Example: Seine Warnungen stießen bei den Kollegen auf taube Ohren.
Definition
"Auf taube Ohren stoßen" is a German idiom meaning that warnings or advice are ignored or not heeded by the listeners. It describes a situation where efforts to communicate or warn fail because the audience does not pay attention or refuses to acknowledge the message.
Translations
fall on deaf ears
caer en saco roto
op dovemansoren stuiten
caure en sac foradat
tomber dans l'oreille d'un sourd
Etymology
The phrase "auf taube Ohren stoßen" literally translates to "to hit deaf ears." It originates from the metaphor of someone speaking but the listener being deaf, thus unable or unwilling to hear. This expression has been used in German for centuries to vividly describe ignored warnings or advice.
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"Auf taube Ohren stoßen" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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fall on deaf ears