How to Say a Funny and Interesting Story in German Language
eleven Awesome German Words You Wish Nosotros Had in English language
German's got some unique benefits going for information technology.
The German language is often parodied for its love of mushing together a agglomeration of words to create one super-long one.
Like Kraftfahrzeughaftpflichtversicherung (automobile liability insurance) and the previous titleholder for longest German language word, Rindfleischetikettierungsueberwachungsaufgabenuebertragungsgesetz (law delegating beef characterization monitoring — thankfully the law information technology describes was repealed.)
On the flip-side, Germans are also adept at something that involves a bit more brevity: summing up circuitous concepts and emotional states in but one word.
Contents
- Where to Acquire New German Words
-
- 1. Weltschmerz
- 2. Fremdscham
- three. Treppenwitz
- 4. Mutterseelenallein
- 5. Unwort
- 6. Gemütlichkeit
- seven. Backpfeifengesicht
- viii. Sprachgefühl
- nine. Aufschnitte
- 10. Streicheleinheit
- 11. Sehnsucht
Download: This blog postal service is available as a convenient and portable PDF that yous can take anywhere. Click hither to become a copy. (Download)
Where to Larn New German Words
Many websites and apps can help yous learn uniquely German words that'll help you lot more accurately sum upwards your web of emotions.
- Deutsche Welle has a regular feature called Word of the Week that features interesting German words and a cursory explanation of how they're used. They also provide an audio file. Download this and learn how to pronounce some of those more tongue-tying words.
- FluentU aims to go your brain in "High german mode" so yous understand how native speakers use the language in real life. Every video comes with interactive subtitles, flashcards and fun quizzes so you remember what you've learned. Bank check it out with the free trial.
- Easy Languages on YouTube has a characteristic called "Learning German from the Streets" where they ask passersby to explicate German language words. At that place's even an episode on Weltschmerz. The videos are very easy to follow considering they take both High german and English language subtitles, so it's a swell way to hear complex concepts explained past everyday Germans.
11 Oddly Specifc German Words That Make Other Languages Jealous
Words like these would definitely come in handy in English. Y'all know, when you lot desire to describe a very specific scenario that everyone knows. Instead, nosotros're express to giving the aforementioned long-winded explanations again and again.
That'southward why sometimes it'south just easier for us to stick to the original German words, like Zeitgeist (spirit of the time) or Doppelgänger (look-akin or double).
Hither are a few more examples that the English linguistic communication should consider calculation.
1. Weltschmerz
Literally translated to "globe hurting," Weltschmerz describes the feeling of having the weight of the world on your shoulders.
Y'all know those days where you watch some moving documentary on Netflix about starving children in some far-off place and suddenly you feel hopeless about the state of our plant?
You have Weltschmerz .
When you read the news, see all the horrible things happening and feel deep resignation about your own inability to practice anything nearly any of it? Weltschmerz. The next time your outlook is too dark and glum to bear seeing another photo exhibit on AIDS, simply let your friends know you can't. Du hast Weltschmerz.
two. Fremdscham
This feeling may arise when y'all run across a Facebook friend post a long-winded rant about something that turns out to exist a gag commodity from The Onion.
Or when you watch 1 of those clips from America's Funniest Home Videos where someone gets injure in a stupid way.
Some might feel Schadenfreude, a German discussion that is somewhat commonly used in English, which ways taking joy in others' pain.
Instead of this though, y'all cringe and feel embarrassed for them, almost as if y'all made the error yourself. That's Fremdscham , literally "stranger shame."
One might feel this at a party when someone else insults the host'south cooking, but to accept the host walk up correct behind them. Ouch — that stinging feeling in your stomach? Total Fremdscham .
3. Treppenwitz
English-linguistic communication comedians have built dozens upon dozens of sitcoms entirely upon the premise of Treppenwitz , like in the Seinfeld episode "The Improvement." Yet we still don't have a good way to describe information technology.
Well, I'll have a stab at it. You know those times when you go into an argument with someone and you desire then desperately to say a snappy comeback, but that snappy comeback doesn't dawn on y'all until long after the altercation?
