English Idioms

it was not just a piece of cake

Zenaide

User since 2006
Posts: 1

26 April 2010

Hello Everybody,

One of my Hungarian colleague sent us a mail last week about the migration of a tool which was not easy for them because they encoutered somes issues and she conclude by "so, it was not just a piece of cake"....I just want to know if it is an English Idioms or if she translated an Hungarian expression !! In fact, I'd like this idioms so close to our french "c'est pas du gâteau" !!
Could you please help me with this ?

Many thanks and have a good evening
Zenaide

2 comments

Spoiler
User since 2008
Posts: 499
14 May 2010

Yes, it is an English expression, a British one, to be more accurate. A "piece of cake" is a task that's easy to do, something, that doesn't require many skills or much effort to be achieved.

In sports, there is a colloquial synomym for it in American English. They call it "a pushover". A "pushover" is a match with a weak adversary, an opponent who has little chance to beat you. When Italy or Brasil plays an international soccer match against Timbuktu, it should be a pushover (for Italy or Brasil).
Yes, it is an English expression, a British one, to be more accurate. A "piece of cake" is a task that's easy to do, something, that doesn't require many skills or much effort to be achieved. In sports, there is a colloquial synomym for it in American English. They call it "a pushover". A "pushover" is a match with a weak adversary, an opponent who has little chance to beat you. When Italy or Brasil plays an international soccer match against Timbuktu, it should be a pushover (for Italy or Brasil).
AhQ ['a: kiu]
User since 2006
Posts: 2715
27 April 2010

It's a piece of cake. (c'est du gâteau.) If something is easy to do, you can say 'it is a piece of cake'.

It isn't a piece of cake. (just as you said it, so close to your French.)

Godspeed, Zenaïde.
It's a piece of cake. (c'est du gâteau.) If something is easy to do, you can say 'it is a piece of cake'. It isn't a piece of cake. (just as you said it, so close to your French.) Godspeed, Zenaïde.

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