Questions about common expressions used in conversation and colloquial speech.
3
votes
1answer
101 views
A kind of – German Expressions
Whenever I try to say something like ‘A type of car’, or ‘a type of food’, I end up saying
‘eine Art + nominative singular’ or
‘eine Art von nominative singular’
but I’m not really sure about it. ...
8
votes
3answers
573 views
Meaning of schon in “das schaff' ich schon”
Watching Futurama, one of the characters said:
"das schaff' ich schon!"
What exactly does this mean, and how does "schon" change the meaning?
(I don't remember, but I think it was Fry, which ...
4
votes
2answers
142 views
Ist es “die” Webseite und “der” Link?
Ich habe all meine Computerkenntnis in den USA erlernt, und deshalb verstehe ich kaum, wie man technische Sachen nennt, und ob man die, der oder das sagt.
Könnte mir jemand helfen, die folgenden ...
1
vote
1answer
90 views
Was ist die deutsche Bezeichnung für red/black/dead eye?
Die Begriffe "red eye", "black eye" und "dead eye" bezeichnen die Mischung von Filterkaffee und Espresso. Laut Wikipedia:
Drip coffee to which espresso is added may be called a red eye, black ...
5
votes
1answer
72 views
Precise terms for “Sachebene”, “Implikationsebene” and “Textebene”
To begin with, I just "invented" these three expressions, maybe an example helps:
"Er erledigte seinen Auftrag und entsorgte seine Waffe. Dann stieg er in seinen Wagen. Er fuhr davon."
So the ...
16
votes
6answers
688 views
“Toi, toi, toi” – was genau bedeutet dieser Ausdruck?
Ich habe gerade "Toi, toi, toi" gehört, und habe keine Ahnung, wie ich das nehmen sollte! Ist es gut? Schlecht?
Wenn man im Englischen "Tut, tut, tut..." hört, es ist nicht so prickelnd. Hat dieser ...
11
votes
4answers
376 views
Expression for someone with very broad and detailed knowledge
Are there any well-known German expressions for someone who is very board and detailed in knowledge? for example:
He is a human database
5
votes
4answers
327 views
How does a German say “Nice to meet you”?
In English it is common to reply with "Nice to meet you" when you were introduced to somebody. Likewise you say "Was nice to meet you" on leaving.
Are there any similar phrases a German would use in ...
4
votes
3answers
685 views
What could be expressed by “Ja, klar” in different situations?
If I say "Ja klar", What are the different meanings expressed by this expression?
9
votes
7answers
735 views
Online resource which has easy German to read with its English translation
Is there any resource online which has easy German (should use most common words in daily setting) and also has its English translation alongside?
13
votes
4answers
636 views
How would you translate “to judge someone” to German?
In English, "to judge someone" often implies a negative opinion, as in "Don't judge me!".
Is there a German equivalent for this? How would you translate the example?
My dictionary gives "jmdn. ...
3
votes
4answers
410 views
What should one say when someone arrives from a quite long trip?
When you see a friend who is going to travel, you'd say:
Gute Reise.
What would you say to someone who has arrived from a quite long and exhausting trip?
6
votes
3answers
298 views
How does one say “Five cubic metres”?
I found myself on the telephone today attempting to explain the volume that a bunch of furniture would perhaps occupy in a truck, and I used
Fuenf cubisch Metern
But it was fairly clear to me ...
17
votes
5answers
945 views
What is the German equivalent of the English “aka”?
In English, the abbreviation aka means "also known as".
A literal German translation might be "auch bekannt wie". Is this, in fact, the correct German equivalent? And is the abbreviation ABW (or the ...
4
votes
3answers
261 views
What would be an appropriate translation of the expression “strike the iron while it's hot”?
What would be an appropriate translation of the expression "strike the iron while it's hot" in German?
7
votes
4answers
632 views
How would you translate “you have my vote” into German?
In English, you'd say to candidates that you'll vote for them. How would you say this in German? Something like:
Hey Stefano, go for it. You have my vote.
4
votes
1answer
88 views
Origin and Usage of “i wo”?
A colloquial way of answering negatively/dismissing an offered statement can be the use of the word(s) "i wo / iwo".
