Separable And Inseparable German Prefixes Posted by Constanze on May 10, 2017
I wrote a post recently about verbs that change their meanings when you add prefixes to them. These can be very confusing for language learners, as they think they recognise a verb when it actually means something totally different. The post led to a question about whether a particular prefix made the verb separable or…
A Brief History Of The German Flag Posted by Constanze on May 8, 2017
The German flag, with its black, red and gold stripes, is one of the most easily recognisable flags in the world. In this post, I’ll give you some information about the origins of the current flag, and show you some of its variations throughout history. The Holy Roman Empire 962–1806 Known in German as…
The Curiosity of the German Word “Weg” Posted by Sten on May 4, 2017
Wegisweg. That is the Dutch word for Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley. Weg means “lane”, but also “away”. They sound exactly identical, though. The same word, weg, means the same both things in German. But they are pronounced differently. Why? This is what weg sounds like: This is what der Weg sounds like: Ok, I already hear you say: But Sten, there is a…
Sayings + Expressions 12 – Butter! Posted by Sten on May 2, 2017
In this long series of Sprichwörter (sayings) and Ausdrücke or Redewendungen (expressions), it is time for yet another. Today, we will discuss… Butter. Yeah, butter with its smooth consistency and easily melting nature is a popular subject in language. Also for Sprichwörter and Ausdrücke. Check these two out! Alles in Butter! Everything in butter! (Everything’s ok!) This Sprichwort is short, but pretty much has the…
German Vocabulary for Spring Posted by Larissa on May 2, 2017
Spring has sprung! Last week it snowed in Munich, but this week the weather is warmer and sunnier. I love Frühling (Spring): the trees start to blossom, the birds start to chirp and the sun rises earlier in the morning! Here’s a simple vocabulary post to get you in the mood for the season. der…
Did America Almost Speak German? Posted by Sten on Apr 29, 2017
You have probably heard of that one Gerücht (rumor): The United States once had a vote that would have decided what the official language of the country was going to be. And only one vote decided whether that was going to be English – or German! The deciding vote was cast by Frederick Muhlenberg. This legend is…
Untranslatable German Words: das Anstandsstück Posted by Constanze on Apr 26, 2017
Hello and welcome to another edition of untranslatable German words, where I bring you the quirkiest, funniest, most unusual words the German language has to offer – and ones that are difficult to find a direct translation for! Today’s word is das Anstandsstück. What does das Anstandsstück mean? Das Anstandsstück refers to the last…