78
votes
What is the German word for: "It only works when I try to show you how it does not work"?
there was a German word with the definition that means:
It only works when I try to show you how it does not work.
What you are probably looking for is called the Vorführeffekt.
It's ...
- 8,512
47
votes
Accepted
Different way of saying "Feuer!"
"Los" is the German equivalent of English "Go" - as in "Ready, set, go" which is "Auf die Plätze, fertig, los" in German.
Thus it's a frequent choice when something is launched or set off.
- 15.9k
37
votes
Derogatory word for someone who wears glasses
"Brillenschlange" would be the only one I can think of that specifically refers to wearing glasses.
It literally translates to "spectacled snake", and it is the German name for the spectacled cobra, ...
- 1,021
35
votes
Accepted
What's the German equivalent for “noob”?
In German you use the same word as in English.
It’s called an anglicism. Noob is often used in computer games:
Du bist doch voll der Noob!
But it’s classified as a offense. Anfänger or Newbie ...
- 1,406
33
votes
Speed and Velocity in German
You have to append vektor in German when you have to make clear a vector is meant. Geschwindigkeitsvektor
(note the linking s between the two word parts and also note vektor is spoken with an o as in ...
- 60.4k
33
votes
What is the most ‘understandable’ way to order sparkling water in German?
In Germany, Mineralwasser typically refers to carbonated sparkling water. Many people, including me, who were raised in Eastern Germany, would call all carbonated sparkling waters Selters, even though ...
- 22.7k
32
votes
Different way of saying "Feuer!"
"Fire" isn't really a very logical way to command the release of a torpedo - unlike Firearms and cannons, there isn't really a lot of fire involved underwater.
This is why the standard command to ...
- 64.7k
31
votes
How do I say "quirky" in German without sounding derogatory?
All languages have words that are unique and hard to translate, because most other languages don't have a perfect matching translation for it. The German word Gemütlichkeit is one of them. You can ...
- 123k
30
votes
Accepted
What's the German equivalent to the English form of address "Sir" or "Ma'am"?
Modern German does not have an equivalent generic vocative. The use of antiquated forms such as «mein Herr!», «gnädige Frau!» or «Monsieur!» would be extremely unusual and probably lead to amusement ...
- 7,262
30
votes
Accepted
What is the German equivalent of "Check ✓" when dealing with a list of things?
There is not one as common word as 'check' in English. What you use depends on context and situation. It could be (probably among others)
Ok
Ja(woll)
Hier
Hab(e)
Ist da
Passt
Stimmt
Vorhanden
...
- 10.7k
27
votes
Accepted
How would I translate “I slipped him a twenty” into German?
I slipped him a twenty.
would probably be best translated as
Ich habe ihm 'nen Zwanziger zugesteckt.
or
Ich hab' ihm 'nen Zwanziger zugesteckt.
The shortening of "einen Zwanziger" to "'nen ...
- 19.2k
27
votes
What's the German equivalent for “noob”?
With a bit of jest, some people still use Grünschnabel (greenhorn, literally “greenbeak“). It's not at all limited to internet speech, though, but if used there it has the same meaning as noob.
- 1,362
25
votes
How can I say ‘poop’ in German for a cat (animal) in a funny but not rude way?
Häufchen, literally "little heap", it is what cat droppings are often referred to.
It is a naturally harmless and polite expression, so there's no danger of being rude. However, it is not very funny ...
- 611
25
votes
What is the German word or phrase for "village returning to forest"?
The German Wikipedia article on Black Death (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwarzer_Tod) mentions the word Wüstung:
Unrentabel gewordene Grenzböden wurden aufgegeben, was in manchen Regionen dazu ...
- 17.6k
24
votes
Accepted
How would you replicate the English abbreviation Co.?
You don’t have to translate this into German because we use this abbreviation too.
If you see phrases like Adler & Co. it means that not only Mr. or Mrs. Adler is the shareholder. There are ...
- 479
23
votes
Accepted
What do you call the prongs of an electrical plug?
These are called
Stifte (singular: der Stift)
or Kontaktstifte. There are Rundstifte like in continental Europe and Flachstifte like in the UK and the US.
- 7,732
22
votes
Accepted
How to call someone "silly" in a cute way?
First of all, as a native German I never heard of "Dummerchen" as sausage! I bet that no one would understand it in that way. "Dummerchen" is a minimization of a stupid person and always understood in ...
- 472
22
votes
Accepted
Is there a German "Loot Box"?
I would suggest
Schatzkiste
which is completely unspecific, in which respect the content is to be considered as Schatz, but already conveys the idea, that the Schatz is already contained in it.
...
- 28.2k
21
votes
Accepted
What is the name of this type of chair that can be found on beaches?
der Strandkorb
The literal translation is beach basket — which should be pretty obvious if you look at it, and where it is usually found. They are extremely common on beaches on the North Sea in ...
- 2,962
20
votes
Accepted
Correct word for "unfathomable"?
In this special context I would use:
Es ist mir schleierhaft, wie du den Wein über dein weißes Hemd schütten konntest.
The word comes from Schleier (veil) und therefore implies some restricted ...
- 28.2k
20
votes
Accepted
What is the current term for people who are ethnic Germans who don't live in Germany?
I don't know a single word for that.
I have never heard Volksdeutsche. If someone mentioned this to me, I had to ask what exactly is meant. And as you said, it sounds a little strange.
Perhaps there ...
- 2,177
20
votes
What is the current term for people who are ethnic Germans who don't live in Germany?
Deutschstämmige
Obwohl "deutschstämmig" zu ähnlicher Zeit wie volksdeutsch aufkam und ebenfalls 1940 einen Peak hatte, würde ich das Wort als relativ unbelastet betrachten.
Ein wichtiger ...
- 23.3k
20
votes
What is the German equivalent of "Check ✓" when dealing with a list of things?
The first one that comes to my mind would be erledigt
Duden reference
- 301
19
votes
Accepted
How to distinguish killer types?
There are several juridical nouns for different kinds of homicides. @KilianFoth mentioned the most important ones in a comment already: Mord ‘murder’, Totschlag ‘man-slaughter’, fahrlässige Tötung ‘...
- 9,177
19
votes
German version of an American "muscle car"?
EDIT:
My answer below refers to the original question, which was something like
Do Germans call american muscle cars "Muskelautos"?
For the updated version of the question, see the last paragraph ...
- 507
19
votes
German version of an American "muscle car"?
The term, that is used in German language for what is called "muscle car" in English is:
Muscle-Car
It is a foreign word, that is just written with a hyphen and uppercase M and C, according to ...
- 123k
17
votes
Accepted
“Intrinsic beauty” auf Deutsch?
Alt, aber noch brauchbar ist tatsächlich
...aufgrund der ihr innewohnenden Schönheit.
(Obwohl sich das schon ein bisschen geschraubt anhört)
Für Fremdwortliebhaber:
...wegen ihrer inhärenten ...
- 64.7k
17
votes
Accepted
Swiss-German word for "chalet"?
It depends which meaning of this word is meant.
If one thinks of a holiday home, it also is
Chalet
But if one thinks of the original meaning as a mountain shelter, it would be
Sennhütte
or ...
- 11.5k
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