All Questions
1
vote
1answer
142 views
German words database
I'm searching any good database about german words (substantives currently, but a more comprehensible database will go down well also), with, almost, the following information:
Word name: in ...
8
votes
3answers
202 views
Was ist ein “Füllwort”?
Nach Diskussionen in Kommentaren zur dieser Frage:
What's the difference between "jedenfalls" and "auf jeden Fall"?
habe ich mich auf die Suche nach einer guten Definition ...
8
votes
3answers
207 views
What's the difference between “jedenfalls” and “auf jeden Fall”?
They mean the same thing, I think, but are used differently? When can I use one, and when can I use the other?
6
votes
2answers
144 views
Why is it “der Presse” instead of “die Presse”
Der Presse zufolge war der Prozess unfair.
Found this sentence while learning. The translation is: The press said the trial was unfair.
Since Presse is feminine, why is it preceded by der?
12
votes
2answers
144 views
Welche Bedeutung hat das Wort “an”, wenn es eine Speise beschreibt?
Vor allem in der Haute Cuisine werden Speisen derweil mit dem Wort "an" bezeichnet. Wie mir scheint, besonders häufig in Verbindung mit Saucen. Beispielsweise könnte man die klassische Kombination von ...
6
votes
2answers
168 views
Rules for capitalizing adjectives after “etwas, nichts…”?
Why does one write "nichts Gutes", "etwas Besseres" and so on. The rules imply they are nouns. Wiktionary says they obbey an ,,adjektivischer Deklination", there is no plural for them, etc.
But ...
9
votes
4answers
511 views
German video news with transcription
Inspired by an answer, I wonder if there are good places to watch simple-language multimedia on current topics with subtitles or transcription (and ideally English translation).
For example, Spiegel ...
5
votes
1answer
94 views
Welche Bedeutung hat “drangeben”?
In einem Roman las ich folgenden Satz:
Sie hatte versucht, sich mit ihm zu unterhalten, hatte das aber bald drangegeben.
Ist das ein regionaler Ausdruck für aufgeben, bzw. klein beigeben? In ...
3
votes
2answers
101 views
Obmann and Ombudsmann, are they synonyms?
The title says it all: are the words Obmann and Ombudsmann synonyms in the German language? The contexts in which they are used seem to overlap.
Even if not, are they related (e.g. one derived from ...
4
votes
4answers
197 views
Translation of “He has been allowed to dance, but I haven't.”
There are two versions that are possible:
1)
Er hat tanzen dürfen, aber ich habe nicht gedurft.
2)
Er hat tanzen dürfen, aber ich habe nicht dürfen.
Which one is correct?
(Updated: ...
24
votes
6answers
958 views
Does the German language have a Shakespeare?
Most English speakers cannot read for very long before stumbling onto the words of Shakespeare, one of the language's greatest playwrights, who left an indelible mark on it. A great many of his ...
5
votes
3answers
129 views
Tieferes Verständnis von “jeder” und “alle”
Das Wort "alle" wird verwendet für Pluraliatantum und Singulariatantum:
Alles Salz, alle Liebe, aller Pfeffer, alle Leute
Es wird ebenfalls verwendet für zählbare Substantive im Plural. Für ...
5
votes
2answers
118 views
“legen” vs “liegen”
I get confused between the verbs legen and liegen. I would appreciate some explantation on the meaning of the two verbs, preferably with examples. Also, are there context where te two verbs are ...
7
votes
2answers
122 views
Difference between feminine and neutral colors
I've seen here, in the discussion after the answer by @sedden, that there exist two ways to substantivize a color (perhaps more adjectives).
Is there any difference in meaning (or any aspect) ...
6
votes
3answers
164 views
Where to place “sich” in an elaborate sentence?
I've been studying German for some time and still I'm always unsure where to put the sich particle; this insecurity slows down my speech, in particular.
Can somebody give a rule and an example with ...
10
votes
7answers
16k views
Prägnante deutsche Übersetzung von “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.”
In seiner bekannten Rede bei der Absolventenfeier in Stanford 2005 prägte Steve Jobs den Ausdruck
Stay hungry. Stay foolish.
Ich verstehe die Bedeutung der Worte, suche aber eine prägnante ...
4
votes
1answer
125 views
Pronunciation of musical notes
Taking the note G as an example, I know that in German G♭ is written 'Ges' and G♯ is written 'Gis'. But how are these pronounced? My dictionary gives me the spelling but not the pronunciation.
