All Questions
12
votes
1answer
227 views
Seit wann hat man aufgehört, im Perfekt Hilfsverben wegzulassen?
In der früheren Literatur war es üblich, das Hilfsverb im Perfekt oder Plusquamperfekt wegzulassen. Hier ist ein Beispiel (aus Reichtum, einer Kurzgeschichte von Arthur Schnitzler) in dem das letzte ...
12
votes
1answer
162 views
Was ist der Unterschied zwischen einer Sage und einer Legende?
Ich habe bisher die Wörter Sage und Legende synonym verwendet. Es gibt zwar Dinge die ich so nenne, und andere Dinge, die ich wieder anders nenne (bspw. würde ich nie die Niebelungenlegende sagen), ...
12
votes
2answers
148 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 ...
12
votes
1answer
1k views
“Wie lange” und “Wie lang”
Worin unterscheiden sich die Ausdrücke "wie lange" und "wie lang"?
Wie lange lernst du Deutsch?
Wie lang ist die Arbeitzeit pro Tag?
12
votes
2answers
322 views
Zusammen oder getrennt? Gibt es eine Regel?
Es gibt viele Wörter im Deutschen, deren exakte Schreibweise sich meiner Kenntnis schon immer entzogen haben. Das größte Problem ist dabei die Frage: zusammen oder getrennt?
Ich nenne mal ein paar ...
12
votes
1answer
97 views
Welchen Fall verwendet man mit “wert” im Sinne von “worth something”?
Die Beispiele die ich im Wörterbuch gefunden habe, scheinen unterschiedliche Fälle zu verwenden, z.B.
Es ist nicht der Rede wert.
(Genitiv) oder
Es ist das Geld wert. Es ist einen Besuch ...
12
votes
3answers
252 views
Schibboleths für verschiedene norddeutsche Regionen?
Schibboleths sind Wörter, anhand deren Aussprache man die Herkunft des Sprechers zuordnen kann. Ganz allgemeines Beispiel für Muttersprachler vs. Ausländer: "Streichholzschächtelchen".
Für den ...
12
votes
2answers
436 views
International interpretation of “Public viewing”
The phrase "Public Viewing" was created and established during the world championships in 2006 in Germany. It describes the viewing of an event (like a football match) in a public crowd.
As ...
12
votes
1answer
555 views
Liste aller Wörter, die in den jeweiligen Duden-Ausgaben neu aufgenommen wurden
Ich bin auf der Suche nach einer Liste aller Wörter, die in den jeweiligen Ausgaben des Duden-Wörterbuchs neu aufgenommen wurden. Mich interessieren die Wörter der letzten 40 bis 50 Jahre. Sie sollten ...
12
votes
2answers
124 views
Is there a common origin for “to count on s.o.” / “auf jmd. zählen”
My girlfriend told me that the phrase "You can count on me" exists also in French, with the same meaning and as a literal translation
to count on s.o. => to rely on s.o.
In German, it is also ...
11
votes
12answers
15k views
What are informal ways to say “good bye”?
In German you may say Auf Wiedersehen or Guten Tag when leaving. Both seem rather formal and may be inappropriate in a non-formal context.
What would be the alternatives? In what context can we use ...
11
votes
4answers
1k views
Does the word “Fahrenheit” mean anything in German?
Is Fahrenheit a real word in German? Does it come from a concept or from a name?
11
votes
5answers
339 views
Gibt es einen Unterschied zwischen “Haarspalterei” und “Erbsenzählerei”?
Die beiden Begiffe Haarspalterei und Erbsenzählerei lassen sich auch als Eigenschaften Personen zuschreiben.
Er ist ein Haarspalter.
Er ist ein Erbsenzähler.
Gibt es Unterschiede zwischen ...
11
votes
4answers
316 views
When can the Sütterlin be expected to be understood?
To which extent can I expect German-speakers to understand Sütterlinschrift? In which of the following situations would it be fine to use it?
Written exam in German
Written exam in physics
Residence ...
11
votes
10answers
7k views
Wie schreibt man Umlaute und scharfes S auf nichtdeutschen Tastaturen?
Transl: How do you write Umlauts and ß on non-German keyboards?
Wie schreibt man Umlaute und ß auf einer US-Tastatur?
11
votes
3answers
197 views
What is a good German translation for the verb “to plateau”?