The meaning of "i wo", according to Wiktionary, is this:
(umgangssprachlich) ...
3
votes
5answers
1k views
How should I ask politely for a moment of someone's time?
How should I politely ask for someone's time to interrupt them, like in English:
Do you have a minute?
May I bother you for a moment even though you're quite busy?
7
votes
6answers
174 views
Beschreibung extremer Langsamkeit
Gibt es noch andere Worte/Redewendungen als "im Schneckentempo", um extreme Langsamkeit auszudrücken?
10
votes
3answers
163 views
Terms for “Nicht-Verstehen signalisieren”
As I read here:
The first two sentences are classified as "Nicht-Verstehen signalisieren". Are there other widely known terms or interjections to signal you didn't understand something?
8
votes
2answers
462 views
What is the best way to translate “To do list”?
The closest translation I can find so far is Aufgabenliste which is more literally "Task List".
Is there a more commonly used, native way to express the common english phrase "To do list" when using ...
9
votes
3answers
2k views
What is the literal meaning of “Hau ab!”?
If you want to tell somebody to go away you could shout:
"Hau ab!"
However this is considered as not very polite, much like "Get lost!", or "F*** off!". I am wondering where German "Hau ab" ...
6
votes
2answers
239 views
Was bedeutet “wär von Vorteil”?
Ich habe diesen Kommentar ein paar Mal gesehen:
Wär von Vorteil.
Was bedeutet er?
5
votes
1answer
699 views
Ursprung von “Nicht verzagen, … fragen”
Bei einer Diskussion kamen wir letztens auf den Ausspruch
Nicht verzagen, [Name] fragen.
zu sprechen. Aus purer Neugierde überlege ich nun, ob das ein Zitat ist oder einfach nur eine aufgrund ...
5
votes
5answers
153 views
Is there a non-regional German expression for the Swabian term “Gschmäckle”?
Is this term only well-known in Southern Germany or also in the deep North? Is there short alternatives for modern High German? Does anyone know a similar English short expression?
6
votes
2answers
180 views
Is there a difference between “Schuld haben” and “schuld sein”?
There are two expression which a very similar in German
Schuld haben
and
schuld sein
Is there a difference in meaning, maybe a subtle one?
Why is the first "Schuld" capitalized and the ...
5
votes
2answers
216 views
Mut, Tapferkeit, Sicherheit, Porzellankiste?
Im Ausdruck:
Vorsicht ist die Mutter der Porzellankiste
(er könnte indirekt von Shakespeare kommen aber ich finde diesen Artikel nicht schlüssig)
Warum hat die Porzellankiste Tapferkeit oder ...
10
votes
2answers
130 views
Bei XY unterm Sofa?
Ich hatte in mein Notizbuch diesen Ausdruck geschrieben:
"Wie bei Heini Geiger unterm Sofa" (C'est le bazar!, Es ist sehr unordentlich)
Es scheint unmöglich zu sein, mithilfe von Google mehr ...
8
votes
4answers
872 views
What does “auf Habacht” mean?
I saw this in a book as a sort of military order, but can't find it in dictionaries:
auf Habacht
What does it mean and why isn't it mentioned?
13
votes
4answers
3k views
Kann man “sich entschuldigen” oder nur “um Entschuldigung bitten”?
Achtung: Folgende Frage könnte als Haarspalterei oder Spitzfindigkeit empfunden werden.
Ich frage mich, ob der folgende Ausdruck
sich entschuldigen
eigentlich richtig ist. Man hört ihn sehr ...
9
votes
2answers
574 views
Was ist das Gegenteil von “hervorheben”?
Beim Schreiben meiner Arbeit bin ich auf folgendes Problem gestoßen; wie drücke ich (als Verb/Adjektiv) aus, dass etwas nicht mehr hervorgehoben ist oder wird?
Es geht dabei z. B. um das Hervorheben ...
13
votes
2answers
286 views
What does “Ich brauch mal Storno” mean?
Ich war heute bei Kaufland und habe
blah blah... ich brauch mal Storno
gehört.
Bedeutet das so etwas wie "Kaffeepause" oder mehr in Richtung "Pinkelpause"? Oder ist die Bedeutung eine ganz ...
