Questions tagged [translation]

Übersetzung - Questions on issues while translating from or to German. Use with care as these questions are very likely to be closed as a translation request, which would be off topic. Don't use this tag on phrase requests or proverb analogies.

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1 answer
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Confused by a sentence from Nietzsche

Here is a short excerpt from Nietzsche's "Zur Genealogie der Moral": [Er] hatte mir bis dahin zugehört und hielt es nicht aus, mich schweigen zu hören. Für mich nämlich giebt es an dieser ...
0 votes
2 answers
95 views

How would you say "Selfie Station" in German?

I am working on a project with my son for his school's presentation on Germany. We are having a selfie station where the children can stand in front of a backdrop of Rothenburg and use selfie props. I'...
9 votes
5 answers
6k views

How can I say "take your time" in German?

I'm not in a hurry to get your answer; you can take your time. Or in short, take your time. Is "Nimm dir Zeit" okay? Can you give examples of formal and informal sentences?
1 vote
1 answer
94 views

Statement in employment contract

Recently I have received an job offer, but in contract (under the salary) exists the following statement Die Abtretung und Verpfändung von Vergütungsansprüchen ist ausgeschlossen. Do I understand it ...
4 votes
2 answers
286 views

Meaning of "so für mich hin" in Goethe's Gefunden

Here are the first verses of Goethe's Gefunden: Ich ging im Walde So für mich hin, Und nichts zu suchen, Das war mein Sinn. My question is about the meaning of so für mich hin. From what I could find,...
12 votes
2 answers
5k views

How should I say "3 2 1 go!" in German?

How should I say "3 2 1 go!" in German? For example, in a race, start running after the countdown ends.
3 votes
2 answers
207 views

neben der Kappe sein

This question may be more about German reference work conventions than about the turn of phrase in the title. (In which case, let the title refer to my current state of mind.) I found this ...
0 votes
2 answers
76 views

Which word for "maintenance" do I use in "the maintenance of the Quality (of a service)"?

I looked up the many translations of "maintenance" and found quite a bit of entries. Among them that I found on Langenscheidt are: die Instandhaltung (for buildings) die Wartung (for ...
1 vote
1 answer
151 views

Can I title something without an article?

I want to name my YouTube channel "Girl Pockets". Do I need the definite article "die" or can I just call it Mädchentaschen?
0 votes
2 answers
98 views

Are both these German phrases grammatically correct?

Are both these German phrases valid? My translator app came up with both of these somehow but I'm not sure what the difference is. My translator app translated "What are other ways to say 'How ...
2 votes
1 answer
63 views

Translation of "Bei dieser Vorlage"

how would you translate the sentence "Bei der/dieser Vorlage" into the English language? It is commonly said after a response to something. For example: Person A: Says something Person B: ...
7 votes
6 answers
3k views

Accurate translation of 'bruised'? 'Verletzt' does not seem correct

If I want to say that my arm is bruised i.e. having (a) bruise(s) noun: bruise; plural noun: bruises an injury appearing as an area of discoloured skin on the body, caused by a blow or impact ...
7 votes
2 answers
2k views

How to translate »Prison Break« into German?

American TV drama Prison Break, which enjoyed huge popularity, has five season series. I just wonder how to translate Prison Break into German. When german people see it, they translate it as ...
5 votes
4 answers
316 views

Why do we remove "es" in "mir ist kalt" but don't do that in "Mir geht es gut"

when I say "mir ist kalt" we don't add es (I think it would be correct if we did but it is odd) but we don't remove "es" in "mir geht es gut" I'm new to this language so ...
0 votes
2 answers
2k views

How can I explain "heimatdamisch"?

I was swapping YouTube videos with a friend, and I showed Die Heimatdamisch, Kids in Bavaria. Of course, I immediately "won" the "competition" (won one of my own beers). Q: How do ...
3 votes
1 answer
190 views

Meaning of "Autoritätsdusel" in context (Einstein quote from 1901)

I would like to understand the meaning of the word Autoritätsdusel in the quote Autoritätsdusel ist der größte Feind der Wahrheit from Albert Einstein from 1901. I have already looked for ...
5 votes
5 answers
802 views

How to translate “Split, merge, done.” into German?

