- English translation
Sure, come apricot time, which is to say never.
- Literal wording
In the apricots.
- Meaning and lesson
The expression dismisses something as never going to happen. Though its wording names a fruit, it is not about apricots; the speaker pushes the matter to a vague, figurative future, so the supposed date becomes the joke.
It usually comes as a response to someone else's statement, not as a standalone remark. When a person announces an intention, the listener uses the phrase to show disbelief, suggesting the plan belongs to an imaginary time that will not arrive.
- When it is used
Use it as a short reply to a promise, plan, or boast you consider hopeless, such as a vow to finally do a long-postponed task. It signals skepticism, often with teasing irony, but can sound mocking or curt when aimed at a sincere promise.
Cite or copy proverb
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