du schaust wie drei Tage Regenwetter

English translation: You look like your dog just died

20:22 Mar 28, 2023

German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature

German term or phrase: du schaust wie drei Tage Regenwetter

Translating fiction to US English and came across this expression, describing someone who clearly looks miserable:

du schaust wie drei Tage Regenwetter

In British English I'd translate it as "you have a face like a wet weekend" but I don't think that works so well in American English. I just can't think of an appropriate equivalent. Any suggestions for a better expression?

Rosemary Soroos KudoZ activity Questions: 1 (none open) Answers: 4 Ireland
Local time: 23:38

English translation:You look like your dog just died

Explanation:
typical U.S. CONTEXT will tell which fits best.

Selected response from:

Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 00:38

Grading comment

Thanks Ramey, I think this expression will work the best.
2 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

5 +2

You look as miserable as sin

Britta Norris

3 +3

You look like your dog just died

Ramey Rieger (X)

4 +1

you look down in the mouth/dumps

philgoddard

look like a wet blanket

Michael Martin, MA

You look like a bear with a sore head

Charles Stanford

You are pulling a face like three days of rain/ You have a face as long as a fiddle

thefastshow

Your face is like a wet weekend. You look just like a wet weekend

British Diana

Discussion entries: 3

Answers

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

you look down in the mouth/dumps

Explanation:
How about this?

philgoddard
United States
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

You look as miserable as sin

Explanation:
https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/miserable
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/(as) guilty/miser...
https://en.bab.la/dictionary/english-german/look-as-miserabl...

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Note added at 1 hr (2023-03-28 22:04:47 GMT)
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https://de.pons.com/übersetzung/englisch-deutsch/as miserabl...

Britta Norris
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:38
Works in field
Native speaker of:

German,

English

2 hrs confidence:

look like a wet blanket

Explanation:
Trying to keep the wetness theme going...

Admittedly, I am using a lower confidence level, as this term is more specific (spoiling everybody's fun) than it needs to be (unless Rosemary has information on the context she hasn't revealed).

It should be noted that the German idiom seems kind of aged. Most will be familiar with it, but I doubt that many people will drop it into everyday conversation.

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 18:38
Works in field
Native speaker of:

German,

English
PRO pts in category: 43

8 hrs confidence:

You look like a bear with a sore head

Explanation:
Another option...

Charles Stanford
Czech Republic
Local time: 00:38
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English

10 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

You look like your dog just died

Explanation:
typical U.S. CONTEXT will tell which fits best.

Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 00:38
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 77

Grading comment

Thanks Ramey, I think this expression will work the best.

16 hrs confidence:

You are pulling a face like three days of rain/ You have a face as long as a fiddle

Explanation:
Just go along with the Bremen Town Musicians :)) :

Rain:
http://stauffer.co.uk/bremen_musicians.html "Not long after, there was a cat sitting near the path, with a face like three days of rain."
https://en.berlinoschule.com/6-german-weather-expressions-th...

Fiddle:
https://www.bremen.eu/tale-of-the-bremen-town-musicians
"Before long they came across a cat sitting at the roadside with a face as long as a fiddle."
https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/a face as long as a fid...

Nothing wrong with a one-to-one translation here imho. "A face like three days of rain" is a nice simile.

thefastshow
Germany
Local time: 00:38
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 4

3 days 18 hrs confidence:

Your face is like a wet weekend. You look just like a wet weekend

Explanation:
This is common to me but perhaps it is only common in BE?

British Diana
Germany
Local time: 00:38
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 12

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du schaust wie drei Tage Regenwetter

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