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Sayings + Expressions 4 – The Master and Cloud 7 Posted by on Jul 31, 2014 in Culture, Language

Today it is all about the bright blue above us: the sky! Even though the saying and the expression do not have much in common in meaning. Let’s start with the saying!

 

Es ist noch kein Meister vom Himmel gefallen

No master has fallen from heaven yet (practice makes perfect)

This saying means that a beginner cannot just do his job professionally, because he lacks the experience. He has not mastered it yet. Its origin seems to lie in the Mittelalter (Middle Ages), when for example blacksmiths would say this to their apprentices. The use of heaven can probably be attributed to the piousness of that time.

Use

It is normally used when a beginner makes a mistake, but it can be attributed to his inexperience. Example:

Der Azubi hat vergessen die Hefe an den Brotteig hinzu zu fügen. Der Teig ist nicht hoch gekommen. Es ist noch kein Meister vom Himmel gefallen!

The apprentice forgot to add yeast to the bread dough. The dough has not risen. Practice makes perfect!

 

Auf Wolke 7 schweben (also: im siebten Himmel sein) 

Die beiden sind auf Wolke 7! (Image by Ali Nishan on Flickr.com under CC BY 2.0)

Floating on cloud 7 (also: to be in seventh heaven)

In Germany, cloud 7 is the equivalent of cloud 9 – a euphoric mood! Why cloud 9 emerged, is hard to explain. Wolke 7 has probably emerged from Aristotle’s philosophy that the heaven was divided in seven spheres. The last sphere, the seventh, represents the invisible world of the soul, of fantasies, dreams and wishes. And that is the world in which you live. You are euphoric, because a wish, a dream, or a fantasy came true! This siebter Himmel is also used sometimes. But what about the cloud? In the Jewish Talmud, then, the seventh heaven is called Araboth (clouds), which promises similar euphoria as Aristotle’s seventh sphere. And there we go: Wolke 7. 

Use 

It is used when somebody is in a euphoric mood, especially if someone is verliebt (in love) or in a state of pure Freude (pure bliss). Example:

Alexandra sagte ihm wie sehr sie ihn mag. Jetzt schwebt er auf Wolke 7.

Alexandra told him how much she likes him. Now he is in seventh heaven.

 

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About the Author: Sten

Hi! I am Sten, both Dutch and German. For many years, I've written for the German and the Dutch blogs with a passion for everything related to language and culture. It's fascinating to reflect on my own culture, and in the process allow our readers to learn more about it! Besides blogging, I am a German-Dutch-English translator, animator and filmmaker.


Comments:

  1. Luana Lohner:

    Can you please explain why in English and German its a different cloud? And is it in English also the nineth heaven and not sevent heaven? Lovely Greetings Luana & John

    • Sten:

      @Luana Lohner Hi Luana!

      Check out this link, which will be able to tell you more about where cloud 9 comes from. But that is also not confirmed… So it is hard to tell. I think that the ninth heaven comes from the same origin, as heaven and cloud, just as in German, are both used. Hope that answers your question!