What is a good German translation for the verb "to plateau"?
I tried searching around, but it seems that online dictionaries such as dict.cc only recognize plateau as a noun.
If I wanted to say ...
11
votes
6answers
416 views
Is there a German sound that is similarly difficult for English speakers as th is for German speakers?
Is there a sound in the German language that is similarly difficult for English speakers as th is for German speakers?
11
votes
3answers
3k views
Wie ist die richtige Schreibweise – “geliket”? “geliked”?
Offen gestanden denke ich, dass es eher geliket sein müsste, da deutsche Partizipien gewöhnlich auf t enden, wie z. B. gemacht, getanzt, etc. Dagegen spricht meine Beobachtung, ich habe geliket fast ...
11
votes
5answers
502 views
“null” (zero) vs. “NULL”
How do German software developers tell the difference between a result of zero and NULL? They both translate to the same word..."null". Obviously you can see the difference on the screen.
But what ...
11
votes
5answers
789 views
What to say after someone sneezes?
I've heard Germans saying:
Gesundheit
But in a movie, someone sneezes and someone else saying:
Heuschnupfen?
Is it polite? Is it colloquial? What else could I say when talking to someone ...
11
votes
3answers
2k views
Meaning of 0815 and ger/eng alternatives?
Does 0815 simply mean something is very standard and common, or does it carry any connotations? Where can one use it, e.g. for description of processes, objects, persons? Can you give alternative ...
11
votes
2answers
695 views
Do you always pronounce ST as SHT?
If you have a word like 'Strasse' and it forms part of a street name for example, then I would assume that you still pronounce the word as though it were by itself.
But are there examples of when you ...
11
votes
3answers
722 views
Unterschied der Begriffe “Metzgerei”, “Fleischerei” und “Schlachterei”
Gibt es einen Unterschied in der Bedeutung dieser Begriffe? Wenn ja, welchen? Wie steht es mit "Wursterei"?
11
votes
6answers
264 views
Gibt es ein Eigenschaftswort für den Zustand, wenn man keinen Durst hat?
Das Gegenteil von "hungrig" ist "satt". Mir fällt aber kein Wort ein, das dem Zustand "ohne Durst" entspricht. In anderen Sprachen existiert ein solches Wort; zum Beispiel gibt es "dissetato" in ...
11
votes
5answers
382 views
Why is 'Guten Tag' accusative?
Is it just an idiom, or is it a general rule?
I'm wishing a good day to someone, so I guess there is some kind of metaphorical motion involved. Would it be similar if I wanted to say "vielen Spaß"?
11
votes
4answers
3k views
Wie drückt man auf Deutsch die Uhrzeit aus?
Wie nennt man auf Deutsch die Uhrzeit?
Ich kenne die Varianten
viertel nach zwei
zwei Uhr fünfzehn
viertel drei
Gibt es eine offizielle "Zeitsprache"?
How do you express the time of day in ...
11
votes
2answers
784 views
Is the second verse of the German national anthem offensive? Why is it not used?
My understanding is that today's national anthem, "Einigkeit, und Recht, und Freiheit..." was the third verse of the original and that we're not supposed to sing the original first verse, ...
11
votes
1answer
374 views
Redewendung wenn man an ein fremdes Telefon gehen muss
Im Arbeitsumfeld gibt es üblicherweise mehr oder minder festgelegte Formulierungen die man benutzt, etwas in der Art von Firma Meier, Michael Müller, Apparat von Peter Schmitz hört man öfter.
Im ...
11
votes
3answers
394 views
“Gedownloadet” oder “downgeloadet”?
Windows gibt gerade ersteres aus nach einem Update. Gibts hier eine grammatikalische Regel die Windows kennt aber ich nicht? Intuitiv habe ich bisher immer downgeloadet verwendet, wahrscheinlich wegen ...
11
votes
4answers
456 views
Do we use “Du” or “Sie” to address users in a German operation manual?
When writing or translating an operation manual for software (including game software) or hardware users are mostly addressed by the polite form "Sie". Increasingly however we can also find manuals ...
11
votes
5answers
203 views
die Worte vs die Wörter
Worte and Wörter are both plurals of Wort.
Is there a difference in meaning between them?
11
votes
3answers
302 views
How are mathematical expressions of this kind read in German (with fraction and root)?
