Untranslatable German Words: Gemütlichkeit Posted by Constanze on Jun 26, 2014
Guten Tag, and wilkommen to week 3 of my series of posts on ‘untranslatable’ German words! In this series of posts I talk about one or more German words that there is no direct translation for in English. In my first post on this topic, I suggested that the reason for this was to do…
Sayings + Expressions 1 – the Will and the Thread Posted by Sten on Jun 23, 2014
Hi there! This is the first of some posts about great sayings and expressions in German. One of each every week. Many sound very wise in German. The language just helps you convey that wise, mysterious tone you want such sayings and expressions to have sometimes. Let’s start off with the saying! Wo ein Wille…
Untranslatable German Words: Teil 2 Posted by Constanze on Jun 20, 2014
Guten Tag, and wilkommen to week 2 of my series of posts on ‘untranslatable’ German words! In this series of posts I talk about one or more German words that there is no direct translation for in English. In my first post on this topic, I suggested that the reason for this was to do…
Language Listening Lesson – Freude für den Fußball Posted by Sten on Jun 19, 2014
I have already started this on the Dutch blog, where it was received quite well. I hope you will like the German version as well! A Language Listening Lesson (Triple L) consists of a German text, with translation and audio file to listen to it. That is the idea – you listen to it and…
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…
Andreas Gabalier spices up German folk music Posted by Sandra Rösner on Jun 13, 2014
It is an open secret. German folk music is not very popular among young Germans. Women in dirndl dresses. Men in leather pants and Tyrolean hats. Someone is playing the accordion. Another one is playing any other folksy instrument, for example, the tuba or the bugle. All dressed up they sing about love in a…
Untranslatable German Words: Teil 1 Posted by Constanze on Jun 9, 2014
I am fascinated by words which exist in other languages, but which we do not have in English. I think my fascination stems from the question I ask myself when confronted with one of these words: Why does it exist in one language, but not in another? Sometimes, this is obviously for cultural reasons, but…