Q.1,Tiny Sayings, Big Meanings.
1. Break the ice
Meaning: to break the silence
Literal translation: ркмрк░ркл ркдોркбрк╡ો
Equivalent (Gujarati): ркоૌрки ркХે ркЪુрккркХી ркдોркбрк╡ી
Equivalent (Hindi): рдЪुрдк्рдкी рддोрдб़рдиा
E.g., There was pin drop silence in the room, the teacher broke the ice.
2. Add fuel to the fire
Meaning: to make the situation worst
Literal translation: ркЖркЧркоાં ркШી ркЙркоેрк░рк╡ું
Equivalent (Gujarati): ркжુઃркЦркдી ркирк╕ ркжркмાрк╡рк╡ી /рккрк░િрк╕્ркеિркдિркиે рк╡ркзુ ркЦрк░ાркм ркмркиાрк╡ી
Equivalent (Hindi): рдЬрд▓े рдкрд░ рдирдордХ рдЫिрдб़рдХрдиा
E.g., Why he was called for he will add fuel to the fire only.
3. Kick the bucket
Meaning: To die
Literal translation: ркбોрк▓ рки рк▓ાркд ркоાрк░рк╡ી
Equivalent (Gujarati): рккрк░рк▓ોркХ рк╕ીркзાрк╡рк╡ું
Equivalent (Hindi): рдоिрдЯ्рдЯी рдоें рдоिрд▓ рдЬाрдиा/рдк्рд░ाрдг рдд्рдпाрдЧрдиा
E.g., They said the actor kicked the bucket during his sleep at age of 90.
4. The ball is in your court
Meaning: it's your decision
Literal translation: ркмોрк▓ ркдркоાрк░ા ркХોрк░્ркЯркоાં ркЫે
Equivalent (Gujarati): рк╣рк╡ે ркиિрк░્ркгркп ркдркоાрк░ા рк╣ાркеркоાં ркЫે
Equivalent (Hindi): рдЕрдм рдмाрдЬ़ी рддुрдо्рд╣ाрд░े рд╣ाрде рдоें рд╣ै
E.g., She proposed a solution, sunao the ball is in their court.
5. When pigs fly
Meaning: something will never happens
Literal translation: ркЬ્ркпાрк░ે ркбુркХ્ркХрк░ ркЙркбેрк╢ે
Equivalent (Gujarati): ркЬ્ркпાрк░ે ркХૂркдрк░ો ркШી ркЦાркп ркЙрккрк╡ાрк╕ ркХрк░рк╢ે
Equivalent (Hindi): рдЬрдм рдмिрд▓्рд▓ी рдХे рджांрдд рдоें рдоिрд╢्рд░ी рдЬрдоेрдЧी
E.g., Sure she will help us clean the house when pigs fly.
6. Once in a blue moon
Meaning: very rarely
Literal translation: ркПркХ рк╡ાрк░ рк╡ાркжрк│ી ркЪંркж્рк░ркоાં
Equivalent (Gujarati): ркЕркоાрк╕ркиા ркжિрк╡рк╕ે рк╕ૂрк░્ркпોркжркп ркерк╡ો
Equivalent (Hindi): рдИрдж рдХा рдЪांрдж рд╣ोрдиा
E.g., My father works in abroad and he visits home once in blue moon.
7. Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning: reveal The secret
Literal translation: ркмિрк▓ાркбીркиે ркХોркерк│ાркоાંркеી ркмрк╣ાрк░ ркХાрквો
Equivalent (Gujarati): рк░рк╣рк╕્ркп ркмрк╣ાрк░ ркЖрк╡рк╡ું
Equivalent (Hindi): рдвाрдХ рдХे рддीрди рдкाрдд рдЦुрд▓े рдЬाрдиा
E.g., He let cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
8. A piece of cake
Meaning: very easy
Literal translation: ркХેркХркиો ркЯુркХркбો
Equivalent (Gujarati): ркЖંркЧрк│ીркиા ркЯેрк░рк╡ા ркЬેркЯрк▓ું ркиાркиું ркХાрко
Equivalent (Hindi): рдмाрдПं рд╣ाрде рдХा рдЦेрд▓
E.g., my exam was a piece of cake.
9. Don't cry over spilled milk
Meaning: Don’t regret the past
Literal translation: рквોрк│ાркпેрк▓ા ркжૂркз рккрк░ рк░ркбрк╢ો ркирк╣ીં
Equivalent (Gujarati): ркбૂркмેрк▓ી ркиાрк╡ ркиે ркЖંркЪркХો рк╢ાркиો?
