Amusing Phrases in other languages.

[Rakala]

Similar to the next word game however with non-English phrases. Simply provide an amusing sentence ina  foreign language and a translation for those of us who don't understand.

Ich bin ein handschuh. (It's been awhile since I wrote German so I'm not sure about the spelling.)

Translation: I am a glove.

[Corgatha Taldorthar]

Can we include phrases that sound fine in their own language, but when translated come out funny?

[Rakala]

Why not? As long as it sounds ridiculous in one language it's fine.

[Corgatha Taldorthar]

Unfortunately, I don't have the originals, but I'm going to copy a few choice ones (in translation) from  here



Tokyo hotel:
It is forbidden to steal hotel towels. If you are not a person to do such a thing, please not read this notice.


Moscow hotel:
You are welcome to visit the cemetery where famous Russian composers, artists and writers are buried daily except Thursday.

Bangkok dry cleaners:
Drop your trousers here for best results.

Greece tailor shop:
Order your summer suits early. Because of the big rush we will execute customers in strict rotation.


Rome laundry:
Ladies, please leave your clothes here and spend the afternoon having a good time.

Acapulco hotel:
We are pleased to announce that the manager has personally passed all the water served here.


Norwegian lounge:
Ladies requested not to have children in the bar.

[Darkdragon]

I remember seeing a sign in Japan which was translated as "Don't press the don't button." The Japanese was closer to "Please do not press the button when assistance is not needed."

A few humourous ones:

Latin:
Si hoc legere scis, nimium eruditionis habes. (If you can read this, you have too much education)
Quomodo cogis comas tuas sic videri? (How do you get your hair to do that?)
Valui ad Satanam in computatrum meum invocandum. (I succeeded in summoning Satan into my computer.)

Finnish:
Käyhän että tuon kannettavani saunaan? (Is it OK if I bring my laptop in the sauna?)
Oho! Tota noin ... Eihän se vaa ollu' sun ajokoira? (I'm awfully sorry ... was that your ferret?)
Onko totta, että suomalaisessa jouluperinteessä joulupukki oli lapsia syövä villisika? (Is it true that in the Finnish Christmas tradition, Santa Claus used to be a wild boar that would eat children?)

Welsh:
Mae defad wedi bwyta fy mrechdanau! (A sheep has eaten my sandwiches!)
Mae'r holl arwyddion wedi'u tynnu i lawr. (All the road signs have been pulled down.)
Chi a pwy fyddin? (You and whose army?)

[Cogidubnus]

Latin:

Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam - I have a catapult. Give me all your money, or I will fling an enormous rock at your head.

[Gabi]

While I was at an airport, I read a sign that was written in Spanish with a poor English translation below. The English version said "do not stand up to the odorless". The accurate translation would have been "do not step on the toilet".

Edit: Corgatha's quotes have made me laugh to tears.

[Lisky]

i found 2 that ammused me,
a translation from a japanese made hair dryer: "use while sleeping do not, fire cause may"
(it sounds yoda-like, almost)

another one is on our blender's box: "not for any other use"

[insidexml]

你问我，我问谁？

A direct translation is: You ask me, I ask who?

An interpretation could be, "I don't know," or "how the heck would I know?"

[Raffe]

One of the more amusing ones in my memory, in Welsh.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/3332019/Out-of-office-reply-appears-on-street-sign.html

[Kipiru]

"The tea gonna chew come!", though meaningless, that phrase is an exact phonetic copy of a bulgarian phrase meaning "Screw you!"