Bedeutung
Not being handy or skillful
Kultureller Hintergrund
The 'majster' culture is very strong. Men are traditionally judged by their ability to perform home repairs. Saying a man has 'two left hands' can be a significant blow to his traditional ego. This idiom is a 'Sprachbund' feature, shared across Slovak, Czech, Polish, German, and Hungarian, reflecting centuries of shared social structures and craft guilds. In rural areas, manual skill is a survival necessity. In cities, the idiom is used more lightly for things like failing to set up a Wi-Fi router. Many Slovak folk tales feature a 'Hlúpy Jano' (Stupid Hans) character who often displays 'two left hands' before eventually succeeding through luck or kindness.
Use for self-deprecation
It's a great way to make people laugh when you make a mistake. It shows you don't take yourself too seriously.
Don't use with your boss
Even if your boss is clumsy, this idiom is too informal and could be seen as disrespectful.
Bedeutung
Not being handy or skillful
Use for self-deprecation
It's a great way to make people laugh when you make a mistake. It shows you don't take yourself too seriously.
Don't use with your boss
Even if your boss is clumsy, this idiom is too informal and could be seen as disrespectful.
The 'Golden' Opposite
If you want to praise someone's skill, use the opposite: 'Má zlaté ruky' (He has golden hands).
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing word in the idiom.
Môj brat nevie ani zatĺcť klinec, má obe ruky ___.
The idiom is 'mať obe ruky ľavé'.
Which sentence is the correct way to use the idiom?
Select the correct sentence:
The idiom always uses the verb 'mať' (to have).
Match the situation to the response.
Situation: You tried to bake a cake but it exploded in the oven.
This is a perfect situation to use the idiom for self-deprecation.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Pomôžeš mi opraviť bicykel? B: Radšej nie, vieš, že ___.
Speaker B is talking about themselves, so 'mám' is correct.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Skill Levels in Slovak
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenMôj brat nevie ani zatĺcť klinec, má obe ruky ___.
The idiom is 'mať obe ruky ľavé'.
Select the correct sentence:
The idiom always uses the verb 'mať' (to have).
Situation: You tried to bake a cake but it exploded in the oven.
This is a perfect situation to use the idiom for self-deprecation.
A: Pomôžeš mi opraviť bicykel? B: Radšej nie, vieš, že ___.
Speaker B is talking about themselves, so 'mám' is correct.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
5 FragenIt depends on the tone. Between friends, it's a joke. To a stranger, it's an insult.
No, the idiom always uses 'obe' (both). Saying 'one hand' would just be confusing.
Mostly, but it can also apply to sports or any physical activity requiring coordination.
You can still use it! It's a figurative expression, not a literal description of your dominant hand.
This is exactly how you say it: 'mať obe ruky ľavé'.
Verwandte Redewendungen
byť nemehlo
synonymTo be a klutz.
mať obe ruky dozadu
similarTo have both hands backwards.
byť drevený
similarTo be wooden.
mať zlaté ruky
contrastTo have golden hands.