Equivalent (Hindi): рдЕрдм рдкрдЫрддाрдП рдХ्рдпा рдлाрдпрджा рдЬрдм рдЪिрдб़िрдпा рдЪुрдЧ рдЧрдИ рдЦेрдд
E.g., it is useless to cry over spilled milk.
10. A honey tongue a heart of gall
Meaning: Sweet words but bitter heart
Literal translation:ркоркзુрк░ ркЬીркн, рккિркд્ркд ркЬેрк╡ું рк╣ૃркжркп
Equivalent (Gujarati): ркоુркЦે ркоાркЦркг, рк╣ૃркжркп рк▓ોркЦંркб
Equivalent (Hindi): рдоुрдЦ рдоें рд░ाрдо рдмрдЧрд▓ рдоें рдЫुрд░ी
E.g.,Her compliments sound sweet, but her intentions are bitter — like a honey tongue, a heart of gall.
Q.2, Translating Tales: Stories, Poems & Emotions
1. Post Office
English:
In the grey sky of early dawn stars still glowed, as happy memories light up a life that is nearing its close. An old man was walking through the town, now and again drawing his tattered clothes tighter to shield his body from the cold and biting wind. From some houses came the sound of grinding mills, and the sweet voices of women singing at their work, and the sounds helped him along his lonely way. Except for the occasional bark of a dog, the distant steps of a workman going early to work, or the screech of a bird disturbed before its time, the whole town was wrapped in deathly silence. Most of its inhabitants were still in the arms of sleep, the sleep which grew more and more profound on account of the intense winter cold; for the cold used sleep to extend its sway over all things even as a false friend lulls his chosen victim with caressing smiles. The old man, shivering at times but fixed on purpose, plodded on till he came out of the town-gate onto a straight road. Along this he now went at a somewhat slower pace, supporting himself on his old staff.
Gujarati translation:
рккાркЫрк▓ી рк░ાркд્рк░િркиું ркнૂрк░ું ркЖркХાрк╢, ркоાркирк╡ ркЬીрк╡ркиркоાં ркЕркиેркХ рк╕ુркЦркж ркпાркжркЧીрк░ી ркЪркоркХી рк░рк╣ે ркдેрко, ркиાркиા ркоોркЯા ркдાрк░ાркУ ркеી ркЪркоркХી рк░рк╣્ркпું рк╣ркдું. ркаંркбા рккрк╡ркиркиા рк╕ુрк╕рк╡ાркЯાркеી рккોркдાркиા ркЭркм્ркмાркиે ркХрк░ીркиે рк╡ркзાрк░ે ркиે рк╡ркзાрк░ે рк▓рккેркЯી рк▓ેркдો ркПркХ рк╡ૃркж્ркз ркбોрк╕ો рк╢рк╣ેрк░ркиા ркоркз્ркпркнાркЧркоાં ркеркИркиે ркЬркдો рк╣ркдો. рк╕્рк╡ાркзીрки ркЕрк╡рк╕્ркеા ркнોркЧрк╡ркдાં ркХેркЯрк▓ાંркХ ркШрк░ોркоાંркеી ркЖ рк╡ркЦркдે ркШંркЯી ркиો ркоркзુрк░ рк▓ાркЧркдો ркЕрк╡ાркЬ, ркХોркИркХ рк╡рк╣ેрк▓ા ркКркаркиાрк░ркиાં рккркЧрк░ркЦાંркиો ркЫેркЯેркеી рк╕ંркнрк│ાркдો рк╢ркм્ркж ркХે ркХોркИ ркЕркХાрк│ે ркЬાркЧેрк▓ા рккркХ્рк╖ીркиો рк╕્рк╡рк░:
ркП рк╕િрк╡ાркп рк╢рк╣ેрк░ ркдркж્ркжрки рк╢ાંркд рк╣ркдું. рк▓ોркХો ркоીркаી ркиિંркж્рк░ાркоાં ркШોрк░ркдા рк╣ркдા. ркХрк╣ે ркирк╣ી ркЫркдાં ркХркдрк▓ ркХрк░ી ркиાркЦે ркПрк╡ા ркоીркаા ркоркиુрк╖્ркпркиા рк╕્рк╡ркнાрк╡ ркЬેрк╡ી рк╢િркпાрк│ાркиી ркаંркбી ркХાркдિрк▓ рк╣ркеિркпાрк░ркиી ркоાрклркХ рккોркдાркиો ркХાркмુ рк╕рк░્рк╡ркд્рк░ рклેрк▓ાрк╡ી рк░рк╣ી рк╣ркдી. рк╡ૃркж્ркз ркбોрк╕ો ркз્рк░ુркЬркдો ркиે рк╢ાંркд рк░ીркдે ркбркЧркоркЧ ркЪાрк▓ркдો, рк╢рк╣ેрк░ркиા ркжрк░рк╡ાркЬા ркмрк╣ાрк░ ркеркИ, ркПркХ рк╕ીркзી рк╕ркбркХ рккрк░ ркЖрк╡ી рккрк╣ોંркЪ્ркпો, ркиે ркзીркоે ркзીркоે рккોркдાркиી ркЬૂркиી ркбાંркЧркиા ркЯેркХાркеી ркЖркЧрк│ рк╡ркз્ркпો.
