so I'm basically challenging myself to learn as much German as possible in the three weeks before my trip. I will try to form some sentences from memory. Forgive my spelling and grammar.
Ich heiße Josh. Ich bin neunundswanzig jahre alt. Ich wohne in Brooklyn. Ich bin verheiratet, aber Ich habe keinen kinder. Englisch ist meine muttersprache. Sprechen sie englisch?
Das ist mein hund. Es heißen Struppi.
Heute ist Mittwoch. Morgen ist Donnerstag. Gestern war Dienstag.
Ich esse fleisch und bohnen. Ist es frisch? Ach, ja!
― Garri$on Kilo (Hurting 2), Thursday, 9 July 2009 02:38 (fourteen years ago) link
OK your dog's name is adorable.
Spelling grammar won't matter much as a tourist and if doing this well after only 4 days is a pretty good sign!
― \(^o\) (/o^)/ (ENBB), Thursday, 9 July 2009 02:40 (fourteen years ago) link
It's not really my dog's name. It's the name of the dog in the german program I'm using, but I want to get a terrier and name it that.
― Garri$on Kilo (Hurting 2), Thursday, 9 July 2009 02:42 (fourteen years ago) link
I get really obsessive about things like this for short periods of time. I've been reading my german book on the subway and in the bathroom every chance I get, and I use the program after my wife goes to bed.
― Garri$on Kilo (Hurting 2), Thursday, 9 July 2009 02:43 (fourteen years ago) link
My favourite German word is Gefährten which according to google translate thingy means fellowship.
― The Sorrows of Young Jeezy (jim), Thursday, 9 July 2009 02:44 (fourteen years ago) link
lol
I like how they join a load of words together to make huge nouns so you can usually work it out from a literal translation of each segment. German engineering and technical dictionaries are great for huge words that essentially mean "join all the bits together and you've got one of these."― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, July 27, 2006 5:12 AM (2 years ago) Bookmark
That is my favorite part about German too.
Ken picked "handschuhe" as his favorite word and it's one of mine too. HAND SHOES!
― \(^o\) (/o^)/ (ENBB), Thursday, 9 July 2009 02:45 (fourteen years ago) link
Hurting - you should totally get a dog and name it Struppi - it's amazing.
― \(^o\) (/o^)/ (ENBB), Thursday, 9 July 2009 02:46 (fourteen years ago) link
I just learned that stricken means to knit. I think that's funny.
― Garri$on Kilo (Hurting 2), Thursday, 9 July 2009 02:50 (fourteen years ago) link
I'm not 100% certain that it still is but for a long time the longest German word was Donaudampfschiffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän which means something like "the hat of a steamboat captain who sails on the Danube River". Yes, there was actually a word for that.
― \(^o\) (/o^)/ (ENBB), Thursday, 9 July 2009 02:51 (fourteen years ago) link
nurse is krankenschwester. This whole language is hilarious. How do germans not laugh constantly as they talk to each other?
― Garri$on Kilo (Hurting 2), Thursday, 9 July 2009 02:55 (fourteen years ago) link
It's a good question.
I've always like the word for oxygen - Sauerstoff.
― \(^o\) (/o^)/ (ENBB), Thursday, 9 July 2009 02:58 (fourteen years ago) link
i like the word for (bicycle) spoke wrench: nippelspanner, i think
― harbl, Thursday, 9 July 2009 03:04 (fourteen years ago) link
OK - here are some other funny ones followed by their meaning and then literal translations.
Flugzeug - airplane - fly thing (or stuff depending on who you ask)!Brustwarze - nipples - breast warts :-(Schlagzeug - percussion instrument - hit thing
What might just be the best:
Antibabypille - birth control pill
― \(^o\) (/o^)/ (ENBB), Thursday, 9 July 2009 03:06 (fourteen years ago) link
haha!
― harbl, Thursday, 9 July 2009 03:06 (fourteen years ago) link
ausgezeichnet
― some sick fuck with a bow and arrow killing roos and koalas (Eisbaer), Thursday, 9 July 2009 19:37 (fourteen years ago) link
todlich verungluckt - learned that in GCSE German class, means "fatally injured in a road accident" (IIRC). Proved very useful on my exchange trip to Nurnberg as a 14 yr old...
― Bill A, Thursday, 9 July 2009 21:33 (fourteen years ago) link
Nosebear!
― a passing spacecadet, Thursday, 9 July 2009 22:39 (fourteen years ago) link
"Handy", which is actually the word for cell phone, which - obviously - is handy, but is not called this in English, despite what they might want to believe.
― blaim it on global warming, Thursday, 9 July 2009 23:58 (fourteen years ago) link
sehenswuerdigkeiten = sights (i.e. where you go sightseeing) = literally, worthseeingnesses
― Daniel Giraffe, Friday, 10 July 2009 10:29 (fourteen years ago) link
loving this thread. I think I'm ready to my lifelong German-learning hell next September.
