32 Funny Albanian Sayings And Phrases

32 Funny Albanian Sayings And Phrases

Your quest for Albanian fluency wouldn’t be complete without learning some of the country’s most popular sayings and phrases!

Learning Albanian sayings is a great way to improve your Albanian skills, while also amusing yourself with the sheer ridiculousness of their literal meanings.

Idioms and proverbs give you insight into a culture’s values and beliefs, and can be fun to use in conversation (especially the translated versions that would sound bizarre in English!).



We’ve put together a list of 32 popular Albanian sayings, along with their general and literal meanings in English, plus accompanying audio for each one. Do bear in mind that some of these aren’t used in certain parts of Albania, as you would expect. Also, the translations are rough estimates, as some of these idioms are quite difficult to translate directly.

Okay, ready to get started? Let the hilarity commence!


1. S’pin më ujë

It doesn’t work.

Literal translation: It doesn’t drink water.


2. I bie fyellit në një vrimë

To talk about the same thing again and again, to the point of becoming annoying.

Literal translation: Playing the flute in only one key.


Funny albanian saying 3

3. Ta ha zemerën

Used to express affection.

Literal translation: I’ll eat your heart.


4. Mos ha shum burek

You’re talking garbage!

Literal translation: Don’t eat too much burek. (Burek is a traditional Albanian pastry dish)


5. Do dru?

Do you want to get beaten up?

Literal translation: Do you want wood?


6. Ta ha synin

Used as a compliment to someone who looks attractive.

Literal translation: I’ll eat your eye.


7. I jep dorën, të merr krahun

Said when you help someone and they try to get more out of you/take advantage of you.

Literal translation: Give them a hand, they take your whole arm.


Funny albanian saying 8

8. Copë mish me dy sy!

Said about or to a useless person.

Literal translation: A piece of meat with two eyes!


9. Ik/shko mbushu!

Go away!

Literal translation: Go fill yourself up!


10. Fry sytë

You can’t do anything about it.

Literal translation: Blow your eyes.


11. Flet si e ëma e Zeqos në majë të thanës

Talking nonsense or say silly things.

Literal translation: Talk like Zeqo’s mother at the top of the cranberry tree.


12. Ta ha shpirtin

Used to express affection, usually to something or someone cute (like a baby).

Literal translation: I’ll eat your soul.


Funny albanian saying 13

13. Nuk bie rrufeja në hale

Nothing bad can happen to an evil person.

Literal translation: The thunder doesn’t strike in the toilet.


14. S’mban me uje pilafi!

That’s enough!

Literal translation: The rice doesn’t keep more water.


15. Fshati digjet, kurva krihet!

Refers to someone who does nothing when something bad is happening.

Literal translation: The village is burning, the b*tch combs her hair!


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16. Ke ngrënë gazetë për mëngjes?

Something you say to someone who’s very talkative early in the morning.

Literal translation: Did you have a newspaper for breakfast?


17. Mere veten met mir

Chill out!

Literal translation: Take care of yourself.


Funny albanian saying 18

18. I ke bërë lekët rrush e kumbulla

It means that you’ve messed something up.

Literal translation: Spend your money on grapes and plums.


19. Kam lënë leshtë!

Said when you spend or lose a lot of money.

Literal translation: I have left my hair!


20. M’u prish gjiza mua

Said when you don’t care about something or someone.

Literal translation: As if my cottage cheese will go bad.


21. Të njoh dhëmbe e dhëmballë!

Something said when you know someone really well.

Literal translation: I know your teeth and your molars!


22. T’rafte pika!

Drop dead!

Literal translation: May the point fall on you!


Funny albanian saying 23

23. Dhi e zgjebosur e bishtin përpjetë

Applied to someone who’s trouble but refuses to acknowledge it.

Literal translation: A sick goat but with its tail upwards.


24. Në të sëmës

An ironic phrase said about somewhere that’s actually far away.

Literal translation: At the mother’s.


25. Të bësh një vrimë në ujë

Said to a useless person who can’t do anything.

Literal translation: To make a hole in the water.


26. T’u bëftë dita një mijë

Said to express a great deal of thanks/gratitude.

Literal translation: May your day become one thousand.


27. Shih me sy e plas me zemër

To see something and know you won’t ever get or achieve it.

Literal translation: See with your eyes and burst with your heart.


Funny albanian saying 28

28. Më iku zari!

Said when you’re really bored or annoyed.

Literal translation: My dice left me!


29. Të ka xhepi lekë!

You’re rich!

Literal translation: Your pocket has money!


30. Fshati që duket s’do kallauz

Something obvious needs no further explanation.

Literal translation: The village that can be seen doesn’t need a guide.


31. Sa për sy e faqe

Doing something just for show.

Literal translation: Just for eyes and cheeks.


32. Më hape barkun!

Said when you want to express your dislike of someone or something; when something makes you sick.

Literal translation: You open my belly!


1
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Beginner's Albanian with Online Audio
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My First Albanian Book. Albanian-English Book for Bilingual Children: Albanian-English children's book with illustrations for kids. A great ... Educational Books for Bilingual Children)
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Albanian vocabulary for English speakers - 3000 words (American English Collection)
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We hope you had as much fun reading these as we had discovering them! Your challenge now is to try to use as many of them as possible in conversation with your Albanian friends. They’ll be both impressed and amused, we promise!

Check out our love quotes in Albanian for some more light-hearted reading, or if you’re feeling motivated and have some spare time, why not read some short stories in Albanian?