"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.

[elliotkwolek]

You are like a fish out from the water is literal. I used this and it was not accepted? Are of and from the same word?

[jaye16]

You could say> *You are like a fish out of water." You would not use the "from" in this sentence. Prepositions in English may have overlapping meanings but the chief criteria for use are fixed as in this phrasal verb.

[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.

[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

[MaxOCiaragain]

Does οπως work in place of σαν?

[billi101316]

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

[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.

[Stefan_Chirila]

Maybe not a clear translation but the closest expression in English: You are like a fish on dry land.

[jaye16]

that is interesting. I know it exactly like the Greek. I'm afraid I can't include it in the incubator. The wording would be confusing but thank you.

[Philip626212]

I'm confused by this subthread. "Fish out of water" is indeed standard in US English. Is a different phrase more common in Greek?

[vale_221096]

I think jaye meant the "fish on dry land" phrase is the one that won't be added

[jaye16]

Thanks @vale_221096 for catching that. I wouldn't want someone to learn an incorrect translation.

[Sraddhaman]

Ah, OK. I was confused (as I usually am, here :-( )
I thought that someone - not Jaye - was saying that "fish on dry land" was a common English usage, and I was taking issue with that.

[jaye16]

No, problem. Sometimes these short comments make it hard to get an idea across.

[Sraddhaman]

I have never heard "like a fish on dry land" in my many years as an (English) English speaker. "Like a fish out of water" is, however, in relatively common usage.

[jaye16]

Please read my comment carefully. I said:

I cannot include it.

In other words, "like a fish on dry land" is not correct.