― baaderonixx, Friday, 10 July 2009 10:33 (fourteen years ago) link
to go back to it, that is
Not forgetting Schaufensterpuppen by Kraftwerk. How much better in German?
― Daniel Giraffe, Friday, 10 July 2009 11:32 (fourteen years ago) link
hey hurting, i just started learning too. i only have school french, no german, but i'm moving to munich in two months, so i'm cramming. starting with pimsleur tapes, will pick up a textbook in the next week or so. schnell!
― caek, Friday, 10 July 2009 11:37 (fourteen years ago) link
You should really look through the deutche welle site linked above. The Deutsch-Interaktiv course is really good and they also have lots of free podcasts, including the news read slowly in German.
― the kid is crying because did sharks died? (Hurting 2), Friday, 10 July 2009 15:19 (fourteen years ago) link
ty
― caek, Friday, 10 July 2009 17:54 (fourteen years ago) link
I've been taking German evening classes for the past couple of months and they've been fun - usually someone brings a bottle of German wine along - but I don't feel like I've learnt much, partly because I am bad at making time to do the homework and go through my notes, but mainly because the teacher is very easily distracted and usually ends up just talking in English to the one guy of similar age to him. So totally going to check out that site, thanks!
I didn't expect German vowels to be too different to English, but they're really stumping me. They're... higher in the mouth than my native vowels, I think? Like, I can hear that the long E sound is not just English "ay" but almost like "ee" but somehow different to the long I sound, but I can't seem to get my mouth round it at all. So I must have the most English accent ever.
― a passing spacecadet, Friday, 10 July 2009 22:21 (fourteen years ago) link
Schornsteinfeger - chimney sweepadd 'in' at the end for female sweeps
― whatever, Friday, 10 July 2009 22:29 (fourteen years ago) link
srsly tho have degree can help if required
― whatever, Friday, 10 July 2009 22:33 (fourteen years ago) link
One of the hardest sounds for me to make in German is the "-er" at the end of words, because it's so close to the English but subtly different, and I keep wanting to say it as "airr"
― the kid is crying because did sharks died? (Hurting 2), Monday, 13 July 2009 19:55 (fourteen years ago) link
btw, I hate to be a downer and post a holocaust poem, but this is blowing my mind (have side-by-side translation, of course):
Paul Celan - Todesfuge
Schwarze Milch der Frühe wir trinken sie abendswir trinken sie mittags und morgens wir trinken sie nachtswir trinken und trinkenwir schaufeln ein Grab in den Lüften da liegt man nicht engEin Mann wohnt im Haus der spielt mit den Schlangen der schreibtder schreibt wenn es dunkelt nach Deutschland dein goldenes Haar Margareteer schreibt es und tritt vor das Haus und es blitzen die Sterne er pfeift seine Rüden herbeier pfeift seine Juden hervor läßt schaufeln ein Grab in der Erdeer befiehlt uns spielt auf nun zum Tanz
Schwarze Milch der Frühe wir trinken dich nachtswir trinken dich morgens und mittags wir trinken dich abendswir trinken und trinkenEin Mann wohnt im Haus der spielt mit den Schlangen der schreibtder schreibt wenn es dunkelt nach Deutschland dein goldenes Haar MargareteDein aschenes Haar Sulamith wir schaufeln ein Grab in den Lüften da liegt man nicht eng
Er ruft stecht tiefer ins Erdreich ihr einen ihr andern singet und spielter greift nach dem Eisen im Gurt er schwingts seine Augen sind blaustecht tiefer die Spaten ihr einen ihr andern spielt weiter zum Tanz auf
Schwarze Milch der Frühe wir trinken dich nachtswir trinken dich mittags und morgens wir trinken dich abendswir trinken und trinkenein Mann wohnt im Haus dein goldenes Haar Margaretedein aschenes Haar Sulamith er spielt mit den SchlangenEr ruft spielt süßer den Tod der Tod ist ein Meister aus Deutschlander ruft streicht dunkler die Geigen dann steigt ihr als Rauch in die Luftdann habt ihr ein Grab in den Wolken da liegt man nicht eng
Schwarze Milch der Frühe wir trinken dich nachtswir trinken dich mittags der Tod ist ein Meister aus Deutschlandwir trinken dich abends und morgens wir trinken und trinkender Tod ist ein Meister aus Deutschland sein Auge ist blauer trifft dich mit bleierner Kugel er trifft dich genauein Mann wohnt im Haus dein goldenes Haar Margareteer hetzt seine Rüden auf uns er schenkt uns ein Grab in der Lufter spielt mit den Schlangen und träumet der Tod ist ein Meister aus Deutschland
dein goldenes Haar Margaretedein aschenes Haar Sulamith
I wonder if I could pronounce German (or French) as well as I do English? Probably. I have the nasty habit of "losing" my own accent if I talk with someone over a long period. :-(
Meine Mutti fragte mir ob ich Rilke kenne. haha My German is soooooo crap.
