a da din lac în puț
to go from bad to worse (lit. from lake into well)
Intermediate Phrase
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Pronunciation
/a da din lak ɨn puts/
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Cultural Note
This idiom paints a vivid picture of falling from a lake (already in trouble) into a well (an even worse, deeper trap). It is one of the most commonly used Romanian idioms and reflects the fatalistic humor that permeates Romanian folk wisdom.
📝 Example Sentences
Am vrut să repar situația, dar am dat din lac în puț.
I wanted to fix the situation, but I went from bad to worse.
Cu noul job, a dat din lac în puț.
With the new job, things went from bad to worse.
Nu schimba nimic, o să dai din lac în puț!
Don't change anything, you'll make it worse!