My guesses are:
ein fünfte Wurzel aus a plus c Quadrat-tel / ein Kubikwurzel aus p-tel
eins durch fünfte Wurzel aus a plus c Quadrat / eins durch ...
11
votes
4answers
472 views
Is it true that 'Putzfrau' is used for males as well?
A friend of mine, who's spent some time in Germany, told me today that in German, the noun Putzfrau is often used for male cleaners as well. This goes beyond all logic, since I found the word Putzmann ...
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
11
votes
4answers
943 views
How to express “silly” in German?
The English word "silly" has a multitude of meanings. Is there a single German word that would work as a translation for "silly" the following example sentences? If not, which word should I use in ...
11
votes
5answers
569 views
Difference between “weil” and “denn”
Both mean because.
I know that denn does not change the sentence structure of the subordinate clause, but weil does, i.e. pushing the verb to the end.
Other than that, is there a difference between ...
11
votes
2answers
316 views
Why is “blauäugig” used with a negative connotation?
Still today the cliche of a German is being tall, blond and blue-eyed. Surprisingly the expression "blauäugig" is most often used with an obvious negative connotation:
Professor Otmar Issing, der ...
11
votes
3answers
456 views
Why are “vier” and the beginning of “vierzehn” not pronounced the same?
Why is "vier" in the beginning of "vierzehn" [ˈfɪrʦeːn] not pronounced the same as the standalone "vier" [fiːɐ]?
11
votes
3answers
277 views
What's the right German word to use for the English “troll”?
We do use "Troll" and "trollen" in German forums. But is there another Word that predates the Internet that could be used instead?
11
votes
1answer
4k views
Der, die oder das Email?
Is there an official rule on whether it's die Email or das Email? I've heard people use both, although more commonly the female form.
11
votes
3answers
2k views
Wie und wann setze ich ein Semikolon?
Ein nicht mehr sehr häufig benutztes Satzzeichen ist das Semikolon:
;
Wie wird ein Semikolon eingesetzt; welche stilistische Aussage bewirke ich damit?
11
votes
2answers
402 views
For a foreigner in Switzerland, how much practical value is there in being able to speak German?
While people in the “German-speaking” areas of Switzerland read and write Standarddeutsch, they speak Schwyzerdütsch – which linguists might describe as a dialect of German, but which to a casual ...
11
votes
5answers
324 views
How would you translate “mind you” in German
How would you translate the expression "mind you" in German, a phrase introducing something that should be taken into consideration. For example: "He's very well dressed, but mind you, he's got plenty ...
11
votes
6answers
678 views
Did German borrow any words from Old Prussian?
Considering the huge influence Prussia had for a time over Germany, did many words from the Old Prussian language get borrowed into German?
(Sorry I didn't originally include the word "Old" as I ...
11
votes
4answers
932 views
Is something “kaputt” just broken or completely ruined?
Kaputt according to Duden:
entzwei; defekt; nicht mehr funktionierend
Which of these items are "kaputt" in this sense?
a glass jar broken in half
a glass jar with a crack that leaks water but ...
11
votes
3answers
345 views
Why is “kennenlernen” written as compound word?
According to Duden online the suggested spelling of of the verb is kennenlernen.
Why is it written as composite and not as separate words like every other combination of verbs with lernen?
lesen ...
11
votes
3answers
725 views
Milch? Milsh? Why the pronunciation difference?
I'm working my way through the Pimsleur German series, and I've noticed that one of the speakers has what seems to me a strange pronunciation of the word Milch.
He pronounces the ch like the sh sound ...
11
votes
2answers
88 views
Der Wind dreht auf Südost
Does that mean that
the wind will be coming from south-east (since wind direction is usually reported by the direction from which it originates)
or that
the wind will be blowing to south-east ...
11
votes
4answers
741 views
When should you use “erst” rather than “nur”?
It seems that in many situations where I might use the word "only" in English, either "nur" or "erst" is used in German. I have the rather fuzzy idea that "erst" is used for "only" in the sense of ...
11
votes
2answers
196 views
What is the difference between “Wie spät ist es?” and “wie viel Uhr ist es?”
Here are my questions:
Does it matter when to use each of the two?
Is there any difference in the literal translation of them?
Are both of them correct when you speak and write?
