"Εσύ είσαι σαν ένα ψάρι έξω από το νερό."

Translation: You are like a fish out of water.

[stuartjr341]

"Fish out of water" is definitely an English expression. One that I use and also the title of a jazz album I own.

[SchighSchagh]

Is this phrase really word for word the same in English and Greek? I find that fantastic. Idioms often don't translate literally very well.

[nacreousnereid]

I agree - however I don't think this example is really outlandish. Its meaning is immediately clear even if it wasn't idiomatic.

In contrast, the idiom "hands down" is a little stranger and wouldn't translate well word-for-word in Greek. In French "hands down" translates to "le doigts dans le nez" (fingers in the nose")!!

[jss.___]

It's the same phrase in Spanish, too.

[Ayegl527108]

And the same in Turkish: "sudan çıkmış balık gibi olmak/sudan çıkmış balığa dönmek"

[jaye16]

It's so interesting to hear how so many languages use similar expression. Thanks for the input.

[davchyt]

Interesting, I have never heard this idiom and I use English a lot. So does it mean that you're out of your safe environment? In Czech we use 'He is lika a fish IN the water', meaning the opposite: That he fits in well, is very skilled, experienced in sth. I wonder whether this phrase exists in English or Greek as well...

[G.Georgopoulos]

No, the reverse doesn't exist in Greek.

[vale_221096]

In Spanish we have "como pez en el agua", which translates to the phrase you mentioned and has literally the same meaning.

[MaxOCiaragain]

Does οπως work in place of σαν?

[jaye16]

I just googled "like a fish out of water" and got this result: About 3,740,000 results (0.67 seconds)

There are number of links.

It's an idiom and "the" is not used. Try this here

Read also the other comments on this page.

[Jon345104]

Cab we use this in Greek as well

[MarsTheSoap]

Indeed, we can :)

You can also (and more commonly) hear "είμαι/νιώθω έξω από τα νερά μου" which probably comes from the same simile and has the exact same meaning :)

[robert672165]

"out of my depth"

[RiccardoCa521817]

you are like a fish outside of the water was marked incorrect....

[jaye16]

No, "like a fish out of water" is a fixed expression trying to change it just makes it sound unnatural. Actually, we most often use "out of water" never "outsidee". "Take the carrots out of the water and let them dry." "Take the shirts out of the water." etc you'd never say outside. Don't push unnatural usage.

[edward519982]

Trying to get back to this later

[billi101316]

It really should be "like a fish out of the water"

[venatio]

Or "σαν ψάρι στη στεργιά", I think. In Swedish, we say "som en fisk på torra land".

[D_..]

*στεριά ;)