Stichwörter (Keywords):
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- Category: German vocabulary
In German there are a few words that express something so specific, so perfect, that we really need them in English. Like Gemütlichkeit! We don't have a word or a specific concept just like that to describe feeling "comfortable, happy, and content" in English, and we also don't have the slang use of Schmerzensgeld that the Germans have--and sometimes we really need it.
The dictionary definition of Schmerzensgeld is "money for pain and suffering." As in the legal term, if you are wrongfully injured and receive a settlement, you may receive money not only to pay your medical bills, but also for your pain & suffering. This is an official, legal term, that you will find in newspapers and in legal paperwork.
The slang definition, however, is perfect to describe situations when you:
- feel taken advantage of by a customer
- worked too hard for a customer last time and now they're coming back for more
- actually charge someone more for being a pain in the you-know-what
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- Details
- Category: German vocabulary
As a little gift to you for Hanukkah this year, here are some printable flashcards on Judaism and Hannukah auf Deutsch!
What's fascinating about many vocabulary words for Judaism and Hanukkah in German is how strikingly similar they are to the English words. "Kosher" is simply spelled "Koscher," for example, and simply reflects the German spelling ("sch") as opposed to the English ("sh").
Here are the flashcards for general terms on "Das Judentum in Deutschland." (Judaism in Germany) This PDF covers general terms like "der Jude," for a male Jew and "Synagoge" for the Synagogue.
Since it's Hanukkah right now, it's the perfect opportunity for you to learn about Chanukka - auf Deutsch! Included in this PDF are Hanukkah terms which cover everything from the Dreidl to powdered donuts.
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- Category: German culture and food
Since you're here, you probably don't need much convincing to visit a German-speaking country. However, you might enjoy being aware of what you'll run into on a deeper level. After all, since you're here, you're probably a seasoned traveler (and not an obnoxious tourist).
1. Experience the opposite of urban sprawl:
Germany is about the size of the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin together and they have a population of around 82 million people. To contrast, in the US we have about 300 million on a huuuge plot of land, so it’s much more densely populated. Germany is growing in diversity, so you will likely run into folks of many different backgrounds.
2. Speak with your hands and feet.
Most Germans, in particular in big cities like Hamburg, Bremen, Stuttgart, Munich, and Berlin speak some amount of English. So whatever German you speak will help when you travel outside those areas. The Germans have a saying, "sich mit Händen und Füßen verständigen." Meaning: you can do a lot [gesturing] with your hands and your feet to communicate. Feel free to contact the Office of Tourism in places you would like to visit and have them send you some maps and other information before you go. There are lots of opportunities to have city tours in English, too.
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- Category: German learning methods
There isn't much of a secret to language learning because it's all about working with the language as much as possible over a length of time. However I can give you tips on how I learned to speak German fluently (and I mean--I could say anything I wanted or needed to say) within about 6 months. Konjunktiv II? Kein Thema. Polite discourse? Absolut! Telling someone off? That, too.
Don't get me wrong--learning German in 6 months was really tough. I started at an A2 level (the second-lowest level) and busted my way up to C2 (the highest level) and I did it without a whole lot of help outside of class hours. It was really difficult, painful, and even joyful and inspiring. Here's how it happened:
My First German Lessons
First, in the summer of 2002 I took 20 one-on-one lessons with a fantastic teacher at Eloquia, a language school in Frankfurt, Germany. I was in Germany without a whole lot to do during the day and to fill up my time, I took lessons and did homework. This teacher was key--because she prepared me in German grammar construction and corrected me by telling me why something was wrong.
Another benefit of these private lessons was that I didn't accidentally learn other peoples' mistakes! All I had to hear was my voice and my teacher's voice--I was immersed in quality language development.
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- Category: German vocabulary
The W-Fragen in German are question words. They are also known as 'open-ended questions. In English the W-Fragen also begin 'w': who, what, when, where, why, and how. (These questions are different from the ja/nein Fragen or yes/no questions in German begin with the verb ("Arbeiten Sie heute?" "Kommen Sie aus Bayern?").)
You begin learning the W-Fragen at the A1 level in German and at the A2 level you add another layer to it, followed by even more at the B1 level. It's like a 3-layered cake!
In most books you usually see a list like this, it's just the German and English translations. But is that really enough? Take a close look.
|
German |
English |
|
was |
what |
|
wann |
when |
|
wo |
where |
|
wie |
how |
|
warum |
why |
|
wer |
who |
If you simply memorize this list, that's one technique for learning it. And that would probably be kind of boring.
What if you had an example sentence which you could use like an anchor?
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