I have a software application that uses a grid system for layout. In this grid system, the user can split and merge rows and columns. I have this phrase in English (to show how fast the operations ...
0 votes
2 answers
170 views

Understanding an old handwritten document from 1850

I have some documents written in German. I can barely make out some of the words. May be someone could read or understand what kind of document this is?
1 vote
2 answers
89 views

"baking in the freezer" in Heinrich Böll

I recently read Heinrich Böll's =The Clown= (in English) and stumbled over a passage that appeared to be an inelegant translation. Our narrator is describing making props out of ice for an act in ...
0 votes
1 answer
136 views

Understanding an old handwritten document from 1840

I have some documents written in German. I can barely make out some of the words. May be someone could read or understand what kind of document this is?
5 votes
4 answers
186 views

gegenseitiger Befund...?

I'm trying to figure out what the bold marked sentence in this text from Erich Kästner means: Irgendwo wurde Grammophon gespielt. Die üppige Dame erhob sich und erklärte ernst: »Ich darf Sie, bevor ...
33 votes
6 answers
11k views

What is the German word for “mind”?

Is there a word in German to refer to the mind? Gehirn is brain, but that’s the meat inside the head, not the mind. In Spanish it is mente. Is there a German equivalent? I have consulted my ...
6 votes
4 answers
313 views

Hip Hop braucht kein Mensch, aber Mensch braucht Hip Hop?

I heard this sentence a few times now and just don't get it. Maybe ein Muttersprachler can help me? Hip Hop braucht kein Mensch, aber Mensch braucht Hip Hop. Does it make sense gramatically? Who ...
-2 votes
2 answers
101 views

Wie kann ich meine Rechtschreibung verbessern? [closed]

Ich versuche den Satz The economist Ludwig von Mises in his book Theory of Money and Credit introduced the idea of that people act in accordance with ordinally ranked preferences auf Deutsch zu ...
23 votes
7 answers
8k 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. ...
0 votes
2 answers
81 views

.Was ist richtig aufrestarten oder umstarten? [closed]

Ich bin am versuchen zu Übersetzen „restart the computer“ aus englisch auf Deutsch. Nachdem sehen verscheiden deutschen Wörter; dessen die Übersetzen von Englischen Wörter, dessen ähnlich mit „re-“ ...
2 votes
3 answers
1k views

What word do Germans use for recharge?

In some countries, in English to charge a battery is "charging" , in German for charging it is "aufladen". In English, to pay the prepaid bill is "recharge". For example: ...
12 votes
4 answers
4k 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?
-1 votes
2 answers
153 views

Is there a feminine form of submissive? [closed]

I’m looking for a word that is feminine which means obedient, submissive and or compliant. I think "unterwürfig" and "gefügig" mean submissive but I’m not sure how to make them ...
11 votes
3 answers
1k views

Modern name or translation of the illness "der rothen Sucht"

I'm trying to translate an old family bible from the 1870s and stumbled upon a cause of death of a child that I'm struggling with. The writing is in an old handwriting (Sütterlin?) so it's a bit of ...
4 votes
5 answers
335 views

Is the sentence "Er trifft seine Mitbewohner im Café jeden Tag" wrong ? Why?

On a German teaching website, the sentence Er trifft seine Mitbewohner im Café jeden Tag was marked wrong as the translation of He meets his roommates at the coffee shop every day. On the other hand, ...
4 votes
5 answers
28k views

What does “bitte sehen” mean?

When leaving a small shop in Germany, the storekeeper said “bitte sehen” to me as I was leaving. What does this mean? What would an appropriate response be? Could I reply by repeating “bitte sehen”?
0 votes
1 answer
47 views

Proper abbreviation for "vorherigen"

I came across a German sentence that made me pause. Fehler bei vorherig. Install. It is intended to be the translation for an error message that says: "Error on prior install" Is "...
0 votes
1 answer
103 views

Es + sind for time

I came across this case, which isn't an "unpersönliches Es" because you can't omit it when changing the sentence structure. Mit dem Auto sind es nur 15 Minuten nach Innsbruck. What's the ...
0 votes
1 answer
66 views

Wie sagt man: "I didn't mean to ruin your weekend, though" auf Deutsch

Wie sagt man: "I didn't mean to ruin your weekend, though" auf Deutsch? Like, informally, to a friend.
4 votes
5 answers
471 views

Translation of a Line in a Poem

My great-grandfather had written a book of Poems in German. We've been able to translate most of them, but having trouble with an English translation for this one, especially the last line of the ...
1 vote
1 answer
269 views

Why is there an introductory paragraph in a book translated into German?