― Unregistered Googler (stevienixed), Monday, 13 July 2009 19:57 (fourteen years ago) link
Glad Hurting 2 posted a poem. German poetry is beautiful, always overlooked against romance language poetry. Brecht had a great gift, viz the just opening of his 1933 poem 'Deutschland'
Deutschland
Mögen andere von ihrer Schande sprechenich spreche von der meinen.
O Deutschland, bleiche Mutter!Wie sitzest du besudeltUnter den Völkern.Unter den BeflecktenFällst du auf.
the translation can only grab the meaning and the rhythm
Let others speak of her shameI speak of my own.'
O Germany, pale mother!How soiled you areAs you sit among the peoples.You flaunt yourselfAmong the besmirched.
There's a film called 'Germany, pale mother' where the poem is recited at the start. Utterly beautiful.
'bleich' is a quality word
― whatever, Monday, 13 July 2009 21:00 (fourteen years ago) link
Mutter, ich bin von allem abgetan.
― the kid is crying because did sharks died? (Hurting 2), Thursday, 23 July 2009 04:49 (fourteen years ago) link
Eine No-Go-Area
― whatever, Thursday, 23 July 2009 05:34 (fourteen years ago) link
I thought loan words tended to be neuter but the only one of those new imports to be neuter is "It Girl". Goodbye, any chance of me guessing at genders of German words!
― a passing spacecadet, Thursday, 23 July 2009 08:35 (fourteen years ago) link
Thanks for the article, whatever. I'm curious about the proliferation of hyphens in German, not least given that the Germans aren't usually shy when it comes to super-size-pile-up compound nouns. Why Olympia-Stadion and not Olympiastadion, for example?
― Daniel Giraffe, Thursday, 23 July 2009 08:48 (fourteen years ago) link
I am having fun doing this. Just about to finish Pimsleur 1, which is 15 hours of tapes, 30 mins per day. We have not done du, or tenses, but I am surprised at how much progress I feel like I'm making.
― caek, Monday, 3 August 2009 17:59 (fourteen years ago) link
I will be finishing level 3 when I move to Germany at the end of September, so I hope I can at least get by, even if I will have to rely on friends for things like arranging utilities/accommodation.
― caek, Monday, 3 August 2009 18:01 (fourteen years ago) link
Zahn = tooth, Zahnfleisch = gums [i.e. tooth meat]
― Daniel Giraffe, Monday, 12 October 2009 06:27 (fourteen years ago) link
Textilfrei = nude.
Frei Körper Kultur = going nude.
― mike t-diva, Monday, 12 October 2009 10:46 (fourteen years ago) link
FKK is a lot more than that. It's a Weltanschauung.
― Three Word Username, Monday, 12 October 2009 10:59 (fourteen years ago) link
Nipple = Brustwarze ('breast wart').
I was once told that the literal translation of 'imagination' is 'picture making power'.
― chap, Monday, 12 October 2009 11:32 (fourteen years ago) link
xpost: The bolted-on conceptualism is why I love it! Das ist so typisch Deutsch.
Same thing goes, markedly less lovavbly, for Wohngemeinschaft: literally "living community", but actually "flatshare". (But then again, so very much more than "flatshare"...)
― mike t-diva, Monday, 12 October 2009 11:35 (fourteen years ago) link
That thing about cell phone being "handy" is kind of symptomatic, every other word spoken on german tv these days is a poorly adapted english word. "Jetzt wird das team richtig stark fighten", was the last one I caught.
― Daniel_Rf, Monday, 12 October 2009 11:50 (fourteen years ago) link
For some reason the Germans also use the English word "slip" for "undies". My German friend was kinda surprised when I told her that English speakers don't actually use that word for undies.
Then again, I've never understood why the term "WC" is used for toilets in many countries except the English speaking countries, even though it comes from the English words "water closet".
― Tuomas, Monday, 12 October 2009 11:56 (fourteen years ago) link
It's a privilege of the English to export these words, and then immediately change them for a lark. All those Americanisms like 'fall' and 'pants' and 'gotten', I think they were ditched here just so we could act all snooty.
― Ismael Klata, Monday, 12 October 2009 12:00 (fourteen years ago) link
gotten?
― caek, Monday, 12 October 2009 12:25 (fourteen years ago) link
Americans still say "gotten", don't they?
― The Prince's choice: making a brush. (Tom D.), Monday, 12 October 2009 12:26 (fourteen years ago) link
Yes, but so do English people, nicht wahr?
― caek, Monday, 12 October 2009 12:28 (fourteen years ago) link
We most certainly do not!
― mike t-diva, Monday, 12 October 2009 12:29 (fourteen years ago) link