Archive for 'Uncategorized'
German grammar in use: The conjugation of the verb “machen” Posted by Sandra Rösner on Sep 1, 2014
The regular German verb machen means “to do” or “to make” in English. But machen is also used in various compounds in German, which have specific English translations. In these specific translations the English verbs “to do” and “to make” need not occur necessarily. Präsens – Present tense In German the Präsens is used to…
Die Trümmerfrauen: The Rubble Women Posted by Constanze on Jun 17, 2014
There is this stereotype that German women are big, strong, and super-efficient. My husband sometimes teases me when I do some heavy lifting, saying things like: “Yeah, you’re a real German woman!”, or when he talks about my work ethic: “Well, of course you’re hard working – you’re German!” I have to admit, I never…
Servus from Constanze! Posted by Constanze on Jun 4, 2014
Servus! That is a Bavarian way of saying ‘hi’! My name is Constanze Arnold, and I am very happy to introduce myself as a new blogger here at Transparent Language. Let me tell you a little more about myself! First off, I am from the UK. I grew up bilingual, with a German mum…
A new face – Sten! Posted by Sten on May 17, 2014
Moin, moin! Moin is a regional way to say hi in the north of Germany, in Bundesländer like Niedersachsen. And with that, I say hi to you! I am Sten Ritterfeld, blogger and language tutor at Transparent Languages for Dutch and German. I also write for the Dutch blog, so be sure to check that…
What does Taylor Swift sound like in German? – Übersetzgesungen Episode 2 Posted by mickeymickey on Mar 11, 2014
Hey guys! Übersetzgesungen is back with another Germanized version of a song originally in English. This time I decided to try my hand at translating Taylor Swift, who, as it turns out, is much wordier than Simon & Garfunkel. I learned a lot, you know, in trying to capture, like, the vibe of the song. Viel…
The opposite of punctuality is BVG: When Berliners are late Posted by Sandra Rösner on Mar 6, 2014
Delays and Cancellations – Travelling with public transportation in Berlin can be a pain in the neck With an area of nearly 900 square kilometers, Berlin is the largest city in Germany. Also counted by its inhabitants the capital is the most crowded area in Germany. About 3.4 million people track through the streets every…
Hirschhausen’s Column „Gehirn und Geist“: Signing Signatures Posted by Sandra Rösner on Jan 13, 2014
One of my favorite German comedians and cabaret artists is Dr. med. (MD) Eckart von Hirschhausen, a „jack of all trades“. First of all, Hirschhausen is a doctor. But he is also a writer, comedian, cabaret artist, conjurer, and host of different German shows. His secret of success is that he knows how to combine…