Top 10 words we should steal from German

Enjoy this tour of untranslatable German! Start speaking a new language in 3 weeks with Babbel 🎉. Get 60% OFF your subscription during their Black Friday sale ➡️ HERE: go.babbel.com/t?bsc=1200m60-y...
German has a knack of expressing things in one word that takes English-speakers much longer. In this video I give you my top 10 'untranstlatable' German words that English should steal.
#German #English #language
📝 Sign up to my FREE NEWSLETTER: robwords.com/newsletter
Check me out on the web, on Twitter & TikTok:
robwords.com
/ robwordsyt
/ robwords
Edited with Gling AI: bit.ly/46bGeYv
==CHAPTERS==
0:00 Introduction
0:34 10 - JEIN
2:24 9 - KUMMERSPECK
3:39 8 - BACKPFEIFENGESICHT
5:22 7 - SPRACHGEFÜHL
6:31 Babbel
7:48 6 - STURMFREI
9:00 5 - SCHNAPSIDEE
10:15 5.5 - WEGBIER
11:33 4 - KOPFKINO
12:33 - Why is German so good at this?
14:25 3 - FERNWEH
16:17 2 - ZUGZWANG
17:49 1 - FEIERABEND

[@Dareios074]

„Verschlimmbessern“. To ruin something by trying to improve it. I love it

[@JanDark]

YES!!! I love that one!!!

[@MaestroGlanz]

I suggest "to shitprove". It captures it very well. The genuine intention to improve combined with the sheer incompetency to do so.

[@wayne9518]

One of my favorites!

[@frtzkng]

Closest would be the word _enshittification_ or to _enshittify._ A collation of _enhance_ and _shitty,_ with the suffix -ify which is used to turn adjectives into verbs. Albeit those are much narrower in their meaning. They're used in the context of digital platform and service economics, when a platform makes changes to its platform to users' detriment, even if they advertise it as an improvement, in order to increase profit margins.

[@Dareios074]

@@frtzkng​Good to know there is a similar expression in English. It will come handy from time to time😁

[@martinstent5339]

A very useful word to steal would be “doch”. There is no completely unambiguous way of answering a negative question in English: “So, you don’t want to come with us?”, how to answer with yes or no?? YES might mean “yes I don’t want to” and NO could mean “no I don’t want to”. “doch” lets you “negate the negation” and answer positively. “doch” means I want to come with you!!

[@fintonmainz7845]

NOT ©Homer Simpson

[@CuriousMoth]

Sure.

[@christopherwellman2364]

Isn't it clear? Yes, it is not. Or... no, it is.

[@uncletiggermclaren7592]

We already have perfectly utile words for that. Correct, and Incorrect.

[@fintonmainz7845]

@@uncletiggermclaren7592 "There are no mountains in Scotland" "doch" sounds better than "incorrect", which is, of course correct. You could say "doch, doch doch" for emphasis. This is often used.

[@andreasfischer9158]

I am preparing for an important exam and am experiencing lots of ”Muffensausen”. But I guess, afterwards it will be ”schnurzpiepegal”.

[@walterkramp-holzwarth862]

"Frohnatur" - a very positivly thinking person "Drahtesel" - an old description for "bicycle" ("wire-donkey") "Stimmungskanone" - a person who is always friendly and makes a lot of jokes

[@Shishi03]

Partybremse

[@steffenmutter]

At least for *Drahtesel* the Britains have one, I really love: 'Boneshaker' wonderful.

[@joschastorz8906]

@@Shishi03 But this one does have an equivalent "Party pooper"

[@b.n.6399]

@@Shishi03 Spaßbremse

[@PiedPeiper]

opposite to "Stimmungskanone" : "Spaßbremse" (fun brake)

[@epikmb24]

Hmmm now your name “RobWords” makes sense…

[@lewisgiles8855]

Good one!

[@resourceress7]

Rob thinks we should rob words from German.

[@lukekelly7286]

😂

[@jjsmith3302]

🤣

[@IDKwhattoputhere35]

lol 😂

[@Firithfenion]

I am German and I also like the word "fremdschämen". I think it was invented in the 90s because I never heard it before this time. Fremdschämen is a verb that refers to a feeling of second hand embarassment, if you feel embarrassed for other peoples behaviour.

[@KennethMills]

I am not sure but I think I remember Rob talking about that word in one of his videos. I also like that word a lot. The Dutch equivalent is just too long 😅

[@kenster8270]

I believe the TikTok generation uses the word "cringe" to express that emotion?

[@cuongpham6218]

@@kenster8270 I think the more accurate term in English for fremdschämen would be secondhand embarrassment. Funnily enough cringe is nowadays ever more frequently used by young Germans too.

[@TazHall]

Yeah I can recognize the word "shame" in there.

[@jacobpast5437]

Also vicarious embarrassment. Cringe fits quite well, but it often has much more disparaging/derogatory connotations.

[@ankedrude1586]

Being a German native speaker I absolutely loved your video and think that it's a great contribution to "Völkerverständigung". ❤

[@berndf7437]

😂😂 Ist das denn ein Schnitzel Bank ja das ist ein schnitzelbank😂

[@staydatie]

haha thats a good one :D

[@jrgptr935]

​@@berndf7437Ein unerklärlicher Begriff, zumal des männlichen Artikels wegen.

[@berndf7437]

@@jrgptr935 das war ein Spruch von einem amerikanischen Künstler Freund Mit der Frage was ist eine schnitzelbank Etliche Jahre später kam die Auflösung in Süddeutschland 😉 Und zwar eine holzbank an einem Baum wo verliebte ihre Herzchen herein schnitzen

[@jrgptr935]

@@berndf7437 Danke, das nehm ich mal so mit.

[@GPCyanide]

sometimes, when you're really under Zugwzang, you might even get a feeling of "Torschlusspanik" - that's another great one!

[@bierundkippen720]

No. Torschlusspanik means to be afraid to miss out on something.

[@christiankrause1594]

@@bierundkippen720 As a german native speaker, i still didn't know if it is Torschusspanik or Torschlusspanik. (schuss = shot vs schluss = ending)

[@tinogara5892]

@@christiankrause1594 If in doubt, ask Wikipedia. de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torschlusspanik

[@Vootekk0815]

Torschluss. Die Leute hatten Angst, nach ner gewissen Uhrzeit nicht mehr durch die Stadttore zu kommen. ->torschlusspanik.

[@johnattfield4354]

My favourite untranslatable German word is "Erklärungsnot". It means something like having difficulty explaining oneself, e.g. when a politician is caught lying and is forced to try to wriggle his/her way out of the situation. There's no English word for that, you would need a whole sentence.

[@RobWords]

Like an explanation emergency? I like that one a lot. Thanks.

[@Timberwolf69]

@@RobWords Yeah, you are in dire need of explaining your actions while being basically unable to do so.

[@FjorimDerHuene]

@@RobWords it can be roughly compared with "being caught red handed", but not only.

[@ronglurak9892]

@@RobWords One of the ways I have seen it used, is for the feeling of a very small child asking what the condoms it found are for. You have to answer but it is realy hard to do so in a way that feels right.

[@sherylbegby]

When you have some explaining to do, Owe someone an explanation - yup it's not that easy to get the precise nuance. Maybe "President K under pressure to explain £30,000 personal expenses claim"

[@Herbert.]

Betriebsblindheit is definitely my favourite untranslatable, but very useful word. It literally translates to "work blindness" and means the blindness you get from doing something repetitive for too long. You forget to actually pay attention and might make big errors you'd usually notice instantly.

[@MeteorMark]

We know that in Dutch as Bedrijfsblindheid 😊

[@RobWords]

I've not come across this one. It's excellent!

[@jacobpast5437]

Just to clarify: It's not about making mistakes due to repetition and sleepiness on the job, e.g. working on the assembly line, but rather when you get so used to the way it's done in your company, that you can't see the better options any more. As opposed to the fresh view of an outsider. Happens to managers all the time.

[@michaelgadsby]

As a chef, I've experienced being 'ticketblind' and it's a sporadically occurring phrase to describe the kind of mental overload that prevents you from doing things in sequence. Another is 'noseblind', where you've become so accustomed to a certain funk or concoction of smells, you don't notice it anymore. Yet a newcomer's nose would probably pick up on it immediately. I think the latter might be the closer compound.

[@MeteorMark]

@@jacobpast5437 indeed, as an electronic engineer when fault finding or if something doesn't work, a colleague can have a fresh perspective or experience to why. Even when an apprentice makes a remark, don't dismiss it outright, especially when it takes too long...

[@RoberttheWise]

11:38 That is a much more positive description of "Kopfkino" than I ever experienced. Whenever I encountered the word it was used for something that you really rather not think about but someone just mention it and you can't help to imagine it in vivid detail.

[@sanjincausevic467]

We use it in the psychiatric hospital in the situation where someone has paranoic thinking. For example: if someone tells me „someone put drugs in my cup.“ I would say: no, it’s not possible, that is just KOPFKINO.

