Foreigners react to Hungarian proverbs – video

German, Nepali, Spanish, Irish, and Russian people reacted to Hungarian proverbs in a video. There were some good guesses, but some of them were far from the real meaning – as far away as Makó from Jerusalem.

Borrowed bread must be returned

The international people asked were on the same page about the meaning of this proverb. Their general idea was that something borrowed must be given back, favours should be returned, everything comes with a price. The most interesting guess was that if you buy bread with blue mould, you have to give it back to the shop. However, the proverb means something like “what goes around, comes around”. If you harm someone, they can do the same to you.

The skin is burning on my face

The people in the video guessed that it means a really bad sunburn or an expression of anger. But what this Hungarian proverb means is that someone is embarrassed or ashamed. Do you remember the reporter caught with no pants live on air? The skin was probably burning on his face.

Crack pepper under someone’s nose

This proverb got some creative definitions: make someone sneeze, wake someone up, shut up angry people. But what it truly means is to annoy someone. Like in tales, the protagonist prince really can crack pepper under the antagonist dragon’s nose.

When red snow falls

The people in the video thought this means something really disastrous and odd. “Poor me, I’ve never seen this,” one of them said. But other guesses were exceptionally diverse: impossible things, the sky bleeding, a woman getting her period, fighting someone, or killing someone. While it makes sense why they came to these conclusions, the proverb means “never”. In other languages, you might say “when pigs fly”.

To put on the rabbit shoes

Good luck, being fast, being in a hurry is what this proverb means, according to the international people. And they were not far from the truth! It really does mean to get going or start running. In order to catch the bus in the morning, for instance, you might put on the rabbit shoes.

Below, you can check out the full video.