Liebe TCGIS-Gemeinschaft,
Maybe you've heard the phrase, Deutsche Sprache, schwere Sprache (German language, hard language). Here at TCGIS, we like to say Deutsche Sprache, schöne Sprache (German language, beautiful language)!
On this last day of our Woche der TCGIS Einheit/ Week of TCGIS Unity we're sharing with you some of our favorite words and expressions in the German language.
Did you know?
-
There are numerous cognates in German and English, but here are a few that don't mean what you think they mean!
-
There are 16 officially recognized dialects in Germany.
-
While Germany, Austria and Switzerland share German as the/an official language, there are numerous vobulary differences like these examples.
-
Should you ever find yourself in Vienna, here are a few essential words for a night on the town.
Expand your German vocabulary with some of these staff favorites! (Click on the links - and in some cased, the mic icon - to hear the pronounciation .)
-
rumrödeln - when you do this-and-that at home, sorting, cleaning, organizing
-
genau - exactly; when you are agreeing with someone in a conversation
-
Oachkatzlschwoaf - Eichkätzchenschweif / a squirrel’s tail (if you can correctly pronounce this word, it shows that you are a real Austrian)
-
Wat mutt, dat mutt - Plattdeutsch: What must be, must be
-
Gemütlichkeit - German word long before “hygge” was a thing
-
ritigampfe - Swiss German: swinging on the swing
-
jein - how wonderful to be able to say yes AND no at the same time!
-
doch - countering a negative statement. E.g. When your lovely child says "It's not time for bed yet!", you can reply, "Aber doch!" ("Oh, yes it is!")
-
verschlimmbessern - it wasn't great to begin with and then to make it worse!
-
Fernweh - to yearn for distance places
Click here for more favorite words and expressions and add your own favorites to the list!
We hope you've enjoyed this inaugural Woche der TCGIS Einheit! Maybe the music, films and shows, books, foods, and new words we shared this week will weave their way into your lives over break.
Macht's gut!
Take care!