[@RZZ-1701]

An alternate kind of *_Kopfkino_* (al least imho): kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXOZnpalft6kjqc

[@stephanieevans8877]

Exactly - I never heard Kopfkino in a positive context. As I know it you get Kopfkino when you have vivid unpleasant images in your head, very often sexual: "My best friend's mom tried to hit on me last night." "Noooo, Kopfkino" You got more information than you wanted.

[@arminrose4946]

Exactly so. It's much more often about really not wanting to see the film that was unintentionally placed in your head, but with no chance to avoid it. It might happen instantaneously after an ambiguous phrase with a second, often bodily meaning, causing a lively imagination of disgust. When using the term, it's often meant in a mischievously humorous way. After the triggering phrase, one might slap their hand against the side of their head and say 'Aaah, Kopfkino, geh aus!', as if one could end the movie with a smack to the projector. Usually, laughter ensues.

[@monlynx]

Yeah, "Kopfkino" movies are rather the ones one does _not_ want to see.

[@anthonyhealey7120]

'Vorführungseffekt" = 'demonstrations effect': when you get sick of something (a device, machine, comuter program, whatever) failing, getting errors or simply not working, so you call in a technician/mechanic, say you will show them the problem, and it works perfectly as intended. Doh!

[@nobbel65]

Vorführeffekt

[@zoidberg2289]

Also works the other was round: you're preparing to show your work to your colleagues and when you try it alone, everything works as intended. And once you're presenting, you only get errors you never had before 😂

[@rsmcd5672]

​@@zoidberg2289 imo that's the more common use of the word. You even say it "Vorführeffekt" when it happens and everyone understands.

[@janzen666]

My favourite is "innerer schweinehund". schweinehund literally means pig-dog but is described as the inner lazy bastard we all have inside of us (some more, some less), as in "I have to overcome my inner schweinehund and get off this sofa, stop watching netflix and do something productive." - a feeling I have every day.

[@reneblom2160]

In Danish language, we also use this expression - which has been directly translated from German language: "Indre Svinehund".

[@Mario-yk7ej]

I used to live with an external schweinehund. That wasn"t fun either.

[@user-jz9kg3jh5n]

I know that guy …

[@melaniesemmler5015]

​@@Mario-yk7ej😮😂

[@sawanna508]

We also have the "eierlegende Wollmilchsau" (A pig that gives milk, wole, eggs and meat/ combines the goods of all farm animales into one.) It's used for some questionable device (or idea) that is supposted to be a cure for everything and almost to good to be true

[@apprenticehunter]

"Fachidiot" is for sure one of my favourites, it accurately describes how a person can be exceptionally knowledgable in one single field and be completely clueless in all the others. BUT, "Selbstbeweihräucherung" (self-shoulder-clapping) is a further candidate I would love to see enriching english...

[@mikesrandomchannel]

Fachidiot is especially good because Fach- is used so often in German and leaves non-natives scratching their heads as to why 😊.

[@robscott9414]

Great suggestion with "Fachidiot" -- the phenomenon is far more common than many would think!

[@christian9540]

The English words for "Selbstbeweihräuchering" are "self-congratulation" or "self-adulation". And for "Fachidiot" English has the term "one-track specialist".

[@gabrielebienwald6909]

Hierzu kurz auf deutsch: „Spezialisten sind Menschen, die immer mehr über immer weniger wissen, bis sie schließlich alles über nichts wissen.“

[@zecki8403]

Klugscheiser in Oesterreich

[@torrin9566]

There is "Feierabendbier", which is a great compound. The beer you enjoy after a day of work.

[@munichforiran]

So true! "Wegbier" seems to be same as "Feierabendbier" but so far I've never heard "Wegbier" in Germany, and I am an older one... 😅

[@frankmeyer9984]

Ooo Wegbier ist mehr universell, es wird halt unterwegs getrunken (auf dem Weg wohin-auch-immer). Feierabendbier wird zuhause (z.B. beim Abendbrot) oder mit Kollegen/Freunden in der Kneipe getrunken. 🖖

[@munichforiran]

@@frankmeyer9984 Von einem Kollegen kenne ich auch noch den Ausdruck "Schenkelbier": Der fährt mit dem Auto zur Arbeit, und abends auf dem Heimweg klemmt er sich eine Bierflasche zwischen die Beine und trinkt das Bier schon im Auto... 🥴😝🤪 Nicht nachmachen !!!

[@evascordato2673]

My favorite german word is "Weltschmerz"; "Welt" => World, "Schmerz" => Pain. The Wiktionary says: World-weariness; an apathetic or pessimistic view of life; depression concerning or discomfort with the human condition or state of the world.

[@coladeburo]

Its the pain that the world put on me....

[@Kokokakukeko]

When do you use such a word in a conversation? I can't think of any conversations I've had in which this wouldn't sound silly.

[@XtremeStormGhost]

To me „Wanderlust“ is more a kind of „I would like to go on a walk/hike right now“, whereas „Fernweh“ has a much deeper meaning, describing a deep urge, longing, maybe even craving to go travelling. So it isn’t only how big the undertaking would be, but also the strength of the feeling itself.

[@Cesspit7]

to me wanderlust just really goes with wanting to change and explore, whereas fernweh has more of a i am cooped up and want a holiday thing

[@herb6677]

Zumindest in Ostösterreich gibt es keine Wanderlust, entweder man hat Bock drauf, dann geht man eine Runde oder man wandert zu seinem Wirten (kann eine 2 Minuten Wanderung sein). Bei uns sagt man Fernweh und Heimweh. Wo man bei uns auch hinwandert, ist ins Kittchen, wenn man was ausgefressen hat. Ich finde Wanderlust hört sich als englischen Wort besser an als als deutsches. Es hört sich so sophistacted an, wie man bei uns auf Neudeutsch sagt.

[@derbgentler3868]

My thoughts: _"Wanderlust":_ To like to go out and enjoy nature while walking/hiking though the woods or mountains (or whatever natural surrounding). Maybe on a lengthy hike. _"Fernweh":_ The deep longing to roam the earth or at least to be somewhere far away, maybe in a (subjectively) unknown culture. - Maybe like "Wanderlust", but more deep and thorough.

[@veraroemer1530]

For me "Wanderlust" sounds like a word from the 19th century. I never use this word. In fact I know it only from English texts.

[@derbgentler3868]

@@veraroemer1530 Me too. I never use it, and only know it from English texts. It's old.

[@Eric0816]

The "Sturm" in "Sturmfreie Bude" actually doesn't come from (the) storm but from "to storm". The expresssion dates back to medieval warfare and describes a tactial situation around a besieged fortress where no assault from the outside was to be exptected/possible within the foreseeable future. So when teenagers say that they have a "Sturmfreie Bude" they mean that the parents are gone for a while and and unlikely to interfere/"invade" the room where the magic happens.

[@MEME-ou4eb]

Would sturmfreie also express the relief that you feel from being home without the expectation of social invasions? Like you would be sturmfreie after hosting a lot of holiday parties?

[@Eric0816]

@@MEME-ou4eb No, it is usually only used to describe a situation when you want to do someting at your place (with other people) and you are positive that people who normally live there and might not be ok with it won't suddenly interfere with your shady business/good deeds. It describes the excitement of being able to set a plan in motion that normally wouldbe difficult with your parents/roommates around. It's not about the calm after the stom but about the freedom to do what you want in the near future. BTW, historically the opposite of "sturmfrei" is "stumreif" (geschossen), meaning that artillery has reduced the defenses of a fortress to the point that a direct assault has chances to succeed. Sometimes it is used to describe a situation when a public person has been attacked and and ridiculed in the media to the point that he is about to resign.

[@werneralmesberger3959]

I always interpreted "sturmfrei" als "free/ready to be stormed/invaded". Where the "invasion" would be with the approval of a resident able to facilitate access, but who doesn't necessarily have full authority over the place, along the lines of what @Eric0816 described. The obstacle that normally exists could also be pesky neighbours who would complain about noise.

[@Julia-lk8jn]

So basically: for a few blessed hours, no danger of somebody storming the castle.

[@thomaspade4902]

@@MEME-ou4eb YES, you can use it that way, too: You'll be home alone while having 'sturmfreie Bude' , and happy to be so. So you can do whatever you like, mostly conntated to things you normally (like with your parents/family/partner around) can't do: sleep the day away undisturbed, watch some movie marathon, have somebody come to you unseen, invite your pals for a wild party - everything is possible while having 'sturmfreie Bude'.... The term came from youth speak, so origially it was used for an occaision to have a party, or let your boy/girlfriend come by, but is has developed over time....

[@the-secrettutorials]

I love "Torschlusspanik" (Closing-Door-Panic) Is used when you can't decide well because of an upcoming deadline 🙂

[@___Karl___]

I like the word "Galgenfrist" (~ "gallow-deadline"), which means a short prolongation of a deadline in a very crucial event, e.g. you should finish an important task till a predefined date and you get additional time for completion, one would say: "Du hast noch eine Galgenfrist erhalten."

[@choralimpact]

My most cherrished German word is Tapetenwechsel,: the need to have a change, be somewhere else (great in times of pandemic where you couldn't get out) - literally, the change of wallpaper

[@stylis666]

Wait, German still uses Tapeten to mean wallpaper? That is pretty funny. Germans still use tapestry for wallpaper? That's pretty classy :p I wish I had the money. In Dutch we say behang, which I also find very funny because it's so childishly literal in what it does instead of what it is. Be- implies it's on something, like ge- implies something is from something or has passed, or is the current situation, and hang is hang, or in German: hang 🤣 So basically the word says hang on or onto 🤣As in, the stuff you hang on the walls, as if no one ever hangs anything else on walls 🤣 Like photos, paintings, tapestry... But whatever 🤣 And technically you hang it on the glue :p So it's not even close to being correct either, but neither are sunrise and sunset, so I guess I'll just have to accept that :p I'm surprised we don't call curtains hang off or off of, or in Dutch gehang, but I guess that word was already taken by boomers complaining about youth hanging around and the boomers getting tired of all that _gehang._ We do call all the hinges, doorknobs, etc. beslag, as in beaten on or onto. I'm guessing because it used to be smithed with a hammer, or maybe because it was hammered onto the objects with nails and a hammer before we had screws. I think German has that word as well, right: beslag, for meaning hinges and doorknobs and such, and the same word for occupying or seizure on stuff.

[@NICEFINENEWROBOT]

@@stylis666Behang was literally textile hanging in front of the wall, with air behind it. Later people found it cheaper to paste paper to the wall. Now you know what a Klugscheißer is.

[@alegramonticelli6038]

@@NICEFINENEWROBOT😂

[@verkehrsteilnehmer-berlin]

We have the German chanson "Tapetenwechsel". The chorus is: I need to change wallpapers, says the birch tree and walked away before the morning come.

[@verkehrsteilnehmer-berlin]

The verse: I need another air around my treetop. I won't to stand in grove in line. See the same meadow all the time. The sun is in the morning left and evening right.

[@tanjak72]

Fingerspitzengefühl is a favorite of mine. Means you have empathy toward certain things.

[@riekebusch2293]

@tanjak72 ... Yes,that's a good one, too. ('Fingertip-ability- of-feeling') As the real fingertips can do very delicate work, you sometimes need Fingerspitzengefühl in a conversation by carefully choosing your words.

[@Smartcom5]

It not only means to have a knack or touch for things (ger. _ein Händchen für etw. haben_ ..), it moreso means, to have an expressively well-calibrated *interpersonal* understanding to _say and do_ the right things _at_ the right time. So being good with comforting so. during difficult times, having the ability to ease as a intermediator in difficult situations with angered or toxic persons and such, beeing good with feisty people or even belligerent animals. _Though you're right, it has _*_a lot_*_ to do with empathy!_ I'd even go so far to say, that Fingerspitzengefühl foremost tends to address the interpersonal communicative realm (also towards animals) more than it touches upon (mechanical/technical) things in general. E.g. Michael Schumacher (the famous German F1-driver) always had a very good Fingerspitzengefühl for his cars and the ability to drive the cars just at the very edge of destruction, without actually braking it. And having a pretty good feeling about when things are about to brake (and hence take the foot of the pedal to prevent mechanical destruction). When talking about it, he always called it his 'Popo-Meter' (engl. seat-of-the-pants feel). The German Wikipedia has a dedicated article on the Popometer. Anyway, the popometer is largely based upon a very fine-tuned subjective Fingerspitzengefühl.

[@fk-hi6gs]

Not so much empathy but sensibility.

[@erichkusterer6339]

COOL ❤❤

[@frankschmidt5932]

Für Engländer kaum auszusprechen. 🤷‍♂️

[@thecookiejoe]

I have one from southern bavaria. "Watschenbaum" Imagine a tree and instead of fruits it has slapping hands. And if you shake that tree too much the slapping hands will fall down and you will get what you asked for. "Rüttle nicht am Watschenbaum, die Frucht is reif man merkt es kaum" Don't shake the Watschenbaum, you can barely notice how ripe its fruits already are. It's usually said as a warning when your nerves are running thin, or when someone touches a topic and you want them to drop that topic. Some use it as a "jokingly warning you, but not joking" type of warning. It's also a reversal of guilt and a justification for punishment. And historically I can imagine that many children that tested their limits felt how the Watschenbaum fell over "wenn der Watschenbaum umfällt!". Whereas today it is mostly used as a warning from further verbal escalation and rarely physical. Also English has Cockney Rhyming and I don't know how much that is used but it was pretty fun to learn about. So German does not have that.

[@insertaverygenericnamehere]

10:15 A «Wegebier» (or «Wegbier») is also a «Fußpils» (play on words with «Fußpilz» - tinea pedis or «athlete's foot») is a combination of «zu Fuß» (on foot) and «Pils» (Pilsener beer). So, a beer you're drinking when you are on your way.

[@hansmeiser8042]

"Fahrbier" need also be added to this category, means the (only) one beer you are allowed to drink, when you drive. (Important: Need to be consumed WHILE driving...) 🙂

[@bowlingguy7755]

Fußpils! LOL 😂

[@jrgptr935]

​@@bowlingguy7755 Pilsvergiftung

[@bierundkippen720]

@@hansmeiser8042 Wow, that’s indeed as funny as Fußpils…

[@rsmcd5672]

Don't forget the "Scheidebecher", when you're about to go home/part ways. Only that there are always more than just one more last drink...so you end up drinking several Scheidebecher

[@RSProduxx]

In relation to "Wegbier" we also have "Vorglühen" (which probably comes from "preheating a Diesel engine", because that´s what "vorglühen" literally means. A (older) Diesel had to be "vorgeglüht" in order to start it). It describes meeting up and having a few drinks before going to a party ... So you´d invite your friends over "zum Vorglühen" and then have a "Wegbier" on your way to the party :)

[@AlexEMagnus]

Das klingt, als gibt man sich in Deutschland dauernd die Kante 😂

[@RSProduxx]

@@AlexEMagnus Ist schon irgendwie so... So´n bisschen Alkoholiker-Nation ist Deutschland schon.

[@FjorimDerHuene]

Siehe den Ausspruch: "Ich glühe härter vor, als Du Party machst" ;)

[@pe8268]

There actually is an English equivalent to this, 'pre-game'. But I do like 'Vorglühen' more😂

[@RSProduxx]

@@pe8268 if I´d literally translate "pre-game" it would be "Vorspiel"... but that´d get us into adult content xD

[@captaincapslock8654]

One word I missed on this list is "Kabelsalat". Pretty sure most of us had to deal with that stuff at least once in their lives :D Fun video! Cheers :)

[@anthonyjames696]

Great one!

[@BPo75]

Is Kabelsalat better than spaghetticabling?

[@ze_darku_magician5504]

@@BPo75 It's a tough competition for sure but Kabelsalat rolls of the tongue much easier than spaghetticabling.

[@captaincapslock8654]

@@BPo75 Good point, actually didn't think of that. In my mind, spaghetti cabling is kinda like cabling being done without rhyme or reason, while Kabelsalat is what happens for example in a box full of cables. Is there a big enough difference though, I'm not sure.

[@crazyphrenic]

I am missing the word "Doch", I know that you can translate it sometimes with "but", but there are plenty of times where it just lacks a translation

[@christinefrachet-hildebran794]

Simply great and filled with love for the German language. Thank you

[@XenomorphsWrath]

As a german speaker I really enjoyed this list. Well chosen examples, dear Sir. Thank you.

[@remmirath42]

One of my favorite German words is "Muskelkater". It literally translates to "muscle hangover" and means that your muscles are sore the day after a workout.

[@reineh3477]

In Sweden we would say "träningsvärk" (training/workout pain)

[@KarlSmith1]

So... aching.

[@derlindts4341]

The "muscle tom-cat" is come from muscle-"catharr".

[@larsrossle8576]

I tried to explain this to an american, and the best we came up with was "training fatigue". It tell what it's about but it really lacks the pain you feel when having "träningsvärk".

[@alexandergutfeldt1144]

@@larsrossle8576I tried to explain the concept of "Muskelkater" to my high school running coach. He tried to deny it existed and I got a silly macho/moral lecture about 'attitude' and 'applying' myself.

[@Nympje]

As a German living abroad I can say that Feierabend is probably the word I miss most in my everyday live. I feel it incorporates the well deserved rest, the acknowledgment of the day’s achievements in a way that simply wishing a coworker a nice evening never could.

[@philausdemwildenwesten4158]

I have been working with colleagues from all over the world for years now. Everytime around afternoon when we have calls, I want to say schönen Feierabend. But I wasn’t able to find an adequate translation yet.

[@cloudy_berlin]

I feel the very same!

[@arunmummel5771]

Es gibt einen Werbeclip mit "Feierabend🎶" das ist ein gewaltiger Ohrwurm.

[@retropolis1]

Feierabend is "quitting time"

[@cloudy_berlin]

@@retropolis1is this even used? I know after work, but I never heard quitting time. Sound like quitting the job.

[@grummelmonster-in6254]

„Fußhupe“- we use it in a funny but also a little offensive way referring to a little dog that is so small that one very often uses to fall over or run into. „Fuß“means „foot“ and „Hupe“ is a kind of „Buzzer“. As the dog uses to bark or make an awkward noise when that Happens…

[@magdalenakugler8201]

In Austria we have "Fluchtachterl" which is similar to "Wegbier". "Escape - an eighth" : When you were out and you want to go home and somebody persuades you to have one last glas of wine (125ml) on your way to the exit.

[@manuela_kral4983]

Der österreichische Dialekt bietet ja noch viel mehr Ausdrücke als das Hochdeutsch, die in einem Wort ganze Sätze beschreiben. Allein die Aussage "eh" ist so ausdrucksstark! Oder die vielen unterschiedlichen Bedeutungen je nach Betonung von "Oida!" 😅 Ich liebe es!

[@bierundkippen720]

Warum „Achterl“? Hat das die Konnotation von „nach“ bzw. „am Ende“? Auf Plattdeutsch hat „achtern“ die Bedeutung von „hinter“ und ist ganz sicher verwandt mit dem englischen „after“.

[@manuela_kral4983]

@@bierundkippen720 ein "Achterl" ist ein 1/8 Liter. Die Endung "erl" ist bei uns eine Verkleinerungsform ähnlich wie "...chen" bspw. in "Kleidchen".

[@bierundkippen720]

@@manuela_kral4983 Letzteres weiß ich selber. Aber danke für die Aufklärung bzgl. "Acht".

[@siiiriously3226]

bei uns heißt das Konterbier"Reparaturbier", auch Österreich, Steiermark

[@joeaverage3444]

"Feierabend" can also have a darker meaning. You may say "Jetzt ist Feierabend!" if you are so fed up with something that you want to draw a line and not tolerate it anymore. Where you would say something like "Enough already!" or "That's it!" or "I've had it!" in English. And you can also say that it's Feierabend when something takes a (sudden) hopeless turn with no more chance for a positive outcome. A bit like "curtains" in English. If that car had run me over, it would have been curtains for me. It would have been Feierabend.

[@rosedewittbukater4203]

"Feierabend" means simply the end of something. End of work or end of stupidities.

[@fraugretchen7153]

Dazu sagen wir auch „Schicht im Schacht „. Dann ist es definitiv negativ gemeint.😊

[@nobodysgirl7972]

My husband just called me "Klugscheißer" and that would be good to add to your wonderful compilation

[@moritzmolle6609]

lol. so he has a point?

[@nobodysgirl7972]

@@moritzmolle6609 yes, from time to time I can't resist. Lol

[@dorbei]

A "Klugscheisser" is just a smartass.

[@duisui]

In Swissgerman exist another Scheisser: der Tüpflischisser (Tüpfchenscheisser), the german equivalent would be Korinthenkacker, meaning being a nitpick.

[@Robards18]

They have "smart-ass" in English.

[@ratakaio3802]

You seem to have forgotten about the most powerfull german Word: "Tja." an interjection that can be used for almost everything: Resignation or Acceptance, thoughtfulness, surprise, astonishment, disappointment, rejection or skepticism as an introduction to an Explanation or Justification. Tja is the most versatile word that you can use to acknowledge that you are out of bread or commenting on the Nuclear explosion in the distance.

[@llllbserkllll]

Tja, jetzt ist es zu spät.

[@bierundkippen720]

The right gesture for „tja“ is 🤷🏽‍♂

[@Teladras]

I totally love, how the pretzels in the upper left corner fill up.. :D

[@basiljackson3829]

Absolute best German word: Doch. The perfect end to a series of "yes it is, no it isn't" type of argument. The word doch just puts an end to it. It takes an entire sentence in English. Translation of doch: "I don't give a @%$! what you think, my mind is made up, end of the discussion."

[@ChRiAn0815]

And perfectly followed by "Ohh!"

[@retropolis1]

@@ChRiAn0815 in certain conversations it can be translated as "is too" .. is not .. is too ...is not ...is too

[@ChRiAn0815]

@@retropolis1 I was more alluding to an old Louis de Funes scene, at least in the german Version.

[@marcelthomas9895]

Nah for me as a german the "End of discussion" circumstance you are describing is better expressed by using the word "Basta!"..."Doch" on the other hand is just used when somone makes a negative statement like "I don't think he is gonna make it" "Doch wird er! (Of course he will)" or something like "I didnt take this/did do this" "Doch hast du, ich habe dich gesehen (Of course you did I just saw you)"

[@sinusnovi3826]

@@retropolis1 "ist auch" kann man nicht wirklich mit "doch" bzw. "Oh doch" vergleichen. Meiner Meinung nach.

[@nerjifen6395]

My English colleague likes the term "Freizeitstress". This means that you have free time and, for example, appointments with friends or family but there are so many appointments that you are stressed.

[@andreasmaul369]

Mein Favorit ist "Oberwasser", oder "Bettschwere" .. gute Nacht 😴

[@Ghostwulf.J.M.]

Here in Austria my most beloved phrase is: "Der hod a Gsicht wia a Birkenstockschlapfn, einisteign und woifühn." (dialect) My attempt to translate this: "He has a face like a Birkenstock sandal, step in and feel well" (Birkenstock is a brand for sandals, shoes and slippers).

[@delikatessbruhe9843]

I also like "Fachchinesisch" which is literally "technical Chinese" and describes hugely technical language that anyone outside of this speciality won't understand. I suppose you could translate it as "technical jargon" but that is not half as colourful as Fachchinesisch.

[@madwolf666sub.7]

Doesn't it compare with: it's greek to me" ?

[@delikatessbruhe9843]

@@madwolf666sub.7 Not necessarily, because as far as I know you can use that for any situation in which you don't understand what someone means, say an incoherent ramble. That would be more akin to German "Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof" ("I only understand train station" which, incidentally... no idea why that's a thing) whereas "Fachchinesisch" is specifially for technical language, perhaps even with an indication of criticism for _unnecessarily_ difficult wording.

[@steffenpanning2776]

@@delikatessbruhe9843 "it's greek to me" translates to german as "das kommt mir spanisch vor".

[@delikatessbruhe9843]

@@steffenpanning2776 Naah, you say "das kommt mir Spanisch vor" when something doesn't add up, when you're suspicious of it, more like "that seems fishy to me"

[@steffenpanning2776]

@@delikatessbruhe9843 oh ok.

[@josephvicaire6949]

I am an American living in Germany now for 33 years. It was so much fun seeing words that I use on an every day basis explained in my mother tongue. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Some words I use all the time that would fit this category is "Ohrwurm" (a song you hear in the elevator which sticks in your head all day) "Holterdiepolter" and especially, now that I am getting old and having more and more difficultly getting my butt off the couch and going to the sport studio to get rid of my "Speck" I first have to overcome my "inneren Schweinehund!"

[@Scum42]

Ooh! This is very interesting because it seems "Ohrwurm" has actually made it into English while you were away! Let me guess, it literally translates to "ear worm?" Because the word earworm in English is something I only started hearing recently and it has that exact same meaning!

[@Yesterwoman]

Gute Auswahl😂

[@user-cr9wc6fb1w]

Haha. Innerer Schweinehund is such a great phrase 😇

[@Spielkalb-von-Sparta]

@@Scum42 _Ooh! This is very interesting because it seems "Ohrwurm" has actually made it into English while you were away! Let me guess, it literally translates to "ear worm?" Because the word earworm in English is something I only started hearing recently and it has that exact same meaning!_ That was my doing! I've been living in Cambridge(UK) 2009-2012 and tried to introduce the "Ohrwurm" as an "ear worm" into English language by using it in every pub at as much occasions as possible. Glad it worked out!

[@ccgzh]

The innerer Schweinehund is a serious Thing. He is the most powerful Opponent you will met in your Life but it's just you. Why aren't we all succesful, live healthy etc...because of him.

[@kleiothemuse6832]

I'd say that "Wanderlust" actually refers to more than just wanting to go hiking. Before it was associated to hiking as a leisure activity the concept of "auf Wanderschaft gehen" - to go wandering around was something young apprentice craftsmen had to do before becoming a master in their craft. They had to gain much knowledge outside of their home and it was even required during the middle ages and parts of modernity. This time was also called "Wanderjahre" - years of wandering. So the word "wandern" actually meant travelling before it became more and more connected to hiking when the middle class had enough free time to do so in the 19th century. What I mean to say is that personally to me "Wanderlust" refers to the joy of travel and the excitement of it, it can be used specifically to express liking hiking but as a German it definitely means more to me. While the word expresses the joy of travel, I'd say that "Fernweh" expresses the yearning to travel and to experience the world outside of what you perceive as home. Both are beautiful words that express complex emotions and I don't think one should be used over the other

[@siiiriously3226]

i second that. we don´t use that word much (Austria), i use it much more often in the english version, when speaking english, than in german, but i also would say that it doesn´t just refer to hiking, when used in german. at least historically i doubt that.

[@babettestaiger5856]

When you presented Feierabend to us, I did burst out in laughter!😂😂😂😂 I am German! And all my french people are astonished by this expression. Yet they have a Feierabendkultur: débaucher, in the Southwest and prendre l'apéro more generally. But no one wishes you a beau débauche. Although they prefer living over working, inventing a word for celebrating the free evening time after work never occured to them as necessary.😄

[@studikatze]

Also "Vorgestern" is an amazing word in my opinion, it means "the day before yesterday" and is just so much shorter

[@KarlSmith1]

It's often suggested that English should snaffle a word for "the day after tomorrow" from some nearby language. But I recently saw an archaic English word cited as meaning just that. Unfortunately, I didn't take a note of it, and don't remember it. Does anyone know what this word is, or did I just dream the whole thing?

[@gustavmeyrink_2.0]

@@KarlSmith1 The German word for 'the day after tomorrow' is Übermorgen ie 'the day beyond tomorrow'.

[@KarlSmith1]

That's it - overmorrow. Thank you,@@gustavmeyrink_2.0

[@gymnasiast90]

English has ‘ereyesterday’ for "the day before yesterday", but it has fallen out of use. (The word is especially recognisable to Dutch-speaking people, as "eergisteren" is alive and well in Dutch.)

[@ahorseinshorts]

Portuguese has an equivalent to "vorgestern" too: "anteontem", where "ante" means "vor" and "ontem" means "gestern". There's no equivalent for "übermorgen" though... Maybe we should consider getting one 🫤

[@julesl1436]

I am German. It was really fun to watch. Great video and it made me to appreciate my language even more.

[@Andrea-Marie]

Ich auch. Greetings from Austria. By the way: "Konterbier" = "Reparaturseiderl" in Austria (1 Seidl = 0,33l Bier)

[@davidk4972]

Fersengeld geben (to run away from somebody, or to hurry up/ speeding up at work for example.), Fracksausen (anxiety) Altersbosheit (old people often get mad, cause of beeing trough so much separate problems in their live)

[@user-ru1kp2ok2f]

"Allerhand"........... Means something like " this ist great done".............respect...

[@zhanyiwong9722]

Backpfeifengesicht is actually quite a common idea in Chinese language. We have a word called "欠打" which literally translate to "owe beating". Which means someone carries an appearance or behaviour that owes you a punch or two. 😅

[@mststgt]

Like in "Some people need a high-five. With a chair. In the face." 😏

[@hffnr]

How could that word be written in English consonants and vocals to carry the pronounciation? I'd like to use it as avatar nickname 😂

[@__ocram__]

In italian there is "Faccia da schiaffi". And it means basically the same as Backpfeifengesicht.

[@mststgt]

@@hffnr Buckpfiveangasishd

[@bordeaux1962]

But we dont do it.

[@jbejaran]

This should be the first in a series. Would love to see top 10 words English should steal from French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Japanese, Mandarin, Swedish, etc....

[@AlbertaGeek]

That is a cromulent idea that will embiggen us all!

[@christopherwellman2364]

@@AlbertaGeek Don't be supercalifragilistic!

[@RobWords]

Sounds like a plan.

[@TheQxY]

And Dutch please.

[@lakrids-pibe]

Well, "hygge" is a danish/norwegian word I've seen brits talk a lot about. In dutch they say "Gezelligheid" which is apparently somewhat different?

[@sebastianhoppe4088]

Thank you so much! You left me speechless - what a wonderful video. And yes, if I sometimes see English moderated chess games it is funny to hear between the English words "Zugzwang", "Zeitnot", "Abzugsschach", "Zwischenzug" or something like "He made a ittle bit 'Luft' for his king"... It is great.

[@antonnymus3499]

Great Video! Living in Austria i have 2 things zu add: 1. There are many words with the same meaning but are different in Austria, like "Reparaturseidl" means "Konterbier", so it would be fun to add the Austrian German Words to the list. 2. Combining words to give them a new meaning is actually a big part of literature and humor. So in a sense you can say, if you have a good Sprachgefühl you will be able to create new combinations other German speakers will understand, which gives you a lot of freedom to express yourself.

[@bierundkippen720]

Ah geh schääßn.

[@katharinawindham5118]

I like "Mitmensch". It means "fellow human being", but sounds much warmer to my ears. Like "Mitgefühl", which means basically "empathy", but it has more feeling to it. I would say the difference between "Wanderlust" and "Fernweh" is that "Wanderlust" sounds more positive ("I feel like going somewhere"), whereas "Fernweh" has a note of suffering in it ("weh" is cognate with English "woe"; also note the word "Wehen", which means "labour pains"). "Fernweh" could imply that you want to travel somewhere but are unable to. Unlike your friend, I do not associate "Wanderlust" literally with hiking. Then there are some words that just sound wonderful, like "Papperlapapp" (silly talk, nonsense) or "etepetete" (an adjective describing that somebody is overly concerned with appearances, is trying to appear extra fancy or sophisticated - something of that sort) or "pillepalle" (adjective or noun - something that is of negligible importance).

[@thorstenjaspert9394]

Fernweh translatet with far woe? I'm not shore as German?

[@jamesabber7891]

In Danish we have commonly used words that directly translate to "Mitmensch" and "Mitgefühl". They are "medmenneske" og "medfølelse".

[@xrimn9294]

I agree that Wanderlust and Fernweh are different, and Wanderlust isn't limited to hiking. To me, Fernweh means I want to get away, I want to be in another place. That place can be a lawn chair by a pool if it is far away. And Wanderlust means I want to travel; the experience of traveling, seeing things, being active and busy and not staying in one place. It's about the journey, not the destination. Wanderlust is a bit of an old school word, and also e. g. used for young people who want to move around for work to see new places. And discussing such subtleties is a matter of Sprachgefühl :-)

[@mephistosprincipium]

fernweh is more melancholic, same as heimweh

[@olgahein4384]

In my opinion the greatest german word, with the most impact and most often used, hence clearly being of major relevance to the language and culture of Germany is as it has always been: "Tja"

[@boraxmacconachie7082]

In Australia, we have two words which have a similar function to "jein". Most common is "yeahnah", which means something like "You make a compelling suggestion and I acknowledge that it has merit, but I'm afraid I shall have to respond in the negative". We also have the somewhat rarer "nahyeah", which has the opposite function.

[@Dilshad-gu7je]

Given how offensive much of Australian slang can be, I really love how “yeahnah“ shows kindness when disagreeing.

[@haukewalden2840]

... and immediatly, I have Ozzy mans voice in my head :-)

[@herb6677]

"naja" is also a german word, it translates more to "well" as in "well, well, bad luck ..."

[@bumpgrrl]

Canadians have "yeah no yeah" 😂

[@1FatLittleMonkey]

Likewise, we already have the concept and phrase "punchable face"; there's no reason to translate it into German.

[@smyrnapresbyterianchurch]

I love using the word "doch" and telling people it's a positive answer to a negative question... they're totally lost til you explain it and then the lightbulb come on... like "don't you want me to succeed?" We often say something like "no, but I do." which is still confusing. where we mean to say "of course, I do."

[@urugulu1656]

kinda a "well yes but actually no" just the otherway round

[@togovikatakpaou3898]

" Fingerspitzengefühl " is another beautiful word i think english might need. I love this language for such words.

[@radekpilarski2904]

Hi Rob, I’m Stella (11yo) born in Berlin but living in Canada and I love your videos. I have an awesome German word for you that is definitely missing in English: verschlimmbessern! People keep doing this all the time…

[@ayaakovc]

What does it mean?

[@gunterangel]

​@@ayaakovc It means you try to make things better with a really good intention but in the end you have only worsen them...

[@redlok3455]

@@ayaakovc The word's composed of "verschlimmern" (=to exacerbate) and "verbessern" (= to improve), meaning to accidentally turn things for the worse while trying to fix or improve them.

[@steffenrosmus9177]

​@@ayaakovctry to make things better while making them worse. That's what politians do.

[@NikiBretschneider]

Totally agree. I don't know how do you call windows update if you don't have word like Verschlimmbesserung :3

[@xemirahobbyless]

I hereby propose the almost all-purpose German expression "Tja".

[@FotografieRosgen]

»Tja« in german will coresspond to »well« in english.

[@reimundklang]

Well done video - thanks for this. I enjoyed it. Also the idea of transferring words into another language if they are missing there. We Germans, for example, have adopted the English "highlight" into our language because there was no suitable word for it in German. It's a beautiful and meaningful word and even makes a joke in German when translated directly, because nobody normally says "Hochlicht".

[@silbo432]

Google must be listening to my conversations: I just explained "Dachschaden" to my neighbor and next thing, your video is recommended to me... It means "roof-damage" and is a little more kind way to say "stupid".

[@ForcefighterX2]

The Eierlegende Wollmilchsau: There are also very important terms which actually consist of two words like "Eierlegende Wollmilchsau". It literally means a egg laying wool producing sow which gives milk. Thus it is something with all the benefits but no drawbacks, which typically does not exist.

[@HartmutWSager]

The reason these are two words is, the first word is an adjective, not a noun. Otherwise (two nouns) it would be written as a single word. That difference often occurs in street names too, e.g., Lehmbacher Weg versus Lehmbachweg.

[@ClaudiaThur]

@@HartmutWSagerFun fact: In street names you can make a difference in the spelling to change the namegiver. If you live in "Berliner Straße", you have the street to Berlin. If you live in "Berlinerstraße", its the street where someone bakes "Berliner" which means doughnuts.

[@datteldiskussion4992]

In English you can say jack of all trades or one-stop shop.

[@rosedewittbukater4203]

Tatsächlich hat noch nie ein Deutscher eine solche gesehen. Es scheint ein Fabelwesen zu sein. 😆

[@Vitalien]

Alternatively, there is the “Mopsgedackelter Schäferspitz”. It describes a mix of all possible dog breeds (from Pug, Dachshund, German Shepherd and Pomeranian) in one. It means having the respective characteristics of the different breeds combined in one animal.

[@NiAlBlack]

"-speck" as in "Kummerspeck" is still productive and very versatile. You'll also hear "Winterspeck" and "Weihnachtsspeck". And since a lot of people gained weight during Covid lockdowns, we also came up with "Coronaspeck". A common synonym for "Wegbier" is "Fußpils" which is probably a pun on "Fußpilz". Though I guess it is technically a hyponym as the beer would have to be a Pils for it to be accurate. And speaking of Feierabend, a commonly used word is "Feierabendbier", beer to celebrate Feierabend.

[@lukastram4990]

Das Kind hat noch "Babyspeck" 😂

[@dracuella]

I just love that while I'm lamentably out of practice speaking German, its so easy to pick back up because so many of the words are the same or easily translated into my own Danish. Feierabend/Feierabendbier? Fyraften/fyraftensøl. Weinachtsspeck? Julesul. The words aren't the same but the meaning is and once you understand Weinachten and Speck, you just know the person is talking about the padding of the waistline due to too much good Christmas food.

[@martinweiss5355]

Und es gibt noch den Wohlstandsbauch

[@__christopher__]

There's also the "Speckgürtel" around cities. The area that doesn't belong to the city itself, but is still close enough to profit from it.

[@magicmel02]

Lovely list! Thank you for it. I have a nice compound word for you: Staubsauger ("dust sucker" = vacuum cleaner!)

[@shuben6020]

Erfindergeist - a creative/innovative mindset

[@romplom7677]

I just wanted to ad that "Kopfkino" is in my experience more often used for things that you actually did not want to imagine. Like when someone talks about Spiders crawling out of your ear you might call: "Urgh! Kopfkino!" and thereby express that you imagined it, feel disgusted by it and really want the other person to stop talking.

[@detlefruschin7973]

The situations in which I as a native speaker would use "Kopfkino" are ones in which an event triggers an imagination that is accompanied with strong feelings of a good or bad type. A very common event of that kind is an encounter with an attractive person causing a Kopfkino, literally a "movie in the head", featuring having sex with that person.

[@lonestarr1490]

Or for something the other person didn't intend you to imagine (something sexual, for instance). So basically when they accidentally overshared in a very vivid way, or said something that can easily be missinterpreted in such a way.

[@scheff0815]

Imagination is something you do. Kopfkino is something you have, sometimes even involuntarily.

[@arnolsi]

I have it when I read a book. This make it realy hard for me to watch book adaptations because they are so far away from my Kopfkino.

[@CelilasArt]

definitely positive for me, especially when i read books or listen to audiobooks. i don't think i've ever used it for triggering things.

[@kenster8270]

18:40 Fun Fact: Danish has many of those German inventions as so-called calques meaning that they simply translated each component directly (e.g. Schadenfreude = skadefryd). But something must have gone awry with "Feierabend", because in Danish that became "fyraften", which if translated back into German would mean "Feuerabend". So perhaps the Danes got so carried away at the end of each workday that they were setting fire to random stuff? 🤷‍♂🤣

[@nirfz]

Maybe that happened over time when the languages drifted further apart and it changed it's meaning to the time when you fire up the oven after comming home? Btw.: In some southern german dialects Feuer (fire) is pronounced the same as Feier (celebration). And the word itself has old roots and comes from the word vīrabent and originally meant the evening before a holiday. (a holiday is Feiertag which would have been vīrtag i guess) The meaning to the current one allegedly changed in the 16th century.

[@jamesabber7891]

The danish word "fyr" actually have quite a few different meanings, depending on the context. For example we use the word "fyr" for the device generating heat in a house heated by burning wood, oil, gas or other things that can be burned. The word "fyrtårn" means lighthouse. Literally it translates to "fire-tower", like a tower where a fire is kept to generate light. A usage very similar to English is "fyret", which literally translates into the English word "fired", meaning you got let off your job. As a native Dane my intuitive understanding of the word "fyraften" is the word to use when you are done working for the day and go home to start warming up your house in the evening. After all, "fyraften" literally translates into "fire-evening".

[@bartolomeothesatyr]

Sounds like a viking pastime to me!

[@chromaticAberration]

Ifølge ordbogen, stammer "fyraften" fra nedertysk "vîravent" sammensat af 'vîre' (højtid) og 'avent' (aften), dvs. samme betydning som højtysk 'Feierabend'.

[@pawzir]

Swedish also did the loan translations from low German (and later phonetic transcriptions of French loan words like "fåtölj" = "fauteuil") But our Konterbier is better, it's "återställare" which means restorer.

[@JS-mz5zu]

this was fun to watch:) I never understood why 'Wanderlust' became such a thing among English speakers when trying to express what would actually be 'Fernweh' in German:D so thanks for mentioning that

[@missioncardiac7599]

I would add a word I came across recently SITZFLEISCH especially it's metaphorical meaning of the ability to sit for long and by extension to stick at at particular task. (Lack of sitzfleisch was a reason given by admiring contemporaries of a famous physicist as to why he did not win the Nobel prize.)

[@Bellator-dk1bg]

in our region we'd call it Sitzleder

[@amigalemming]

Die Schwester von Sitzfleisch ist dann wohl "aussitzen".

[@TheSuperappelflap]

In Dutch we use 'zitvlees' to refer to a persons ass. But not in any metaphorical context. If youve been sitting on a hard wooden chair for too long you stand up and say 'ach kanker mijn zitvlees doet zeer'

[@snoopy1alpha]

I have another one for you that you might have already mentioned in a different video: "Verschlimmbesserung". It also works as a verb "verschlimmbessern". It means "trying to improve something but making in worse". When I visited the US in 2009 I taught this term to an American woman, who was actually a language teacher for Spanish speaking immigrants. She was so impressed by it, that she promised me to establish the term 😀

[@DonDiego1973]

If memory serves, Rob did cover it not too long ago.

[@lakrids-pibe]

In danish we say "bjørnetjeneste" (bear favor) about the situation where you're trying to help, but are making things worse. Imagine a friendly bear trying to wave away a wasp that has landed on your face, and it accidentally rips your face off with his big claws.

[@ericpraline]

@@lakrids-pibe the German word would be Bärendienst! :)

[@thiloreichelt4199]

There is the expression "einen Bärendienst erweisen", literally "to render a bear service". It means worsening the situation while trying to be helpful, which is slightly more specific as verschlimmbessern. Verschlimmbessern does not necessaryly need the part of trying to be helpful to somebody else.

[@kellymcbright5456]

A loanword would come out to about "forworsebettering".

[@Sherfolder]

Such a pleasure to watch you. Have a nice Feierabend.

[@bergiusschulefrankfurt]

Wonderful! I'm a native German speaker and it's so nice for me to see how someone - let's say from the outside - looks at the German language. I myself never recognized these words as anything special - how could I? Thank you for this beautiful and loving video!

[@nurclaudi5615]

Mir ist nie aufgefallen, wie viele schöne Wörter es gibt, die genau das beschreiben, was es ist. Danke dafür!

[@Artemis1901]

"gönnen" is a really nice word that's missing in English, at least in one of its meanings, namely to be happy about someone else's fortune (or misfortune)

[@tachzusamm]

This video is a perfect example of how KZbin videos shoudl be: It was entertaining AND informative. Gongrats and thank you. Dieses Video stellt ein perfektes Beispiel dafür dar, wie KZbin-Videos sein sollten: Es war unterhaltsam und gleichzeitig lehrreich. Gratulation - und vielen Dank.

[@carlot7999]

How funny to listen and to watch to that video! More of that stuff!👍

[@RaphaelSteiner]

Another classic German word you've missed is "verschlimmbessern", the act of trying to improve something but in fact making it worse. An incredibly useful word I find. There are of course plenty more, such as "Kabelsalat", describing the mess of cords, or "Geborgenheit", a hard to translate feeling of warmth, love, and safety.

[@kageokami5]

There is an idiom in Chinese that has this meaning too! It translates directly as “adding a foot to a snake” the story was some people were competing to win a cask of wine by drawing the best snake. One person got bored and drew feet on his snake, claiming that it made his drawing the best. Of course he lost

[@nahblue]

Geborgenheit is a nice one, like swedish trygghet? Whose corresponding translation in english I often think of as missing.

[@timbeard8457]

I work in software. That word is SOOOO useful!

[@RaphaelSteiner]

@@nahblue I've just asked my swedish wife and she said that "trygghet" is more about safety, whereas "Geborgenheit" is more about the sense of wholeness, just in the moment, experiencing warmth and love from a loved one, and with a sense of home and belonging. It's hard to describe as it is the culmination of all of these feelings in a harmonious way.

[@nataliebutler]

Cable salad is very translatable. I might start using that one.

[@aoi7910]

The top 2 words are really short and sweet! I absolutely agree that they would be a really nice addition to the lexicon.

[@Keybert1952]

Hi, what a nice contemplation of my language. I enjoyed that video so much in a time, where English words become more and more parts of German! We are so mad about English, that we create English terms that never existted, like "handy" (mobile phones) or "beauty farms" (store for cometic products)....

[@rolandropnack4370]

In its origin, "sturmfrei* is actually an old military term from the middle ages. "Stürmen" as in "storm troopers" means "to assault" or "to overrun". When a cliff or a mountainside was so steep and high that the castle on top could under no circumstances be attacked from that side, it was considered "sturmfrei" or "bare of assaults".

[@brittakriep2938]

True.

[@mststgt]

False: "Sturmfrei" comes from a fortress not being guarded, as when in mediaeval times all the knights were away on a crusade or something. That made this fortress "free to be stormed".

[@AdamMPick]

@@mststgt You might confuse sturmreif with sturmfrei. You make a fortress sturmreif, aka ripe to be stormed, with artillery or making the defenders leave. But sturmfrei really means not able to be stormed by enemy forces.

[@rolandropnack4370]

​@@mststgtDoch. 😉 The "Duden" dictionary gives the definition "militärisch veraltet für uneroberbar" (obsolete military expression for "safe against conquering").

[@amigalemming]

@@AdamMPick "Sturmreif" is also a great word. And "windschief".

[@seamusdraide3589]

Just loved your video. I guess "Hausdrache/Gewitterziege", "Hasskappe", "Dackelblick" and "Arschkarte" could be useful at times

[@norbertkuhn4072]

Arschkarte ist super, da habe ich aber die Arschkarte gezogen. Tolles Wort.

[@deniseb.4656]

I'm German and I don't know what "Hausdrache/Gewitterziege" means...

[@seamusdraide3589]

​@@deniseb.4656 both despective descriptions for annoying women, the former mostly reserved for the prototypical bossy wife.

[@habichmeyer]

@@norbertkuhn4072 genaugenommen bekommt man die ja gezeigt, nämlich hinten aus der Hose des Schiedsrichters, die andere war in der Brusttasche, für die schwarz-weiß Zuschauer zur Unterscheidung

[@verkehrsteilnehmer-berlin]

Zimmerlinde = room linden tree for a house wife.

[@CallmeSam00]

Jein is also a great way to express that the proposed decision is short sighted and it would be better to understand the bigger issue first.

[@niller1918]

mein neues lieblingsort für situationen, in denen projekte ewig in die länge gezogen werden, um am ende doch schlimmer als angekündigt zu werden: Flughafenisierung

[@ooops372]

"Flughafenisierung" for our english friends: The new Berlin-Brandenburg Airport ("Flughafen") took 10 instead of 2 years building time - because of complexity of building rules in Germany (especially "Brandschutz" = Anti - Fire - Protection). So Flughafenisierung means You don't come to the end of sthg.

[@elendi777]

Nene, lieber nicht

[@TonySwallow]

Thanks for the Video! In Australia (the land where language has been shaped by flies) we do have something similar to "Jein". It's "Yeahnah" which expresses and initial yes, but becomes a no. Also a "Wegbier" is called a "Roadie"

[@MichelleHertzfeld]

Yes! Or "Traveller" for that kind of beer 😊

[@jetjaguar3000]

Yeah nah, yeah nah is a New Zealand thing. Jokes jokes... (but it is very popular here)

[@Anvilshock]

"Jein" is different from "Yeah, nah". "Jein" means "yes but ALSO no", for example when there is a short-term benefit that hurts in the long run, whereas in "yeah, nah" the "yeah" isn't actually affirmative but is a "sarcastifier" and the whole phrase really means "no" all along. (Unless your "yeah, nah" is different from the "yeah, nah" I'm thinking of.)

[@jurgenw.9794]

I watched a video today and could not understand that phrase "yeahnah". Thank you for that explanation.

[@geoffoconnor3487]

@@Anvilshock The Australian version of jein would be “kinda sorta” or just “sort of”. But the correct use of “yeah nah" is a near equivalent to doch. It means "I see what you’re suggesting, but I can’t go along with you".

[@olgahein4384]

For me the difference between Wanderlust and Fernweh is pretty simple. Wanderlust: You want to GO somewhere else, like actively wander, roam, hike, etc. Fernweh: You want to BE somewhere else, to the point that it's a longing, usually only to faraway places that are quite different to where you are (e.g. if you live in the Black Forest, you might long for the sea. If you live at the ocean, you might long for the mountains, etc). It's not the same as "Tapetenwechsel" (literally "change of wallpapers") which is more about changing the everyday situation by changing location (e.g. when you work from home without break all the time, you want to have a Tapetenwechsel by going clubbing all weekend. Or if you work at a bar every weekend, you might want a Tapetenwechsel for your weekends, staying at home and chilling on the sofa).

[@niery97]

My favorite german word is "Schneegestöber" Schnee= snow and gestöber = rumble/flurry. and i think it just sounds nice

[@s.m.9871]

The term “punchable face” is one I’ve used more than once :)

[@JoshuaPhilgarlic]

That's a pretty reasonable collection of German idioms, except the "Backpfeifengesicht": this one is often used in English videos about funny German words, but it's rarely used in German nowadays. A more common term would be "Hackfresse" - it's even more rude with a similar meaning, so have fun to find an appropriate translation 😉! I was totally surprized about #1 "Feierabend" because this term is so natural for us Germans, so I totally agree: this needs to be migrated in every other language 😂!!!

[@uzrdutiutfiztdf3545]

Backpfeiffengesicht and Hackfresse are totally different things. Hackfresse is just a very ugly face, literaly meaning chopped face. i think in English there is the term chopped liver for describing that. backpfeiffengesicht is not necessarily ugly. its just a face that you want to slap. can for example be a smug and arrogant guy in expensive clothing showing a false smile to everyone or something like that. but you are right that it is rarely used by Germans. in Bavaria the corresponding term Watschengesicht is used much more frequently

[@miskatonic6210]

Ziemlicher Fall von Selbstüberschätzung zu denken, nur, weil ein Wort in Deiner Bubble nicht häufig verwendet wird, wäre es in ganz Deutschland in jeder Altersgruppe mit jeder Sozialisation so... Und dann nicht einmal die Bedeutung des Wortes verstanden...

[@DerNikid]

⁠@@miskatonic6210 Hier sind viele Kommentare die die gleiche Beobachtung ausdrücken und ich denke auch dass das Wort Backpfeife generell eigentlich fast gar nicht mehr verwendet wird.

[@bernardoesperanto3194]

Hack'fresse (hoeing + kisser) originally and pejoratively meant a right-wing student who took part in a Mensur duel, i.e. fighting with sabres or similar weapons with the end to cut the face of the adversary and leaving scars.

[@martinweiss5355]

There is also the term "feierabendbier"

[@Calciyum88]

I can't believe that "Ohrwurm" wasn't in the list! I miss that word so often in English. It is what you call a song that is stuck in your head and goes round and round and you can't get rid of it. I have that so often, and sometimes one "ear worm" replaces another and is replaced again by a third one in quick succession throughout the day. I say so often "Ich hab einen Ohrwurm", and never know how to say it in English elegantly and quickly. 😊

[@andreafalconiero9089]

"Earworm" is coming into vogue in English, so just start using it more and usage will spread! It is fair to say that the word is now part of our language, even though not everyone yet is familiar with the term. There's an entire wikipedia page now devoted to it: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earworm

[@Calciyum88]

@@andreafalconiero9089 wow that is amazing! Thank you! I didn't know there were entire studies about it. That article is super interesting. 😁👍🏻

[@SideWalkAstronomyNetherlands]

we use it in our english here, an earworm...like the smurf song..

[@hollytooker507]

I’ve used earworm for ages.

