A1 Idiom غیر رسمی

Etwas in den Sand setzen.

To mess something up.

معنی

To completely fail or ruin a project or attempt.

🌍

زمینه فرهنگی

In Germany, 'in {den|m} Sand setzen' is often used by the press to criticize government spending, especially on large infrastructure projects like the BER airport. Austrians use this phrase similarly, but might also use 'etwas verhauen' or 'etwas versemmeln' in casual speech. In Swiss German, you might hear 'etwas an {den|m} Charre fahre' (to drive something against the cart), which is a local variation of failure. In German corporate culture, admitting you 'set something in the sand' is seen as a blunt but honest way to take responsibility for a failure.

💡

Use it for money

This is the most common idiom for talking about wasted money in German news.

⚠️

Case matters

Always use 'den' (Accusative). 'In dem Sand' is a literal location, not the idiom.

معنی

To completely fail or ruin a project or attempt.

💡

Use it for money

This is the most common idiom for talking about wasted money in German news.

⚠️

Case matters

Always use 'den' (Accusative). 'In dem Sand' is a literal location, not the idiom.

🎯

Combine with 'total'

Germans love to say 'total in {den|m} Sand gesetzt' to emphasize the failure.

خودت رو بسنج

Fill in the missing words to complete the idiom.

Ich habe {die|f} Prüfung total in ___ ___ gesetzt.

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: den Sand

The idiom is 'in den Sand setzen' (Accusative).

Which situation best fits the idiom?

Wann sagt man: 'Er hat es in {den|m} Sand gesetzt'?

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: Er hat ein wichtiges {das|n} Projekt verloren.

The idiom means to fail or ruin a project.

Complete the dialogue.

A: 'Wie war dein {das|n} Vorstellungsgespräch?' B: 'Nicht gut. Ich habe es ___ ___ ___ ___.'

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: in den Sand gesetzt

This is the most natural way to describe a failed interview.

Match the idiom to the result.

Match: 'Geld in {den|m} Sand setzen' with...

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: Verlust

Setting money in the sand means losing it (Verlust).

🎉 امتیاز: /4

ابزارهای بصری یادگیری

بانک تمرین

4 تمرین‌ها
Fill in the missing words to complete the idiom. جای خالی A1

Ich habe {die|f} Prüfung total in ___ ___ gesetzt.

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: den Sand

The idiom is 'in den Sand setzen' (Accusative).

Which situation best fits the idiom? Choose A1

Wann sagt man: 'Er hat es in {den|m} Sand gesetzt'?

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: Er hat ein wichtiges {das|n} Projekt verloren.

The idiom means to fail or ruin a project.

Complete the dialogue. dialogue_completion A2

A: 'Wie war dein {das|n} Vorstellungsgespräch?' B: 'Nicht gut. Ich habe es ___ ___ ___ ___.'

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: in den Sand gesetzt

This is the most natural way to describe a failed interview.

Match the idiom to the result. situation_matching A2

Match: 'Geld in {den|m} Sand setzen' with...

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: Verlust

Setting money in the sand means losing it (Verlust).

🎉 امتیاز: /4

سوالات متداول

4 سوال

No, but it is informal. It's fine for friends and colleagues, but maybe too blunt for a CEO.

No, you set 'things' (projects, exams, money) in the sand, not people.

You could say 'etwas zum Erfolg führen' (to lead something to success).

Literally yes (I sat down in the sand), but it doesn't mean 'I failed'.

عبارات مرتبط

🔗

etwas gegen {die|f} Wand fahren

similar

To drive something against the wall.

🔗

im Sande verlaufen

similar

To fizzle out.

🔄

etwas vermasseln

synonym

To mess something up.

🔗

Schiffbruch erleiden

similar

To suffer a shipwreck.

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