Stichwörter (Keywords):
Would you like to learn more German?
- Details
- Category: German vocabulary
2017 is a huge year for Germans: they get an extra national holiday, Reformationstag. It's the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses to the church door, which turned out to be a pillar event of the Reformation movement.
An extra national holiday means that everybody gets an extra day off work. Everything's going to be closed, however I suspect a lot of churches might have more visitors than usual.
So how does this make a 5-day weekend for Germans? Here's how:
Saturday and Sunday are normal weekend days. Tuesday is Reformationstag and also Halloween, which means that Wednesday, November 1st is Allerheiligen (All Saints' Day), which is also a holiday in 5 German states (Baden-Württemberg, Bayern, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland). Anyone who planned a vacation day for Monday, October 30th is taking a Brückentag, a bridge day, "bridging" the weekend to the Feiertag. So with one day of vacation a lot of folks extended their 2-day weekend to make it a 5-day weekend.
- Hits: 3003
- Details
- Category: Writing German
An Elfchen is a German poem that contains only 11 words. The form is 1-2-3-4-1. Because if its simplicity, it's a fantastic way to practice your vocabulary.
Or, if you're sick and can't seem to shake off the crud of the decade, it makes a very succinct blog post.
Krank sein: ein Elfchen
schnupfen
hatte Halsschmerzen
mehr Tee trinken
bitte wieder gesund werden!
*husten*
- Hits: 3305
- Details
- Category: German culture and food
One of the best parts of German culture is the Apotheke, the pharmacy! Not because of the prescription drugs, but because of the products you can buy there. And the freebies--don't even get me started. I once bought some facial care products and make-up and they gave me a HANDBAG. A HANDBAG!!! I still have it. Die Tasche ist fantastisch! I even got a tea candlelight holder one year and since it was Advent/Christmas, the candle holder was in the shape of a star. Ja, das habe ich auch noch.
Every time you go to the Apotheke they give you things for free! Wunderbar! The Apothekerinnen und Apotheker are extremely knowledgeable and sensitive to your questions, so go ahead and ask all your questions. It's all about service and care in the Apotheke, that's for sure.
- Hits: 2295
- Details
- Category: Writing German
Discussions begin, lawyers are called, and lawsuits are filed. All of it is about a comma. (See what I did there?)
The Oxford comma is so important to people that spouses actually have discussions about it. They've talked about everything like where to live, how to manage their finances, and how many kids to have, but years later they find out only one of them uses the Oxford comma. [Cut dramatic music.] It's like now the real stuff of marriage has come to the forefront:
to use the Oxford comma or not?
In English class I was taught the following: when you write a list of three or more items and the list needs differentiation, or might sound confusing, then you insert the comma before "and." Ergo:
Maria asked Bartholomäus, her teacher, and husband if she should use the Oxford comma.
- Hits: 7989
- Details
- Category: Speaking German
Es war einmal…that I called my German Landlord to ask to get something fixed in the apartment. Although I was in a fantastic mood that day, it only took about 20 seconds for that phone call to change my German speaking habits forever…here’s why:
Nicole: Hallo, Herr Müller!
Herr Müller: Hallo, Frau Warner!
Nicole: Wie geht’s Ihnen denn?
Herr Müller: Ach ja, wissen Sie, nicht so gut. Am Wochenende habe ich im Garten gearbeitet und etwas hat mich am Fuß gestochen! Die Stelle ist angeschwollen—es war riesig! Und mit Eiter gefüllt* war’s auch. Aber jetzt war ich beim Arzt, ich habe eine Spritze bekommen und es wird schon besser!*
Nicole: (inner reaction): Oh Gott, oh Gott! Warum hat er mir das erzählt! Das wollte ich alles gar nicht wissen!
- Hits: 6875