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How to translate the untranslatable German word Gemeinheit Posted by on Aug 30, 2021

German untranslatable words gas station gemeinheit

Thanks to our reader Rob Prichard for pointing out that die Gemeinheit is a word that is rather untranslatable in our post on the word Multikulti. Never thought about that one as untranslatable! But let’s find out why, and what you might want to translate it as! What does Gemeinheit mean? A Gemeinheit is a mean thing somebody does to you…

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Untranslatable German Words: Multikulti Posted by 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)…

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Untranslatable German Words: Mahlzeit Posted by on Feb 25, 2021

Welcome to another dip in the toe of the deep pond of untranslatable German words. We’ve discussed plenty already, and you probably won’t hear many of them on a daily basis, unfortunately. The word that we look at today, however, is different. Here’s the story of how an innocent word became a word that many…

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The German Word Fisimatenten Posted by on Nov 11, 2020

Guten Tag! Today we’re looking at a peculiar German word: Fisimatenten. If you’re thinking, Well, that doesn’t look like a German word, you’d be right! There are a few different theories as to this word’s origins. But before we get into that, what on earth does Fisimatenten actually mean? Die Fisimatenten Fisimatenten is difficult to…

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Untranslatable German: Feierabend Posted by on Oct 30, 2020

Es ist 17:00. Endlich! Feierabend. (It’s 5 pm. Finally! End of the work day.) Time to go home, or go by the Kneipe (bar) and get a Bier (beer) to relax and wind down. A typical, almost stereotypical German Brauch (tradition). And Feierabend is the untranslatable word here. Let’s look at what it means and what perhaps could be an English…

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Untranslatable German: der Flickenteppich! Posted by on Oct 8, 2020

Just like many other countries in recent weeks, Germany has experienced a rise in Neuinfektionen (new infections) of das Coronavirus. And because of these Neuinfektionen, countries have once again issued Reisewarnungen (travel warnings) and imposed mandatory Quarantäne (quarantine) of 14 days upon return from a Risikogebiet (high-risk area). But if you think that these measures stop at country borders…

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The Curiosity of the German Word “Shitstorm” Posted by on Jun 25, 2020

Today we’re looking at a a really fun German word: Der Shitstorm. I already hear you say “but that’s not a German word!” And you’d be right, of course. But hear me out, it gets funkier! But let me first tell you about the curious German word Shitstorm. Merkel said this?! Angela Merkel, the German Bundeskanzlerin, known…

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