Eulen nach Athen tragen

You use it as a verb phrase: Eulen nach Athen tragen. You can say someone is doing it or that an action feels like it. It works perfectly when you see someone over-explaining a topic to an expert. It also fits when giving a gift the recipient already owns. Use it to point out inefficiency with a bit of a wink.

Use it when your friend explains rules to a pro gamer. Use it in a meeting if a colleague suggests a solved problem. It is great for texting when someone sends you a link you already saw. It adds a touch of intellectual flair to your conversation. It shows you know your history and your idioms.

Do not use it for things that are actually helpful. If you bring extra beer to a party, that is never Eulen nach Athen. Even if there is beer, more is usually welcome! Avoid it in very tragic or serious emotional crises. It is a lighthearted, slightly mocking observation. Do not use it if the person is genuinely trying to be kind.

This idiom dates back over 2,000 years to Ancient Greece. The poet Aristophanes used it in his plays. Athens was the city of Athena, whose symbol was the owl. The city was wealthy and intellectually saturated. Germans love their classical education, so this phrase stuck around. It is one of the most recognized idioms in the German language today.

You might hear people simply say: 'Das ist wie Eulen nach Athen.' Sometimes people swap the animal if they forget, but stick to owls. In English, you would say 'carrying coals to Newcastle.' In French, they 'carry water to the river.' Every culture has its own version of this funny human mistake.