keiner Fliege etw. zuleide tun (können)

one wouldn't hurt a fly

Türkçe: karıncayı bile incitmemek

Noun

Fliege f.

Verb

tun

Topic

Alltag und Redewendungen

In a sentence

Mein Opa würde keiner Fliege etwas zuleide tun können.

How it is used

Idiom meaning 'wouldn't hurt a fly,' describing a gentle person. Neutral register, used to emphasize harmlessness. A German speaker might say this about a kind neighbor. Nuance: often used with 'können' to express inability to harm.

Other verbs that go with Fliege

This is the choice the collocation turns on.

• die Fliege machento make oneself scarce

All collocations with Fliege

Other collocations built on tun

• Abbitte tunto apologize
• der Sache (Dat.) keinen Abbruch tundoes not detract from the matter
• etw. mit / ohne Absicht tunto do something on purpose
• seinen letzten Atemzug tunto take one's last breath/to die
• Buße tunto do penance or atone
• die Stirn haben / besitzen, etw. zu tunto have the nerve to do something
• Unrecht tunto act unjustly towards someone