✅ Observation:
• Imagery of grey sky, barking dog, bird screech, grinding mills, women singing → rich sensory images.
• Nostalgia: old man’s fading life compared to memories lighting up → sense of ending journey.
• Metaphor: cold as false friend lulling victim → personification of cold.
• Preserved imagery: “рк╕рк╡ાрк░ркиા ркзુрко્ркорк╕ાрк│ ркЖркХાрк╢”, “ркХૂркдрк░ાркиા ркнુંркХрк╡ાркиો ркЕрк╡ાркЬ”, “рк╕્ркд્рк░ીркУркиા ркЧીркдો”.
• Culture: words like рк▓ાркХркбીркиો ркЯેркХો → familiar rural Indian scene.
• Nostalgia: рк╡ૃркж્ркз ркоાркгрк╕ ркХ્ркпાрк░ેркХ ркХંрккркдો… ркЫркдાં ркЕркбркЧ рк░рк╣ી ркЪાрк▓ркдો → same emotional tone.
2. Three Neighbours -
English:
The seth and Ram are waking; the whole world’s calling;
The burdens of the earth with the saviour’s birth are falling.
Sounds of the morning,
Birds twittering in the morning,
Drown out Makor’s hungry howl.
Ram is in his forest dwelling; the seth in his palace home.
Temple gongs and trumpet sounds of revelry are blown.
Makor faints to her death.
The millstone sings of death.
A lone black crow laments her gone.
Gujarati translation:
рк╢ેрка ркЬાркЧે ркдે рк░ાркоркЬી ркЬાркЧે, ркЬાркЧે рк╕ૌ рк╕ંрк╕ાрк░;
ркУркоркиા ркнાрк░ ркЙркдાрк░рк╡ા ркЖркЬે ркЬрки્рко્ркпા'ркдા ркХીрк░ркдાрк░,
рккрк░ોрквркиા ркЬાркЧркдા рк╕ાркжી рк░ે,
рккંркЦીркбાркиા ркоીркаркбા ркиાркжે рк░ે,
ркбૂркмે ркоાркХોрк░ ркиો ркнૂркЦ рккોркХાрк░.
рк╢ેрка рк╣рк╕ે ркмેркаા ркЖркаркоે ркоાрк│ે, рк░ાрко рк░ркоે рк░ркгрк╡ાрк╕,
рк░ાркоે ркоંркжિрк░ ркЭાрк▓рк░ ркмાркЬે, рк╢ેркаркиે ркорк╣ેрк▓ ркЙрк▓્рк▓ાрк╕,
ркоાркХોрк░ ркиી ркоૂрк░્ркЫા ркЯાркгે рк░ે,
ркШંркЯીркиા ркоોркдркиા ркЧાркгે рк░ે,
ркХાрк│ો ркПркХ ркХાркЧ ркХાрк│ેрк│ે ркиિрк╕ાрк╕.
✅ Observation:
• Rhyming scheme: calling – falling, morning – howling, home – blown → strong poetic rhythm.
• Imagery: birds twittering, temple gongs, trumpet sounds.
• Contrast: Ram in forest vs Seth in palace.
• Dark imagery: Makor faints, millstone sings of death.
• Culture preserved: ркоંркжિрк░ркиા ркШંркЯркбાં, рк╢ંркЦркиા ркЕрк╡ાркЬો → natural Indian religious imagery.
3. The Heart Seeks
English:
The heart seeks again, those nights and days
Sitting for long, with my imaginings at play
In summer night’s easterlies
Staying awake in white sheets
Star-gazing in the terrace, stretched on our feet.
