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LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Eight unique words and phrases that tell us something about Germany

Whether they relate to a love of beer or bureaucracy, these uniquely German words give an insight into the idiosyncrasies of life in Germany. Here are a few of our favourites.

Published: 10 June 2021 17:36 CEST
Eight unique words and phrases that tell us something about Germany
One of Germany's most famous staircases, at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Martin Schutt

Das Sitzfleisch – You may be familiar with this term if you have ever had to apply for Anmeldung (city registration) in Germany. Sitzfleisch, literally meaning ‘sit meat’ is the ability to sit still, particularly through long and tedious events. 

Although we all know the stereotype that Germans love efficiency, the country’s love affair with bureaucracy suggests the opposite might be true, and it means Germans and expats alike often have to be quite patient when sorting out anything to do with rent, tax or education. 

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: What you need to know about dealing with German bureaucracy online

Der Aufschnitt – At first, you might be wondering what is so special about this German word, which we would translate to ‘cold cuts’ in English. In Germany, however, this is not just a snack but a whole cuisine.

Some of the staples of traditional German cuisine are meat, cheese, and most importantly bread. To have a meal of Aufschnitt means to sit down to an array of these things, and is a particularly popular meal for most Germans to prepare when no-one feels like cooking. 

Eine Extrawurst bekommen – In a land famous for its sausages, you should not be surprised that Würste appear in so many common German sayings. One of the most common of these is eine Extrawurst, which means special treatment. If a person immer eine Extrawurst bekommt (always gets an extra sausage), it means they are being given an unfair advantage. 

There is often an expectation of fairness and equity in many parts of German life, and Germans will not hesitate in pointing out when something is amiss. The idea of a teacher’s pet is much less likely to go unchallenged here than in other cultures. 

Das Weichei – This term may confuse you at first, and you might expect to see it on a breakfast menu rather than hurled as an insult. The term Weichei literally means ‘soft egg’ but it is used to refer to someone who is a bit of a wimp, or a sheep. 

Germans can often be quite forthcoming with their opinions, and look down on those who merely follow the crowd, or who are easily influenced. 

READ ALSO: Nerdy flowers to alcoholic birds: The 12 most colourful German insults

Das Luftschloss – Germans are often fairly realistic when it comes to their hopes and expectations, but there are of course still some dreamers about. These people would be guilty of having Luftschlösser, or pipe dreams. The word translates to ‘air castle’ in English, referring to unreachable fantasies. 

Die Schnapsidee – In English, we’ve borrowed the word Schnapps, which we tend to use to mean a fruity alcoholic beverage, from the German Schnaps, which refers to any kind of alcoholic spirit. A Schnapsidee is an outlandish or crazy concept, perhaps one that you would have to be drunk to come up with.

It is fairly well known that Germans like to drink, though beer is usually their beverage of choice. It is therefore apt that the word for a foolish idea has something to do with drunkenness. This term is fairly common, and is also used in cases when there is no alcohol in sight. 

Der Treppenwitz – Germans aren’t famed for their humour, and this concept suggests their comedic timing could be the problem. A Treppenwitz (staircase joke) is a quip that you think of after the opportunity to tell it has passed.

 If you have ever been left speechless by a conversation, only to think of the perfect witty response on your way out of the situation, this would be your Treppenwitz.

READ ALSO: A laughing matter: Looking beyond the stereotype of the serious German

Das ist nicht mein Bier – Beer is part of the fabric of life in Germany, so it is not surprising to find it in this common idiom. In English, we might say something is ‘not our bag’ if it is not quite our cup of tea. In German, however, if a food, activity or style is not for you, you would say it is not your beer.

The phrase in itself is not overly negative, and more an insight into a culture that is fairly accepting of individual opinions and preferences, even those having to do with more important matters than beer. 

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LEARNING GERMAN

How Germans’ English language mistakes can help you learn German

The common mistakes Germans make when speaking English can reveal useful insights about the German language and help you to remember certain rules.

Published: 3 July 2024 11:35 CEST
How Germans’ English language mistakes can help you learn German

For many people trying to learn German, one common frustration is that their learning process is hampered by Germans switching to speaking English. But sometimes, this can actually be an advantage.

Here are some frequent errors Germans make when speaking English and what they can teach us about German.

Mistake: I have lived here since five years.

This is one of the most common mistakes because, in German, the word seit is used to mean both “since” and “for.” For example, Ich lebe in Berlin seit fünf Jahren means “I have lived here since five years ago” and “I have lived here for five years.” In English, however, “since” is used for a specific starting point, and “for” is used for a duration.

READ ALSO: 5 of the most cringeworthy mistakes I’ve made in German

Pronunciation of the Letter “W”

One of the biggest giveaways that someone is German is their pronunciation of the letter “W” as “V” when speaking English. For example, they might say, “Could you pass me the vasser?” instead of “water.”

Conversely, many English speakers struggle to correctly pronounce the letter “V” in German, which is more like the English “F.” For instance, the German word Vogel (meaning “bird”) should be pronounced “Fogel.”

Mistake: I make my homework.

In German, the verb machen means both “make” and “do,” which can confuse the poor German speaker when they’re talking in English. For German learners, this mistake can help you to remember that machen covers more ground in German, while English distinguishes between “make” (creating something) and “do” (performing an action). 

A German dictionary. Shelley has learned a new language in her time in Germany.

A German dictionary. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Oliver Berg

Mistake: I go to the party tomorrow.

Germans often use the present tense along with a timeframe to indicate future actions, as in Ich gehe morgen zur Party, which in English would be “I will go to the party tomorrow”. Use this mistake to help you remember that you don’t always need to make things complicated by using the future tense when speaking in German as, often, the present tense works just as well. 

Mistake: Can you borrow me a pen?

The German verb leihen is one of the few examples where English is helpfully more specific. In English, we clearly distinguish between “borrow,” which means to take something temporarily, and “lend,” which means to give something temporarily. In German, leihen can mean both “borrow” and “lend”, making the context of the sentence the key to determining the right meaning. 

Mistake: This is the book from my friend.

Germans often use structures like Das ist das Buch von meinem Freund, which translates directly to “This is the book from my friend.” In English, however, it’s more common to use possessive pronouns, saying “This is my friend’s book” instead. Keep this common mistake in mind next time you’re struggling to talk about ownership in German.

READ ALSO: 10 simple phrases to make your German sound more impressive

Mistake: We need to finish this until Wednesday.

Germans often use “until” when they mean “by” when speaking in English. For example, Wir müssen das bis Mittwoch fertigstellen should translate to “We need to finish this by Wednesday,” not “until Wednesday.” The reason for this common mistake is that the word bis is used to mean both  “until” and “by”. Another example of English being more precise than German!

Mistake: We see us tomorrow.

In German, uns (“us”) is often used in contexts where English would use “each other.” For example, Wir sehen uns morgen translates directly to “We see us tomorrow,” but it should be “We will see each other tomorrow.” 

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