A1 Idiom Informell

Viena koja kape

One foot in the grave

Bedeutung

Being very old or near death.

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Kultureller Hintergrund

Lithuanians often use dark humor to cope with difficult realities like aging. This idiom is a prime example of 'juodas humoras'. In rural areas, the proximity to nature and the cycle of life makes death a less taboo subject than in urban Western cultures. Classic authors often used this phrase to describe the decay of the nobility or the end of an era. In the Vilnius tech scene, this idiom is used cynically to describe startups that have lost their funding.

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Watch your audience

Never use this with someone who is sensitive about their age unless you are very close friends.

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Use for objects

It's a great, natural way to complain about old technology or cars.

Bedeutung

Being very old or near death.

⚠️

Watch your audience

Never use this with someone who is sensitive about their age unless you are very close friends.

🎯

Use for objects

It's a great, natural way to complain about old technology or cars.

💬

Dark humor

Lithuanians appreciate the irony of this phrase; don't be afraid to use it for self-deprecation.

Teste dich selbst

Fill in the missing word in the idiom.

Mano senas kompiuteris jau viena ____ kape.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: koja

The idiom is 'viena koja kape' (one foot in the grave).

Which situation is best for using this idiom?

When would you say 'Viena koja kape'?

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: When talking about a 100-year-old house that is falling apart

The idiom is used for things or people that are near their end.

Match the Lithuanian phrase with its English equivalent.

Match the following:

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Viena koja kape - One foot in the grave, Ant mirties slenksčio - On death's threshold, Sveikas kaip ridikas - Healthy as a radish

These are common health-related idioms.

Complete the dialogue with the correct form.

A: Ar tavo mašina dar važiuoja? B: Vos vos, ji jau ____.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: viena koja kape

The context 'Vos vos' (barely) suggests the car is dying.

🎉 Ergebnis: /4

Visuelle Lernhilfen

Aufgabensammlung

4 Aufgaben
Fill in the missing word in the idiom. Fill Blank A1

Mano senas kompiuteris jau viena ____ kape.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: koja

The idiom is 'viena koja kape' (one foot in the grave).

Which situation is best for using this idiom? Choose A2

When would you say 'Viena koja kape'?

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: When talking about a 100-year-old house that is falling apart

The idiom is used for things or people that are near their end.

Match the Lithuanian phrase with its English equivalent. Match B1

Ordne jedem Element links seinen Partner rechts zu:

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Viena koja kape - One foot in the grave, Ant mirties slenksčio - On death's threshold, Sveikas kaip ridikas - Healthy as a radish

These are common health-related idioms.

Complete the dialogue with the correct form. dialogue_completion A2

A: Ar tavo mašina dar važiuoja? B: Vos vos, ji jau ____.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: viena koja kape

The context 'Vos vos' (barely) suggests the car is dying.

🎉 Ergebnis: /4

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

It can be. It's informal and blunt. Use it with friends, not strangers.

Yes! It's very common to say 'Aš jau viena koja kape' when you are tired or feeling old.

It literally means 'One foot in the grave'.

Usually, we keep the phrase as is, even for multiple people: 'Jie viena koja kape'.

Yes, it's a common metaphor for a failing company.

No, 'kicking the bucket' means you are dead. This means you are *almost* dead.

Yes, mostly ironically to describe being tired or hungover.

It is the locative case (vietininkas).

Yes, 'silpnos sveikatos' (of weak health) is much more polite.

Yes, it's often used for very old dogs or cats.

Verwandte Redewendungen

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Ant mirties slenksčio

similar

On the threshold of death

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Atiduoti dūšią

builds on

To give up the soul

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Sveikas kaip ridikas

contrast

Healthy as a radish

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Kratyti kojas

synonym

To shake the legs (kick the bucket)

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