IT'S ALL GREEK TO ME

The phrase "Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof" literally means "I only understand train station". The real meaning is equivalent to "It's all Greek to me" (="I don't understand it") referring to something unintelligible.

 

Original photo: Pexels.com

The origin of the phrase:

The phrase "Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof" is related to the end (das Ende) of the First World War (der Erste Weltkrieg). 

The soldiers (die Soldaten) were so tired (müde) and desperate (verzweifelt) to go home (nach Hause gehen) that they only wanted (wollten) to hear the word train station (der Bahnhof) - through which they could finally (endlich) get home - and nothing else (nichts anders). 

That's how the phrase (die Phrase) "Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof" was formed (gebildet) around the 1920s. 

 

Compared to this....

where does the expression "It's all Greek to me" originate from?

The expression (Der Ausdruck) "It's all Greek to me" was coined (geprägt) by Shakespeare, who used (benutzt) it literally (wörtlich) in Julius Caesar.

Casca was the one who did not speak (sprach nicht) Greek (Griechisch) among (darunter) the others present, to him everything (alles) in a foreign language (die Fremdsprache) was all Greek.

From that point (Seither) the phrase "It's all Greek to me" is used to anything (jedes) unintelligible (unverständlich).

Sources:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahnhof_verstehen
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/greek-to-me--it-s
https://www.shmoop.com/shakespeare-quotes/its-greek-to-me/