A1 Idiom अनौपचारिक

Etwas in den Sand setzen.

To mess something up.

मतलब

To completely fail or ruin a project or attempt.

🌍

सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि

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.

मतलब

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.

खुद को परखो

Fill in the missing words to complete the idiom.

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

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: 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'?

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: 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 ___ ___ ___ ___.'

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: 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...

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: Verlust

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

🎉 स्कोर: /4

विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स

अभ्यास बैंक

4 अभ्यास
Fill in the missing words to complete the idiom. Fill Blank A1

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

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: 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'?

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: 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 ___ ___ ___ ___.'

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: 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...

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: Verlust

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

🎉 स्कोर: /4

अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल

4 सवाल

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'.

संबंधित मुहावरे

🔗

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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