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Could anyone please help me with saying: "It feels like...".
This is in the context of "I think the temperature was only 5 degrees, but it felt like negative 30!"

Could you also help me translate the entire sentence in this context, because I am unsure of it and probably only have a poor literal translation at this stage. Also how to use only in the sentence, because right now it is just "I think it was...".

My version:

Ich denke die Temperatur war fünf Grad Celsius, aber ... (I need help with this part!)

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  • Welcome to the forum, J Hardey, we've been waiting for you too long! However, be careful with translation requests, there's a risk to be put on hold and finally closed like this. You may have a look at the guidelines. – Pollitzer Apr 26 '16 at 7:18
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    There are several questions. It's interesting that the the first part of the body doesn't fit your title. The "real question" is a translation request. This is really on the verge of off-topic. At least you've provided an own attempt (if incomplete). For future questions, stay to one topic per question. – Em1 Apr 26 '16 at 9:36
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This "I think" somewhat implies that you're guessing, and in the second sentence "it felt like" you're guessing again... is there any constant in your sentence? Also "only" doesn't really fit into this sentence either... (but you've somehow guessed that yourself).

Your sentence "I think...was only...it felt like..." would translate as

Ich denke, die Temperatur war nur 5 Grad, aber es hat sich wie -30 (Minus 30) angefühlt!

but that - while being grammatically correct - doesn't sound like a fluent sentence.

I'd rather say

The temperature was around 5 degrees, but it felt like 30 below (zero)!

which would translate to

Es waren etwa 5 Grad, aber es hat sich angefühlt wie -30!

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  • thank you for replying! I would also just like to ask in your preferred translation, you used 'waren etwa' I just don't understand the rule for this as I thought it was just 'war' could you please explain to me? I understand everything else thank you :) – J Hardey Apr 26 '16 at 17:25
  • hhmmmm... you got me thinking here, I used that instinctively - fortunately, I was correct ;-) "waren" is used in plural because it was more than a single degree (5 degrees in this case). "war" might probably also be correct - especially when used colloquially - as we are referring to "a (single) temperature". Check the Duden duden.de/rechtschreibung/Grad (# 2). – Thomas Apr 27 '16 at 19:50
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Your sentence

I think the temperature was only 5 degrees, but it felt like negative 30!

would I translate like this:

Die Temperatur lag wohl bei 5 Grad plus, aber gefühlt bei minus 30!

Or like this:

Die Temperatur betrug wohl 5 Grad plus, aber gefühlt minus 30!

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  • "gefühlt bei minus 30" wouldn't be correct, but your other option is colloquially correct. – user21173 Apr 26 '16 at 10:03
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    @Marakai: Why should "gefühlt bei minus 30" not be correct? – Pollitzer Apr 26 '16 at 11:53
  • For one because,,colloquially, the form gefühlt minus 30 has made its way into common acceptance. For the other, bei would have the meaning of at, which would feel awkward even in English : the temperature was about 5 degrees plus, but it felt at 30 minus. bei I would use in something like: Er ertrug die Temperatur recht gut, und fühlte sie erst bei minus 30: he tolerated the temperature and only started to feel it at around minus 30 – user21173 Apr 26 '16 at 21:58
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    @Marakai: I may be wrong, but I don't see a problem if bei has the meaning of at, judge a remark like Die Temperatur lag bei 5 Grad to be correct. – Pollitzer Apr 27 '16 at 6:58
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    actually once I ran it around my head a few time, you are correct. Lack of caffeine or something, my apologies, but I can't edit my comment anymore. Ignore it with extreme prejudice! >.< (I did upvote your answer! :) – user21173 Apr 27 '16 at 7:03
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I would translate that to

Ich denke die Temperatur war fünf Grad Celsius, aber es kam mir vor wie minus 30!.
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