I ...
6
votes
2answers
92 views
Declination of adjectives after einigen
I learned that after words like "einige, mehrere, etc." the following adjectives also have the same declination. However, I got corrected when I said "mit einigen meinen Freunde" to "einigen meiner ...
8
votes
1answer
116 views
Warum die Buchstabenkombinationen “sch” und “ch”
Woher kommen die Buchstabenkombinationen "sch" und "ch"?
Die Herkunft der Buchstabenkombination "ch" für den stimmlosen velaren Frikativ oder den stimmlosen palatalen Frikativ ist noch ...
4
votes
1answer
51 views
Die inverse der Kennlinie: groß oder klein?
Bei folgendem Satz bin ich mir bei der Groß-/Kleinschreibung von inverse unsicher:
Da die Kennlinie bekannt ist, lässt sich deren inverse ermitteln.
Mein Gefühl sagt mir, man müsse hier ...
4
votes
2answers
121 views
Woher kommt das Wort “abnippeln”?
Gibt es dazu eine gesicherte Etymologie oder gute oder lustige Theorien?
2
votes
1answer
108 views
“Mir ist Angst!” - “Wie bitte, was ist dir?”
Der Zwiebelfisch empfiehlt die Schreibweise "Mir ist angst.", weil "angst" antwortet auf die Frage "Wie ist mir?".
Andererseits halte ich die Frage "Was ist dir?" ebenfalls für angebracht, zumindest ...
4
votes
5answers
1k views
What does “stackenblochen” mean?
In a chat room, someone sent a link to this youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqAdxN1IWQQ . In the video they use the word
Stackenblochen
I have never heard the word, even though I ...
8
votes
1answer
112 views
“statt dass” is not good German?
I saw this sentence in a DaF grammar exercise book:
Statt dass wir hier lange Erklärungen geben, sollten wir lieber mit den Übungen anfangen.
I found the structure very interesting, so I googled ...
9
votes
3answers
6k views
What does “g'suffa” mean?
Oans, zwoa, drei, g'suffa!
The first three words in the above quote are Bavarian for "eins, zwei, drei". Is "g'suffa" also Bavarian, and what does it mean?
7
votes
2answers
84 views
Are “zu-” and “ein-” special prefixes widely used to form new verbs?
Are "zu-" and "ein-" special prefixes widely used to form new verbs in German language? Like the following two examples:
schlafen (to sleep)
einschlafen (to fall sleep)
hören (to hear)
...
6
votes
1answer
136 views
Den Unblöden gehört die Welt! - What does Unblöden mean?
Media Markt has a campaign where they state that the world belongs to the "Unblöden", but I don't understand what "Unblöden" means and Google translate won't translate it.
So what does "Unblöden" ...
5
votes
2answers
191 views
Eine gute Eselsbrücke für die Wochentage
Man hat mich nach einer guten Eselsbrücke um Wochentage zu merken gefragt. Da ich selbst keine kenne, dachte ich, ich frage Euch.
P.S.
Bis jetzt habe ich die zwei hier gefunden, aber eine verstehe ...
5
votes
1answer
110 views
Wer kann “verklagen”
Mir hatte mal jemand erklärt, dass folgende Formulierung sprachlich/fachlich falsch sei:
Mickey verklagt Dagobert zu drei Jahren Haft.
Begründung war, dass nur der Richter verklagen könne. Es ...
4
votes
2answers
219 views
German flash cards with pictures and no English?
I am looking to increase my German vocabulary and am looking for a good series of flash cards that does not contain any English, but instead just has pictures and the German word. Does such a thing ...
53
votes
12answers
2k views
How can I learn noun genders better?
One of the things that I really liked about German, as I was studying it in college was the very orderly grammar, which actually helped me to understand my native English better.
As a non-native ...
3
votes
2answers
127 views
How is the letter “t” pronounced in “amtlicher”
When I listen to the pronunciation of "amtlicher" on dict.cc, I hear the letter 't' pronounced more like 'g' or 'k'. At least I do not hear it as a clear 't'. Somebody please explain how 't' is ...
3
votes
4answers
255 views
word reminder software - how do you remember the words?
I can understand German when I read it, so I started watching Mad Man tv series with German subtitles, and put the show on mute. However, I used to write new words in a two columns Microsoft Word ...
5
votes
2answers
153 views
Translation for “methinks”
How would one say "methinks" in German?
