Celebrate International Cat Day!
The domestic cat has been a beloved pet of women, men, and children for thousands of years, with appreciation of this noble animal hailing back to Egyptian times. Despite being stingy with their affection and presenting us with terrible gifts ("a dead bird in my bed – again?"), we still love and admire our haughty, aloof, irrepressible feline companions. After so many years of cohabitation, it's no wonder that they've infiltrated the way we speak. Ahead of International Cat Day (8th August), the team of language experts at language learning app, Babbel, have teased out and translated some of the best cat phrases from all over the world.
Italian
'Avere sette vite come i gatti'
Translation: To have seven lives like a cat
Turkish, English and many Slavic languages assume cats have an extra nine mystical lives. Italian, German, Spanish and Portuguese give cats two fewer chances to defy mortality.
French
'Retomber comme un chat sur ses pattes'
Translation: To land like a cat on its feet
Meaning: To be lucky or successful after being in a difficult situation.
'Avoir un chat dans la gorge'
Translation: To have a cat in the throat
Meaning: To have a phlegmy, hoarse throat
Portuguese
'Gato escaldado tem medo de água fria '
Translation: A scalded cat fears cold water
Meaning: To be traumatised by a bad experience
Spanish
'¿Se te ha comido la lengua el gato?
Translation: Did the cat eat your tongue?
Meaning: Why aren't you talking?
Hindi
'नौ सौ चूहे खाके बिल्ली हज को चली' (Nau Sau Choohey Khakar Billi Hajj Ko Chali)
Translation: After eating 900 rats, the cat goes on a pilgrimage
Meaning: To veil a lifetime of wrongdoing with a few token expressions of virtue later in life.
German
'Wenn die Katze aus dem Haus ist, tanzen die Mäuse auf dem Tisch'
Translation: When the cat's out of the house, the mice dance on the table
Meaning: When the boss is away, someone under them calls the shots
Croatian
'Kad mačke nema, miševi vode kolo'
Translation: When the cat's gone, the mice lead the kolo*
Meaning: When the boss is away, someone under them calls the shots
*The kolo is a tradition Balkan Dance popular at weddings and other social gatherings.
Romanian
'Nu arunca pisica în curtea altuia'
Translation: Don't throw the cat in someone else's backyard
Meaning: Don't blame someone else
Swedish
'Om natten är alla katter grå'
Translation: At night, all cats are grey
Meaning: The differences don't really matter
Italian
'Avere sette vite come i gatti'
Translation: To have seven lives like a cat
Turkish, English and many Slavic languages assume cats have an extra nine mystical lives. Italian, German, Spanish and Portuguese give cats two fewer chances to defy mortality.
French
'Retomber comme un chat sur ses pattes'
Translation: To land like a cat on its feet
Meaning: To be lucky or successful after being in a difficult situation.
'Avoir un chat dans la gorge'
Translation: To have a cat in the throat
Meaning: To have a phlegmy, hoarse throat
Portuguese
'Gato escaldado tem medo de água fria '
Translation: A scalded cat fears cold water
Meaning: To be traumatised by a bad experience
Spanish
'¿Se te ha comido la lengua el gato?
Translation: Did the cat eat your tongue?
Meaning: Why aren't you talking?
Hindi
'नौ सौ चूहे खाके बिल्ली हज को चली' (Nau Sau Choohey Khakar Billi Hajj Ko Chali)
Translation: After eating 900 rats, the cat goes on a pilgrimage
Meaning: To veil a lifetime of wrongdoing with a few token expressions of virtue later in life.
German
'Wenn die Katze aus dem Haus ist, tanzen die Mäuse auf dem Tisch'
Translation: When the cat's out of the house, the mice dance on the table
Meaning: When the boss is away, someone under them calls the shots
Croatian
'Kad mačke nema, miševi vode kolo'
Translation: When the cat's gone, the mice lead the kolo*
Meaning: When the boss is away, someone under them calls the shots
*The kolo is a tradition Balkan Dance popular at weddings and other social gatherings.
Romanian
'Nu arunca pisica în curtea altuia'
Translation: Don't throw the cat in someone else's backyard
Meaning: Don't blame someone else
Swedish
'Om natten är alla katter grå'
Translation: At night, all cats are grey
Meaning: The differences don't really matter