Archive for 'Culture'
How Did Germany Climb Out of Poverty In No Time? Posted by Sten on Aug 26, 2021
People are hungry and lost everything. They are perspektivlos (without prospects). But then, within 10 years, the GDP triples. There is Vollbeschäftigung (f, full employment). In fact, there are so many jobs, that people from other countries are urged to come to fill all the vacancies, the so-called Gastarbeiter (guest workers). Everybody can afford a car…
Untranslatable German Words: Multikulti Posted by Sten on Aug 5, 2021
In Germany, you might hear the term Multikulti sometimes. It is often used positively, but sometimes there is a rather disgruntled undertone as well. It is widely used! But what does it mean? And is there a proper English translation for it? What does Multikulti mean? Multikulti is a shorthand of Multikulturalismus (m, multiculturalism). It’s the idea that a Gesellschaft (f, society)…
German Idioms 31: The Sun Makes Us Feel Good Posted by Sten on Jul 30, 2021
Die Sonne (the sun). When we think of her warm rays and light, it puts a smile on our faces. The sun helps us be healthy, lets us grow our food, makes beach days fun! The sun is an all-around positive! And that’s also reflected in Redensarten (idioms). So let’s look at two German idioms that talk about…
4 of Germany’s Favorite Summer Drinks Posted by Larissa on Jul 27, 2021
Now I know what you’re thinking, this post is obviously all about Bier (beer), but I’ve decided to push beer to one side (it is of course still the favorite drink in Germany) and tell you about four other beverages that Germans (including myself) love to drink! Hugo Our first drink is a Hugo…
Open Water Swimming: German Vocabulary Posted by Constanze on Jul 21, 2021
Guten Tag! Last week, we explored some swimming vocabulary, including the names of different areas of a swimming pool, and types of swimming (breast stroke, front crawl, etc.). This week, we’re taking it outdoors and exploring Freiwasserschwimmen (open water swimming) and the famous Wim Hof Method that involves Eisbaden (ice bathing)! Wer ist Wim Hof?…
How do you pronounce the gender-neutral German Gendersternchen? Posted by Sten on Jul 15, 2021
Gender-neutral language is being used more and more. Some cities have started using it, the University of Leipzig decided to use the weibliche Form (feminine form) as the basic form instead of the männliche Form (male form). This led to some “erhitzte Gemüter” (raised tempers). In Germany, the discussion about the use and necessity of gendered language is…
German Swimming Vocabulary Posted by Constanze on Jul 14, 2021
Guten Tag! Today we’re going to learn some vocabulary for a popular summer activity: das Schwimmen – Swimming! Swimming vocabulary Firstly, here is the verb schwimmen (to swim) in the present tense: Ich schwimme – I swim/am swimming Du schwimmst – You swim/are swimming (informal, singular) Er/sie/es schwimmt He/she/it swims/is swimming Wir schwimmen – We…