Advertisement

German phrase of the day: Tomaten auf den Augen haben

The Local Germany
The Local Germany - [email protected]
German phrase of the day: Tomaten auf den Augen haben
Photo: Depositphotos

Whether tired or distracted, this fun phrase applies to many people - luckily usually not literally.

Advertisement

Fortunately you’re unlikely to walk down the street in Germany and see someone with tomatoes in their eyes. But it’s very common for someone to be blind to your surroundings.

To have tomatoes in your eyes in German means that you aren’t aware or haven’t noticed what’s happening around you, whether it be the woman in front of you, or your cheating partner.

The term stems from the idea of being so tired and sleepy that your eyes are red like tomatoes. It’s also connected to a driver who does not move forward at a green traffic light because he or she only sees red.

In the following video, a distracted woman demonstrates what it’s like to (literally) have tomatoes in the eyes.

 
Examples:

Hast du Tomaten auf den Augen? Du merkst nicht, was du macht!

Are you blind? You’re not paying attention to what you’re doing!

Meine Kollegin wird bald entlassen werden, hast sie aber Tomaten auf den Augen.

My colleague will soon be fired but she’s oblivious.

--

Do you have a favourite word or phrase you'd like to see us cover? If so, please email our editor Rachel Stern with your suggestion.

 

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also