alles für bare Münze nehmen
to take everything at face value; to believe naively as literally true
Origin
The expression has been common since the 18th century and originally means to treat a merely promised payment as if it were already cash in hand. It stands in a long tradition equating words with coins (already found in ancient authors such as Ovid and Plutarch).
Building blocks
Words in this expression
Grammar that uses this word
- Present perfect with 'haben': du hast … (participle)Perfekt mit 'haben': du hast … Partizip II
- Present perfect with 'haben': ihr habt … (participle)Perfekt mit 'haben': ihr habt … Partizip II
- Verb 'danken' (to thank, + dative)Verb 'danken' (+ Dativ)
- Perfect tense of inseparable verbs (hat verstanden, no ge-)Perfekt untrennbarer Verben
Examples
Du darfst nicht , was er sagt, für bare .
You mustn't take everything he says at face value.