My favourite sayings

Mecklenburg people are famous for their sayings which are sometimes just funny, sometimes clever ("plietsch"), sometimes political and bitter and sometimes just silly. It is difficult to translate the originally Low German language to High German or even to English but I will give it a try! You will find several more sayings hidden in the other texts concerning Mecklenburg.

Enjoy it!

"Nun geht die Reise los", hat die Maus gesagt, da ist die Katze mit ihr auf den Boden gestiegen.
"Now the journey starts" said the mouse when the cat took it to the loft.

"Reisende Leute soll man nicht aufhalten", sagte der Fuchs, da hat er den Hasen nicht gekriegt.
"Don't stop travelling people" the fox said when he couldn't catch the rabbit.

"Ich bin von hoher Herkunft", sagte der Junge, "mein Vater wohnt auf dem Dachboden."
"I am of high descendance" the boy said, "my father lives on the loft."
My little daughter's favourite.

"Das Alter soll man ehren", sagte der Junge, "Vater, nun schieb du die Karre!"
"You shall honour the old people" the boy said. "Father, now you may push the cart!"

"Ich mag das alles gern sauber haben", sagte die Frau, da holte sie ne Maus aus der Suppe und leckte sie ab.
"I like it to have everything clean" the old woman said when she picked up a mouse out of the soup and licked it off.
This one my mother loves...

"Dat treckt sich all nah 'n Liew", säd de Schnieder, dunn hadd he dat Büxenbeen in 't Armloch sett.
"Everything will fit when put on" the taylor said when he had fixed the trouser's leg to the hole for the sleeve.

Oma Tilli beim Kartenspiel: "Piekst du mi, so kettel ick di!"
My grandmother Tilli playing cards: "If you prick me I will tickle you!"

And the absolute favourite of my entire family:
"Ick straf mien Frau mit gauden Wüürden", seggt de Buer un schmitt ehr die Bibel an'n Kopp.


"I punish my wife with good words" the farmer said and threw the bible at her head.
Do you know more sayings which you miss in this collection?

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