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GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

Austrian German phrase of the day: Des is mir Blunzn

This is an important phrase to express your opinion (or lack of it) in Austria.

Published: 9 October 2023 16:42 CEST
Austrian German phrase of the day: Des is mir Blunzn
Photo: Francesco Ungaro / Unsplash + Nicolas Raymond / flickr

Why do I need to know ‘des is mir Blunzn’?

Because sausage idioms are essential in German-speaking countries and this is a particularly helpful piece of Austrian slang. 

What does it mean?

Blunzn is the Austrian word for blood sausage (which, by the way, is Blutwurst in high German). And ‘des is mir’ is Austrian dialect for ‘that is to me’. The phrase Des is mir Blunzn (sometimes written like ‘des is ma Blunzn’) literally means ‘that is blood sausage to me’. 

Although it should be noted that Blunzn is an ingredient in lots of Austrian dishes, and often thrown into a pan and chopped up and fried with Erdäpfeln (the Austrian German word for potatoes), the phrase in this context doesn’t have anything to do with blood sausage. 

Des is mir Blunzn means ‘I don’t care’. You can use it to express indifference to something. If you’ve learned German in a classroom you probably know its cousin: Das ist mir egal. It’s also similar to another German popular idiom – Das ist mir Wurst (literally “that is sausage to me).

READ ALSO: German phrase of the day – Das ist mir egal

The word (die) Blunzn can also be used as a derogatory term to describe a woman who’s acting unwisely. 

Although this word never has a particularly positive connotation, it is used in a variety of ways. Depending on the tone of the speaker, it can be used in a loving and jokey manner.

Use it like this:

Wer wird heute das Fußballspiel gewinnen? Das weiß ich nicht. Des is mir Blunzn.

Who will win the football game today? I don’t know and couldn’t care less.

Des is mir Blunzn, in welche Bar wir gehen.

I really don’t care which bar we go to. 

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GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German word of the day: Bloß

This fun German word has a myriad of meanings, from describing going sock-less to making a strong statement.

Published: 5 September 2024 16:17 CEST
German word of the day: Bloß

Why do I need to know bloß?

Like many colloquial words in German, bloß is a word you’ll hear everywhere on the streets.

But unlike other filler words like na and halt, it can also double up as an adjective and adverb. 

Here’s how it’s used

So what exactly does this fun four letter word mean? In its simplest form it’s a substitute for nur, or only, as in Ich war bloß eine Woche in Wien (I was only in Vienna for a week). 

It’s also commonly used in the phrase “not only…but also”, as in Ich war nicht bloß in Wien, sondern auch in Wiener Neustadt (I was not only in Vienna, but also in Wiener Neustadt).

When used as an adjective, the little word also means bare or naked, as in mit bloßen Füßen (barefoot) or mit meiner bloßen Hand (with my bare hand)

You’ll also commonly hear it being used to place emphasis on a statement or exclamation, especially when it’s a negative one. An angry parent might scold their misbehaving teenager with “Mach das bloß nie wieder!” (Don’t you ever do that again!) Or “Komm mir bloß nicht auf die unschuldige Tour!” (Don’t play innocent with me!).

It’s also used to express regret or resignation, similar to its cousin filler word ‘halt’. Lamenting their strong words, the parent might also sigh and say, “Ich hätte das bloß nicht gesagt’ (I shouldn’t have said that).

Someone who’s exasperated about any situation might also utter, “Was soll ich bloß machen?” (What exactly should I do now?”) While the sentence can be said without the “bloß”, putting it in there gives an extra punch, showing extra urgency. “Was soll ich machen?” is what you might ask about a house chore, but if you lock yourself out and no one is around, that “bloß” definitely belongs in the middle.

Where does it originate?

While the word is commonly used today, it actually dates back to the Old High German “bloz” and is closely related to the Dutch word “bloot”. It has its origin in the Indo-Germanic root “bhel-“, which means “to shine” or “to glow”, so obviously the meaning has evolved a lot over the years. 

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