https://www.proz.com/kudoz/german-to-english/art-literary/569136-zwang.html
This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. German to English
  3. Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

Zwang

English translation: don't put yourself out

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Zwang
English translation:don't put yourself out
Entered by: danilingua

16:12 Nov 12, 2003
German to English translations [PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
German term or phrase: Zwang
tu DIr nur keinen Zwang an...

das kam mir gerade in den Sinn

dont force yourself, gibt es noch etwas anderes?
danilingua
Germany
Local time: 20:01
don't put yourself out
Explanation:
can also have a slightly sarcastic tone (which is how I read it :-))

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-11-13 12:22:26 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or: don\'t knock yourself out (US)
Selected response from:

Trudy Peters
United States
Local time: 14:01
Grading comment
so etwas in der Art hatte ich gesucht, DANKE
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +7Langenscheidt says...
Cilian O'Tuama
4 +6don't put yourself out
Trudy Peters
4 +2don't feel as though you have to
jerrie
4 +1s.u.
Sabina Winkler CAPIRSI
4feel free
Kim Metzger
4push
Marc Van Gastel
4be/feel at ease
swisstell
4Don't be shy,
gangels (X)
4No pressure
Kurt Beals
3don't cramp your style / don't let xyz cramp your style
NGK


  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
feel free


Explanation:
Don't force yourself would work well in some circumstances. Feel free to do something is another possibility.


    Collins
Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 12:01
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 156
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
s.u.


Explanation:
etwas vornehmer ;-) : don't feel you have to be polite....

Sabina Winkler CAPIRSI
Germany
Local time: 20:01
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mario Marcolin
1 day 15 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
push


Explanation:
American English, informal

Don't push yourself...



Marc Van Gastel
Belgium
Local time: 20:01
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
be/feel at ease


Explanation:
don't be constrained

swisstell
Italy
Local time: 20:01
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 6
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
don't feel as though you have to


Explanation:
don't put yourself under pressure to



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-11-12 18:08:37 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

don\'t feel under any obligation (feel obliged) / You\'re not obliged to
It\'s not compulsory!
Don\'t break your back (over whatever)

jerrie
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:01
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 44

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  NGK
20 mins
agree  Mario Marcolin
1 day 15 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +7
Langenscheidt says...


Explanation:
tun Sie sich nur keinen Zwang an! don't stand on ceremony, make yourself at home, (humorvoll) no need to be shy (, now); (ironisch) tu dir nur keinen Zwang an! don't mind me;


Cilian O'Tuama
Germany
Local time: 20:01
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 109

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  NGK
18 mins
agree  Ellen Zittinger: I like make yourself at home
19 mins
agree  IanW (X): Who's ransacking the Langenscheidt now, Mr. O'T?!?
23 mins
  -> Thanks Ian. The point I was trying to make that time was that I think we should state our sources.
agree  jerrie
1 hr
agree  Joanne Parker
2 hrs
agree  Gareth McMillan: I like the "make yourself at home" theory. Especially if we're still stuck up this Austrian mountain- no place for formalities! Too cold.
3 hrs
agree  Stefan Simko
14 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

36 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
don't cramp your style / don't let xyz cramp your style


Explanation:
Geht auch, je nach Kontext. "something cramps my style" heißt, dass mir etwas gegen den Strich geht bzw. nicht meinem Geschmack oder meinen Gewohnheiten entspricht.

NGK
United States
Local time: 13:01
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 40
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
don't put yourself out


Explanation:
can also have a slightly sarcastic tone (which is how I read it :-))

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-11-13 12:22:26 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or: don\'t knock yourself out (US)

Trudy Peters
United States
Local time: 14:01
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 27
Grading comment
so etwas in der Art hatte ich gesucht, DANKE

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lori Dendy-Molz
2 hrs
agree  Sherey Gould
2 hrs
agree  Johanna Timm, PhD
10 hrs
agree  verbis
16 hrs
agree  Mario Marcolin
1 day 13 hrs
agree  Maureen Holm, J.D., LL.M.: absolutely - ironic would likely be: Tu' dir ja nur keinen Zwang an.
5 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Don't be shy,


Explanation:
eat and drink all you want. The government pays for it.

My kind of party.

gangels (X)
Local time: 12:01
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 14
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
No pressure


Explanation:
Especially if it's used ironically (in my experience, people generally say "No pressure" as a joke when they're watching someone closely).

Kurt Beals
United States
Local time: 11:01
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations