Stichwörter (Keywords):
Would you like to learn more German?
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In German there are a few words that express something so specific, so perfect, that we really need them in English. Like Gemütlichkeit! We don't have a word or a specific concept just like that to describe feeling "comfortable, happy, and content" in English, and we also don't have the slang use of Schmerzensgeld that the Germans have--and sometimes we really need it.
The dictionary definition of Schmerzensgeld is "money for pain and suffering." As in the legal term, if you are wrongfully injured and receive a settlement, you may receive money not only to pay your medical bills, but also for your pain & suffering. This is an official, legal term, that you will find in newspapers and in legal paperwork.
The slang definition, however, is perfect to describe situations when you:
- feel taken advantage of by a customer
- worked too hard for a customer last time and now they're coming back for more
- actually charge someone more for being a pain in the you-know-what
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As a little gift to you for Hanukkah this year, here are some printable flashcards on Judaism and Hannukah auf Deutsch!
What's fascinating about many vocabulary words for Judaism and Hanukkah in German is how strikingly similar they are to the English words. "Kosher" is simply spelled "Koscher," for example, and simply reflects the German spelling ("sch") as opposed to the English ("sh").
Here are the flashcards for general terms on "Das Judentum in Deutschland." (Judaism in Germany) This PDF covers general terms like "der Jude," for a male Jew and "Synagoge" for the Synagogue.
Since it's Hanukkah right now, it's the perfect opportunity for you to learn about Chanukka - auf Deutsch! Included in this PDF are Hanukkah terms which cover everything from the Dreidl to powdered donuts.
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The W-Fragen in German are question words. They are also known as 'open-ended questions. In English the W-Fragen also begin 'w': who, what, when, where, why, and how. (These questions are different from the ja/nein Fragen or yes/no questions in German begin with the verb ("Arbeiten Sie heute?" "Kommen Sie aus Bayern?").)
You begin learning the W-Fragen at the A1 level in German and at the A2 level you add another layer to it, followed by even more at the B1 level. It's like a 3-layered cake!
In most books you usually see a list like this, it's just the German and English translations. But is that really enough? Take a close look.
|
German |
English |
|
was |
what |
|
wann |
when |
|
wo |
where |
|
wie |
how |
|
warum |
why |
|
wer |
who |
If you simply memorize this list, that's one technique for learning it. And that would probably be kind of boring.
What if you had an example sentence which you could use like an anchor?
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Picking up is not cleaning!
So what's the difference between aufräumen and putzen?
Many German learners want to know what "to clean" is. The verb "to clean" in German is putzen. However putzen is something very specific in German--it may not be what you think!
For Germans, putzen is the actual process of cleaning, and nothing else. Americans think of cleaning as vacuuming, putting away books that might be laying about, doing the laundry, and any other amount of things. However putzen does not indicate that things are being picked up. This is something different entirely.
Most Germans keep things picked up all the time, they are German after all. (Although I have seen some notable exceptions to this!) To pick up around the house or to clean off the table is aufräumen.
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Für Geld gibt es im Deutschen gaaanz viele Wörter. Wie viele kennen Sie schon?
There are sooo many words for "Geld" (Money) in German. How many do you know already?
Nehmen Sie sich eine Minute und schreiben Sie so viele Wörter für Geld, die Sie kennen. Mit diesen drei können Sie anfangen:
Geld, Cash, Kohle ...
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