1. Das steht auf einem anderen Blatt. Thats a different story. / Thats a horse of a different color. (Meaning – That is a different matter) Literal German: That stands on another piece of paper. (stehen – to stand / in this case… is written)

2. Das ist nicht dein Bier. That is none of your business. (Meaning – that is of no concern to you. Literal German: That is not your beer. (das Bier – beer)

3. Ich drücke dir die Daumen. Im crossing my fingers for you. (Meaning – I am hoping the best for you. Literal German: I am pressing my thumbs for you. (This is similar to crossing the fingers for luck in America.)

4. Das Projekt haben wir jetzt unter Dach und Fach. The project is now all wrapped up. (Meaning – it is completed. / It is finished Literal German: We have the project under roof and Subject. (das Fach – subject (die Fächer) / das Dach – roof (die Dächer)

5. Honesty is the best policy. (Meaning – it is better to be truthful. Literal German: Honesty lasts the longest. (währen – to last / to endure) Ehrlich währt am längsten

6. Everything is going down the drain now. (Meaning – something is getting worse / falling apart Literal German: Everything is now in the bucket. (der Eimer – bucket) Es geht jetzt alles im Eimer.

7. United we stand, divided we fall. (Meaning – We will succeed together and fail if apart. Literal German: Harmony nourishes, discord consumes. (nähren – to nourish / verzehren – to consume) Eintracht nährt, Unfriede verzehrt.

8. We must strike while the iron is hot. (Meaning – We must act now while we can. Literal German: We must forge the iron, as long as it is hot. (schmieden – to forge) Wir müssen das Eisen schmieden, so lange es heiß ist.

9. No man was born a master. (Meaning – Nobody is perfect Literal German: There is still no master fallen from heaven. (der Meister – master / der Himmel – heaven or sky. Es ist noch kein Meister vom Himmel gefallen.

10. It is never as bad as it seems (Meaning – It appears worse than it really is. Literal German: It will not be eaten as hot as how it was cooked. (essen – gegessen / kochen – gekocht) Es wird nichts so heiß gegessen, wie es gekocht wird.