Example: Hij is nog jong en kan geen potten breken.
Definition
The Dutch expression "geen potten kunnen breken" means to be unable to achieve anything significant or make a noticeable impact, often referring to a person's current lack of success or influence.
Translations
to make little impact
no destacar
no destacar
ne pas faire d'étincelles
keine Bäume ausreißen
non poter fare nulla di importante
não conseguir fazer nada de importante
Etymology
The phrase "geen potten kunnen breken" literally translates to "cannot break pots," which metaphorically suggests a lack of power or effectiveness. It likely stems from the idea that breaking pots was once a task requiring strength or skill, so failing to do so indicates ineptitude or insignificance.
Learn to use this expression actively
"Geen potten kunnen breken" appears in the Vocaplus list "Dutch - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (C1) - set 1", containing 100 commonly used expressions.
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to make little impact