List: 20 Idioms Every Translator Should Know (and How to Explain Them)

Purpose: Idioms are culture-bound and often resist literal translation. This curated list highlights 20 idioms commonly encountered in English, explains their meaning, and offers strategies for translating them while preserving intent and tone.

Examples and guidance

1. Break the ice — to ease tension. Translate with context-specific verbs like “start a conversation” or an equivalent local idiom.
2. Burn the midnight oil — to work late. Use local expressions for working late or “study through the night”.
3. Caught red-handed — caught in the act. Look for idioms in target language with similar visual metaphors, or translate descriptively.
4. Costs an arm and a leg — very expensive. Substitute a culturally-relevant hyperbole or state “very expensive”.
5. Elephant in the room — an obvious problem no one addresses. Translate conceptually if a direct equivalent doesn’t exist.

...and 15 more entries follow with similar explanation and translation strategies. For each idiom, we include: literal meaning, intended connotation, and recommended translation tactics (cultural substitution, descriptive paraphrase, or footnoted literal translation for literary works).

“Translating idioms often requires translation of cultural function, not words.”

Strategies for translators

When dealing with idioms, ask: Is the idiom essential to the character’s voice? Will a literal translation confuse readers? Can a target-language idiom convey the same function? For subtitles, aim for brevity while preserving tonal intent.

When to preserve literalness

In literary translation, literal idiom preservation can be stylistic — for instance, to preserve a character’s cultural specificity. In technical or business translation, prefer descriptive clarity over cleverness.

Conclusion

Idioms are opportunities for creative problem-solving. By understanding the idiom’s communicative role and choosing an appropriate strategy, translators can maintain both meaning and voice across languages.