Hindi translation:
рджिрд▓ рдвूंрдврддा рд╣ै рдлिрд░ рд╡рд╣ी рдлुрд░्рд╕рдд рдХे рд░ाрдд-рджिрди
рдмैрдаे рд░рд╣े рддрд╕рд╡्рд╡рд░-рдП-рдЬाрдиा рдХिрдП рд╣ुрдП ।
рдпрд╣ рдЧрд░्рдоिрдпों рдХी рд░ाрдд рдЬो рдкुрд░рд╡ाрдЗрдпां рдЪрд▓े
рдаंрдбे рд╕рдлेрдж рдмिрд╕्рддрд░ рдкрд░ рдЬाрдЧे рджेрд░ рддрдХ
рддाрд░ों рдХो рджेрдЦрддे рд░рд╣े рдЫрдд рдкрд░ рдкрдб़े рд╣ुрдП ।
✅ Observation:
• Theme: nostalgia + imagination (the heart seeks again, nights and days).
• Imagery: summer night’s easterlies, white sheets, star-gazing.
• Tone: meditative, longing.
• Words like рд╣ृрджрдп, рдХрд▓्рдкрдиाрдУं, рддाрд░ों рдХो рдиिрд╣ाрд░рддे рд╣ुрдП → literary and poetic tone preserved.
• Nostalgia: “рдлिрд░ рдЦोрдЬрддा рд╣ै” directly mirrors original.
• Cultural preservation: “рдЫрдд рдкрд░ рд▓ेрдЯे рд╣ुрдП рддाрд░ों рдХो рдиिрд╣ाрд░рддे рд╣ुрдП” evokes very Indian experience (terrace nights in summer).
4. Kabuliwala
English:
Mini’s mother is naturally a timid person. Whenever she hears a slight noise from the street, she thinks all the tipplers of the world are rushing together towards our house. After living for so many years in this world (though not many), she has still not been able to temper her fear that the world is full of all kinds of horrors: thieves, robbers, drunkards, snakes, tigers, malaria, cockroaches and European soldiers.
Gujarati translation:
ркоીркиીркиી ркоા рк╡рк╣ેркоી рк╕્рк╡ркнાрк╡ркиી ркмાркИ рк╣ркдી. рк░рк╕્ркдા рккрк░ ркЬрк░ા ркЬેркЯрк▓ો ркЕрк╡ાркЬ ркеાркп ркдો ркЖркЦી ркжુркиિркпાркиા ркжાрк░ૂркбિркпાркУ ркмрк╕ ркЕркоાрк░ા ркЬ ркШрк░ркоાં ркШૂрк╕рк╡ા ркжોркбી ркЖрк╡ે ркЫે ркПрк╡ું ркПркиે рк▓ાркЧે. ркЖркЦી рккૃрке્рк╡ી ркЪાрк░ે ркЦૂркгે ркЪોрк░, ркбાркХુ, ркжાрк░ૂркбિркпા, рк╕ાркк, рк╡ાркШ, ркорк▓ેрк░િркпા, ркЗркпрк│ો, рк╡ંркжા, ркХાркиркЦркЬુрк░ા ркЕркиે ркЧોрк░ાркУркеી ркЬ ркнрк░ેрк▓ી ркЫે ркП ркПркиો ркнાркИ ркЖркЯрк▓ા ркжિрк╡рк╕ (ркмрк╣ુ рк╡ркзાрк░ે ркжિрк╡рк╕ ркирк╣ોркдા ркеркпા) рккૃрке્рк╡ી рккрк░ рк╡ાрк╕ ркХрк░рк╡ા ркЫркдાં рк╣ркЬી ркПркиા ркоркиркоાંркеી ркжૂрк░ ркеркпો ркирк╣ркдો.
✅ Observation:
• Theme: fear, anxiety, stereotypes.
• Imagery: robbers, drunkards, snakes, malaria, European soldiers.
• Cultural note: shows colonial-era mindset.
• Same imagery: ркЪોрк░ો, рк▓ૂંркЯાрк░ૂркУ, рк╕ાрккો, рк╡ાркШો, ркорк▓ેрк░િркпા.
• Culture preservation: Gujarati language makes the fears closer to local imagination.
• Nostalgia less here, but cultural fear of strangers preserved.
# Citations-
- Idioms from Quora and Google.
- Photo from Pinterest.
