Cross-language · 52 phrases · 11 languages
How to say "tough luck"
Fatalism out loud — it went wrong, it figures, and there's nothing to do but name it.
French
all French → C'est nul ! say NOOL That sucks / That's lame Ça craint ! sa KRAN That's sketchy / That sucks / This is bad news C'est la merde ! say la MEHRD It's a disaster / We're screwed / What a mess C'est chiant ! say SHYAHN It's a pain / annoying as hell Quelle galère ! kel ga-LEHR What a hassle / What an ordeal Se prendre un râteau suh prahndr uhn rah-TOH To get shot down / rejected (romantically) C'est chaud / Elle est chaude say SHOH Dicey/risky — or, of a person, up-for-it (careful)
German
all German →Greek
all Greek → σιγά sigá see-GHAH Big deal / whatever / calm down / as if — dismissive minimizing. μας γάμησε mas gámise mahss GHAH-mee-seh It screwed us / we're done for / that ruined everything. τι να κάνουμε ti na kánoume tee nah KAH-noo-meh What can you do / that's life / oh well — weary Greek resignation. δεν γαμιέται den gamiétai then gah-MYEH-teh Who gives a fuck / forget it / to hell with it — dismissive resignation. χέστηκα chéstika KHEHS-tee-kah I couldn't care less — OR — I got the fright of my life (context decides). μας χέσανε mas chésane mahss KHEH-sah-neh They let us down / screwed us over / treated us like dirt.
Italian
all Italian →Japanese
all Japanese →Korean
all Korean → 아이고 aigo ah-ee-GOH Oh dear / oof / good grief — the sound of Korea sitting down after a long day. 망했어 manghaesseo mahng-HEH-ssuh I'm screwed / it's over / total disaster. 헬조선 heljoseon hell-joh-SUN Korea-as-hell — the bitter national self-diagnosis. 아 몰라 a molla ah MOHL-lah Ugh, whatever / I'm done thinking about it.
Polish
all Polish →Portuguese
all Portuguese → Chato SHAH-too Annoying / boring / a pain Que saco! keh SAH-koo What a drag! / So annoying! / Ugh! Tá foda tah FOH-dah It's rough / this is screwed / things are hard Aff! AHF Ugh! / Oh please / Give me a break Que inferno! keh een-FEHR-noo What a nightmare! / For crying out loud! De saco cheio jee SAH-koo SHAY-oo Fed up / sick and tired Frango FRAHN-goo A soft goal the keeper should have saved; a howler Levar um fora leh-VAR oong FOH-rah To get rejected / dumped / blown off
Russian
all Russian →Spanish
all Spanish → ¡Híjole! EE-hoh-leh Yikes / oof / wow / uh-oh ¡Me lleva la chingada! meh YEH-bah lah cheen-GAH-dah I'm so screwed! / For fuck's sake! Está cabrón ess-TAH kah-BROHN It's intense / rough / seriously impressive Ni modo nee MOH-doh Oh well / nothing to be done / it is what it is Valió madre bah-LYOH MAH-dreh It's ruined / it's all gone to hell
Turkish
all Turkish → Tüh! TEW Darn! / Shoot! / Dang it! Sıçtık! suhch-TUHK We're screwed / well, that's ruined Hapı yuttuk! hah-PUH yoot-TOOK We're done for / we've had it Yandık! yahn-DUHK We're toast / now we've had it Gözün kör olsun! gur-ZEWN KUR ol-SOON Damn your eyes / serves you right Yuh! YOO(h) Boooo! / For shame! / Come ON!