are you purchasing my life?  - சனியனே ஏன் என் உயிரை வாங்குற? 

3. Go away go away, cattle feed cake, don't put wrong mathematics! - போடா போடா புண்ணாக்கு போடாத தப்பு கணக்கு

4. Hey customer of costly death, did you inform your household before coming? - சாவு கிராக்கி வீட்ல சொல்லிட்டு வந்திட்டியா?

5. I will lose you and tie you up! - தொலைச்சி கட்டிருவேன்

Ok, what to do then?  Let's try  certain possible and simple English translations that the Tamil speaker really meant: 

1. என்கிட்ட வெச்சுக்காத 

Translation: Don't mess with me.

2. சனியனே ஏன் என் உயிரை வாங்குற?

Translation: You nuisance, why are you driving me crazy? 

3. போடா போடா புண்ணாக்கு போடாத தப்பு கணக்கு

Translation: Get lost, you fool, don't miscalculate me! / Move along, useless guy, don't count me out!

4. சாவு கிராக்கி வீட்ல சொல்லிட்டு வந்திட்டியா?

Translation: You walking death wish, did you inform your family at home before coming out? / You reckless fool, did you say your last head-count at home?

5. தொலைச்சி கட்டிருவேன்

Translation: I will finish you off!  / I'll wipe you out!

Funny English Conversations

 

Scholar: What’s up? (What is happening?)

Layman: The tree! 😳

Scholar: You're pulling my leg!

(You're joking with me!)

Layman: No! I never touched your leg. You’re lying.

Scholar: Ok. Ok. Keep your shirt on!

(Stay calm; don’t get angry.)

Layman: I’m not taking my shirt off. Are you mad? 

Scholar: Don’t you know any idiom? Use your head. (Think carefully.)

Layman: Yes I’m using my head. Not an idiot as you said.

Scholar: You’re a tough nut to crack!

(You’re difficult to understand or convince.)

Layman: I am NOT a nut! And please don’t crack me! 

Scholar: Hold your horses!

(Wait / calm down!)

Layman: Stupid! I don’t really have any horses! 🐴

 Scholar: Oh My God! Why don’t you understand any idiom. It’s just a piece of cake. (Easy to understand).

Layman: I love cake. But just one piece? No problem. Let me adjust. By the by, Where is the cake you are talking about?

Scholar: Look here. First lend me your ears. (Listen to me.)

Layman: No, I can’t. I need both. 

Scholar: You’re driving me up the wall!

(You’re making me extremely annoyed.)

Layman: No wall here. I'm sure. You are mad.

Scholar: Now, I had to bite the bullet (force myself to face a difficult situation)

Layman: No. Don’t do it. Your brain is likely to blast. 

Scholar: Oh My God. I'm really under the weather (feeling sick).

Layman: Yes. Above us, it’s so cloudy now. 

Scholar: Oh..You are making me run around like a headless chicken (acting in a hyperactive, disorganized way)

Layman: I only saved your head from biting the bullets. Now you say, you are a headless chicken and I’m the reason. Again you are lying.

Scholar: See, pipe down(stop talking).

Layman. See, no pipe is down here. You can’t make me a fool.

Scholar: Please, give me some space.( stop bothering me) 

Layman: Already, there is two feet 3 feet distance between us. 

Scholar: Go jump in a lake.(Go away) 

Layman: Come on. Why can’t we both enjoy swimming there?

(Scholar started running away from the scene)