I am reading a German translation of the American novel "The Pastures of Heaven" by John Steinbeck, and I noticed that on the first page there is a short summary paragraph that does not ...
1 vote
1 answer
109 views

Most Idiomatic German Equivalent of the English "going to" Construction (Future in the Past)

I am trying to translate the following sentence: He only bought one pizza, because he was going to fly to Berlin the next day But I am not entirely sure how to translate the future-in-the-past ...
2 votes
3 answers
469 views

Prayer Spelling and Meaning

What's the short table prayer Abba "Leiber oder Lieper Father / Vater Amen mean ? Is this somewhat correct? Can someone spell it for me please? My great Opa came from Dessau area if that ...
0 votes
1 answer
82 views

Zusammensetzung mit festem Begriff aus Adjektiv und Substantiv

Ich bin am Versuch gescheitert, ein englisches Fachwort ins Deutsche zu übersetzen: bond critical point. Ein critical point ist ein kritischer Punkt (aus der Mathematik), ein fester Begriff aus ...
4 votes
6 answers
984 views

Looking for a German translation of "Il faut toujours viser la lune, car même en cas d'échec, on atterrit dans les étoiles"

I found the following phrase: Il faut toujours viser la lune, car même en cas d'échec, on atterrit dans les étoiles A literal English translation would be "You always need to point at the moon, ...
1 vote
5 answers
262 views

Was ist die weibliche Form von "Kauz" wie in "seltsamer Kauz"?

Ich versuche einen Ausdruck, der wortwörtlich "rothaariges Wunder" bedeutet, sinngemäß zu übersetzen. Es soll eine liebevolle und zugleich ironische Umschreibung eines rothaarigen Mädchens ...
4 votes
4 answers
991 views

“Alles was recht ist!”

Ich muss eingestehen: I listen to Rammstein. In their song, Mehr, the following phrase can be found: Bescheidenheit? Hahaha, alles was recht ist! in the following context: Was ich habe ist ...
5 votes
2 answers
8k views

How does one say "to catch up" in German, as in to catch up with a friend?

I am writing an email in German to an old friend, a colleague from a former job. I am trying to set up a meeting with him when I am going to be in town. I'd like to say that it would be great to catch ...
1 vote
1 answer
139 views

Zitat aus dem Film "Die Fälscher"

Ich suche nach einem Zitaten aus dem Film "Die Fälscher". Die Englische Version lautet: A Jew... but he died like a man! Meiner Meinung nach, musste es etwas sein wie: Ein Jude... aber er ...
1 vote
1 answer
76 views

„Saisonende“ or „Saisonabschluss“?

Mein Team hat eine Einladung zum „Saisonabschluss“ oder „Saisonende“ erhalten. What is better ?
0 votes
2 answers
120 views

What is a "Kleereiber"?

In Jenny Erpenbecks book Heimsuchung, I got stuck on the the word "Kleereiber", which seems to be a machine that first took 4 fingers, then the life of one of the characters. Googling the ...
15 votes
3 answers
892 views

What is the meaning of the word “regenfleckige”?

I don’t mean to call for help just for translation, but I couldn’t find anything related to this word using Google. Dict.cc usually has many alternatives to choose from, for the meaning of a given ...
1 vote
4 answers
150 views

Use of "doch" in "Tugend hat er vielleicht, aber doch keine Klugheit"

Is the following correct German, or could it be improved? "Tugend hat er vielleicht, aber doch keine Klugheit." (It's a pun on the name of a British politician. The intended meaning is "...
-1 votes
1 answer
77 views

Wie muss man "halten" auf französisch übersetzen, wenn es mit "es" benutzt wird bzw. "Er hält es mehr mit seiner Mutter" [closed]

Ich kann schon die Bedeutung von "er ist mehr seiner Mutter zugetan" begreifen aber habe wirklich Schwierigkeiten die passende Übersetzung auf Französisch zu finden insbesondere wenn ich ...

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