An example being,
"Methinks he has changed the locks!"
or
"She is unwell, methinks"
Google translate suggests "michdünkt". Would "es scheint mir" be better?
5
votes
1answer
93 views
Ungeziefer and its meanings and connotations
Reading Kluge's Etymological Dictionary (published 1881, translated into English 1891) the word Ungeziefer has this description:
Ungeziefer, noun, 'vermin', from the equivalent late Middle High ...
9
votes
2answers
169 views
Meaning of “mach, dass…”
What is the meaning of "Mach, dass..."? Is it a way to urge people to do something? is it always rude? For instance, taken from dict.cc,
Mach, dass du aus meinem Haus kommst! (get the hell out of ...
2
votes
4answers
487 views
What is “schlagen” slang for?
I had a German exchange student in my class and he always used "schlagen" in a weird way and it was hard to understand him. I know "schlagen" means "to fight" in English but what does it mean in ...
6
votes
1answer
103 views
“erstellen” or “erzeugen”?
Software X is producing printed reports, based on user input. How would I translate accurately 'produced with X' and 'produced by X', as both erstellen and erzeugen seem to be very near in their ...
4
votes
2answers
106 views
Konditionalsätze mit “würde”?
Im Englischen machen viele non-native speaker gerne den Fehler im if-clause "would" zu nutzen.
Meine Frage: Ist dies nicht auch im Deutschen falsch?
Wenn ich die Zeit hätte, würde ich mehr lesen.
...
1
vote
1answer
95 views
Questions on a “Take-off” Poem
Some years ago, I wrote a poem entitled "Berlin ist die Hauptstadt Deutschlands," to the tune of "Kalkutta Liegt am Ganges" using a technique called "parallel construction." (That is, I was probably ...
13
votes
5answers
4k views
What's the difference between “genau” and “stimmt”?
When somebody agrees with a point made in conversation they often say "genau" or "stimmt" (often preceeded by "ja").
So what is the difference? Is one slang and the other standard? Or is one ...
6
votes
2answers
150 views
Zusammenschreiben von Infinitiv mit zu
Eigentlich sollte die Sache recht einfach sein. Laut Duden werden die Erweiterungen mit zu zusammen geschrieben, wenn auch die Grundform zusammen geschrieben wird:
...
1
vote
1answer
91 views
Was bedeutet ,,weitvergessen"? [closed]
Ich habe den Satz
Wie gerne er sie mit Kindern und Hunden spielen sah, weit- und selbstvergessen, dem Augenblick hingegeben"
Was bedeutet weitvergessen in diesem Kontext? (oder vielleicht habe ...
3
votes
4answers
166 views
Relative pronouns: der/die/das vs dass
I think understand the use of der/die/das and dass however I don't when to use which.
For example, what is the correct translation of 'the apple I'm eating is tasty:'
Das Apfel, dass ich esse, ist ...
10
votes
1answer
162 views
Was versteht man im Deutschen unter einer “Familie”?
Der Duden erklärt "Familie" als "aus einem Elternpaar oder einem Elternteil und mindestens einem Kind bestehende [Lebens]gemeinschaft".
Sind ein Mann und eine Frau ohne Kinder nicht auch eine ...
2
votes
5answers
135 views
Trace Debugging - Übersetzung von trace?
In letzter Zeit begegnen mir immer wieder Worte wie "trace debugging" oder "power trace" im Englischen, für die mir keine sinnvollen Übersetzungen einfallen.
Ein "trace" beschreibt dabei eine Art ...
1
vote
1answer
79 views
What percentage of German masculine nouns are weak nouns?
Just what the question says. One could restrict the domain of nouns according to a certain frequency or top-X masculine nouns.
13
votes
3answers
243 views
How to address more than one person in an E-mail?
I have to address my future German Au Pair family in an E-mail and until now have only been in contact with the woman. However the last E-mail was signed with both names, so I now feel I should ...
1
vote
1answer
151 views
Modal verbs: preterite or perfect?
I was told that while speaking people generally use perfect instead of preterite. Is it also common for modal verbs? Which is used in which cases?
Ich konnte ...
or
Ich habe gekonnt ...
2
votes
1answer
82 views
Kann man einen “fachlich geprägten Kunden” einem “technisch argumentierenden Entwickler” entgegen setzen?
It is about Software Engineering, where it usually comes to problems in communication between the customers (domain-specific, functional, professional lexis) and developers (technical, generic lexis). ...