That'south a Treppenwitz.
The word literally means "staircase joke," equally in yous don't recollect of the retort until you're on the stairs, leaving the scene. And so you boot yourself for non thinking faster. Shoot! Why didn't I think of that?
4. Mutterseelenallein
This one might come the closest to representing the internet meme "forever alone," but the imagery it evokes cannot exist matched in English language.
Mutterseelenallein literally translates to mean "mother'southward souls alone," as in no soul, not even your mother's, is with you. You're so lonely that not even your mother can stand up beingness with you. Cue the sad violin music.
v. Unwort
E'er the clever linguists, Germans know that sometimes at that place are words that aren't really words. They decided that those words deserve their own word to draw them.
That word is Unwort , or un-discussion. The term is by and large used to describe newly created, and often offensive, "words." At that place's even a panel of German language linguists that selects an "Un-word of the Yr."
6. Gemütlichkeit
If you tell a High german "oh, we have a phrase for Gemütlichkeit in English — feeling cozy," they'll instantly right y'all.
For High german speakers, it's then much more than than that.
The word describes the whole atmosphere of your surroundings. Information technology'due south not just the country of being on a soft couch that gives yous Gemütlichkeit . It's being on a soft couch. Under a warm coating. Surrounded past family. With a cup of hot chocolate in your hands. And maybe a knit cap on your head. Information technology's the whole experience and feeling that you accept of being physically warm, but also metaphorically feeling warm inside your heart.
7. Backpfeifengesicht
In English, i might say someone has "a face only a mother could dearest." In German, such faces might also deserve getting punched. Backpfeifengesicht, a "face that should get a slap that whistles across the cheek," is a confront that makes you want to smack that person.
8. Sprachgefühl
Some people just have a knack for learning languages, collecting 5, six or seven in their lifetime. It's like they have a sixth sense for knowing when to say der , die or das . There's a German word for this: Sprachgefühl , or "language feeling." According to Wiktionary, it'south the "instinctive or intuitive grasp" of a language.
nine. Aufschnitte
This translates to "cold cuts," but it'south frequently used not only to describe the pieces of meat on the tabular array, just the whole meal. Often Germans will accept a repast of Aufschnitte where they sit downwards to consume a selection of breads with various fresh cheeses, smoked salmon and thinly sliced meat. It'southward often a more convenient alternative to cooking for the whole family unit later on a long day at work and driving on the Autobahn. What's for dinner? Let's just take Aufschnitte.
ten. Streicheleinheit
Many online dictionaries translate this word to be a noun for "caress," but when y'all intermission downwardly the discussion, it sounds quite technical.
The word comes from the verb streicheln — to stroke or pet — and the noun Einheit —a unit of measurement. And then information technology literally means "a unit of measurement of petting."
Simply the way information technology'south used in practise is more along the lines of what in English might be shortened to TLC — tender love and care. A German might say "Wir alle sehnen uns nach Streicheleinheiten" — nosotros're all yearning for love and amore. And isn't that the truth.
eleven. Sehnsucht
This is another word that describes a complex set of emotions. It comes from sehnen , which means "to yearn or long for," and Sucht , an obsession, peckish or addiction.
Literally, information technology would mean something like "an obsessive yearning" for something, but that doesn't quite capture it. It could be used to describe an inconsolable yearning for happiness and the unattainable. Information technology could illustrate that you're intensely missing something or someone. It may besides express a longing for a furthermost place.
Either way, it'due south a pretty profound emotion to be boiled down into merely two syllables.
FeelingSehnsucht to get out there and offset using these unique German words? We are!
Emma Anderson is an American journalist based in Berlin. She regularly writes for Berlin-based, English language language publications The Local and EXBERLINER magazine. Visit her website at emkanderson.com.
Download: This web log post is available every bit a user-friendly and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click hither to get a copy. (Download)
Source: https://www.fluentu.com/blog/german/german-words-in-english/
0 Response to "How to Say a Funny and Interesting Story in German Language"
Post a Comment