[@DroolRockworm]

You're joking right? You even said it in your paragraph: Earworm

[@xavierkreiss8394]

I love your clips! I’m a bilingual Frenchman who also speaks some German. Schadenfreude is indeed a gem! It always reminds me of a classic maxim from François de La Rochefoucauld (17th century): “Dans l'adversité de nos meilleurs amis, nous trouvons quelque chose qui ne nous déplaît pas”. (In the misfortune of our best friends, we always find something that doesn’t displease us). But to render it in one words is wunderbar! Also: Backpfeifengesicht. This is priceless! But curiously in this case we French say the same thing in three words: tête à claques literally “a head (or face) for slaps”. So in German there may be one single word, but it's made up of two, and it's not shorter: our version only has three syllables - pronounced "te-ta-klak". The often quoted example of such a compound concerns the captain from the Danube steam ship company, or Donaudampfschiffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän !

[@flatD1]

I'm enjoying your KZbin-Lessons deeply. It helps me to understand our neighbors (from Great Britain) and especially there type of thinking about us (the Germans). I'm a big Fan of all the differences between the European Countries and there Cultures. Keep on going. Your'e make it just right!

[@reneblom2160]

Here in Denmark we have already adopted and adapted some of these highlighted German terms and expressions. In Danish, "Schadenfreude" is "Skadefryd" and "Ohrfeigen" is "Ørefigen". We also have the equivalent of "Konterbier", which in Danish is: "Reparations-bajer" (Reparation Beer).

[@Lxcx333]

Reparation beer is such a funny word!!! Even better than konterbier imo. Language is so nice :D

[@georgforster911]

Austrian here! We use the term „Reparaturseid(e)l“ (english hair of the dog), which is basically a small beer (0,3 l). In Bavaria it‘s 0,7 l, so don‘t be surprised about the quantity you get in either one of the countries. Cheers!

[@namibiaxx1016]

@@georgforster911 So is es 😂🇦🇹

[@kevartje1295]

We have a dutch word for Schadenfreude too, leedvermaak. Sounds nothing like german or danish.

[@zausenke]

And fyraften also. As a german living in Danmark I’m often surprised about the many words I know from german, but I sometimes wonder if this is because both languages have the same roots and both have the ability to invent new compound words (what this video is all about).

[@sergejadam8860]

As a native Russian speaker, I find it "doch" extremely useful 😁

[@peter8aus8berlin]

Even though English knows this word: Though = doch. But they don't use it they way Germans use it.

[@rosedewittbukater4203]

It means "but", "yet", however", of course". I am learning Russian at the moment- Love from Germany 🌹

[@yjlom]

isn't "duh" just it?

[@Resender-qs8oh]

@@yjlom what? Doch is like when someone says "no" and you reply with "yes"

[@bierundkippen720]

@@peter8aus8berlin That rather refers to „jedoch“.

[@felixmaier1]

Super Video, hat mir sehr gut gefallen 👍

[@saschaschulz3849]

thank You! i love German from Nativ English speaker and this is a hole video around this.. You German is realy good btw

[@RoachRider]

One of very handy German words that we use in Poland (mostly in western parts due to stronger German influence over the dialects of these parts) is Reisefieber, meaning the nervousness or anxiety felt before a voyage.

[@BigWhoopZH]

Interesting. Do you also adapt Lampenfieber (lamp fever) to describe the anxiety to step on stage before an audience?

[@andeekaydot]

​​​@@BigWhoopZHYes, the fear of getting into the spolights (and thereby forgetting your text or so) on a stage infront of an audiance. That is where the expression comes from. It is a bit older though. Stage spots used to be called Lampen or Bühnenlampen. Today we mostly say Scheinwerfer or Spot

[@RoachRider]

@@BigWhoopZH I did not know that one, so I don't think it is used in Poland. Well, it hadn't been used so far, but I'm going to do my best to change that.

[@Virus-vy7kp]

In german Reisefieber doesn't mean nervousness like Lampenfieber does. Reisefieber means a huge craving for traveling. Maybe you use it different in Poland.

[@RoachRider]

@@Virus-vy7kp That is interesting. I'm not a German speaker, so I wouldn't know the original meaning, but I am certain that here in Poland it is used as nervousness, in a negative sense, not as craving.

[@sifridbassoon]

Sorry, I just keep thinking of other words. A few years ago I came across Torschlusspanik. It literally means "panic at the closing of a gate." Usually it refers to the ticking of a woman's "biological clock," but more broadly speaking, it can refer to the closing of any window of opportunity, especially if age related. I use it more and more as I get older.

[@crunchyscorpio9186]

Funny thing is, that once upon a time the towns did close their gates in the evenings. The fear of having to spent the night outside, unprotected formed that word.

[@emmimaus4780]

I am from germany and just learned that it is called "Torschlusspanik" with your explanation. Untill now I thougt about it as "Torschusspanik" and it would come from soccer. Like Tor=Goal + Schuss=shot (on the goal) + Panik=panic. So "panic to shot at the goal" when you get the chance cause it might pass by. As it worked to describe the same thing I guess it's an eggcorn and also close to "Zugzwang" but in a longer term :)

[@thorstenjaspert9394]

You can use it for men a well.If a men as Torschlusspanik he has fear not to get a women at all, being a left over man of rest of his life.

[@nurfuerdieplaylist]

@@emmimaus4780tha's funny, I was about to say the same thing XD Although I learned the correct version in school when I was about 11 or so and the teacher asked if anyone in class could explain the phrase (I think it might have been in a text we were reading?). My little smart ass stepped up and promptly got told he had it all wrong lol! I felt so embarrassed!

[@JerbilKonai]

@@emmimaus4780 Same here. Probably because it seems to never come up anywhere else (at least to me), they sound very similar and because "Torschlusspanik" and "Torschusspanik" have roughly the same meaning: it is a sudden issue that makes you do things in haste, though I feel "Torschusspanik" has the connotation that it can happen really sudden (you get the ball in front of the goal and need to make the split second descision), while "Torschlusspanik" has the connotation that it is, in part, fault of the one panicking, as the "Torschluss" should have been expected/known. The more you know

[@user-zm1vf8wi2j]

One of my favorites to train the german language is "Rhabarbermarmelade". I like "Käseigel" very much, "Lichtspielhaus" and the word with foreign roots "blümerant". Nice channel.

[@freevoice]

As a German the word "Wanderlust" seems very outdated in German language so I would rather identify it as an English (loan) word if I had no context. Which word would I adapt into my language? I am really fond of the swedish distinction between the grandparents from the maternal and paternal side (translated e.g. by the german Wortungetüm "Großvater mütterlicherseits"): They simply say farfar, farmor, morfar and mormor. Brilliant!

[@user-xb7wb9uh1m]

There is an "Überbleibsel" (remnant) like this in German, (very dated, though,) "Kindeskind" (the child's child) for grandchild.

[@vomm]

I understand "Kopfkino" to mean something different than explained by your German friend. I know it more as the word you use when you're creating scenarios in your head, when you have expectations about how things will develop. For example, when someone says "I'm visiting my ex-boyfriend tomorrow" and then you have this "Kopfkino" that they'll end up getting back together or you'll have to comfort your friend after the visit because she's upset, even though you can't really know what will actually happen. Kind of like "catastrophizing" - but also in a neutral or even positive way.

[@_-_SK_-_]

that is the most used scenario but maybe they couldn't say this on youtube - Jugendschutz - even if anyone who can stand on 2 legs would know what they're talking about

[@linriana]

I kinda know it as like. When someone says to you, “if you’re scared to talk I front of people, just imagine them naked” and the typical reaction would be “that old teacher too? Oh god, stop the kopfkino”

[@stoffij.4058]

Kopfkino can be both. But actually I find it used mostly, when a person tells you something that you wouln't like to vision or it's funny/embarassing, if it is taken literally. It is actually a very hard problem for me, because I'm rather imaginary, so even in serious situations I sometimes laugh out loud, when somebody's mistaken in using terms an immediately a picture pops up in my mind 😂 Sry for my bad english 🫣

[@sinusnovi3826]

I am German and Kopfkino is in my opinion more of an instant imagination (visualization in mind) of a situation that someone is talking about at the moment. But I also use "Kopfkino" when trying to sleep at evening.

[@HugoOlaf77]

Agreed. I've only ever seen it used in combination of cringing. Someone tells you something and it evokes images that you don't want to have so you go "ewwww. kopfkino!!!". E.g. someone describing a bad accident with gore involved or something that's yucky. Never heard anyone use it as a stand-in for just generally imagining things in your head.

[@MrMartinNeumann]

My favorites are: Kabelsalat (cable salat) wich is the mess of cables you get if you for example put your charger and headphones in the backpack and everything is entangled when you want to take it out. Verschlimmbessern (mixture of verbessern -> make better and verschlimmern -> to make worse) it describes the process of trying to fix a problem but making it worse in the process Halleluja Problem (halleluja -> religious praise): this is where a situation works better than expected and you are in trouble because of it. For example, you invite your friends expecting not all of them to come but then they all show up and bring a friend as well and now you don't have space for everyone.