German Word Of The Day

...what they don't teach you in German Class.

[germanwordoftheday-blog]

MUTTERKUCHEN / PLACENTA

German word of the day: n. ’ der Mutterkuchen’ pronounced ‘muh-ter-koo-chen’ ; DEFINITION: Placenta

It gives a whole new meaning to birthday cake! Mutterkuchen LITERALLY translates to ‘Mother Cake,’ and is a term, along with ‘die Plazenta,’ for Placenta or Afterbirth. But how cool is that... the first thing you ever had contact with in the womb was... CAKE!... the mother of all cakes, actually!! Think about that next time you celebrate your birthday ;-). And be sure to give a piece of your next birthday cake to yo’ momma!

(IMAGE)

[germanwordoftheday-blog]

MARSCH, MARSCHLAND / MARSH, WETLANDS

German word of the day: n. ’ das Marsch, das Marschland’ pronounced ‘marsh, marsh-lant’ ; DEFINITION: marsh, wetlands

There are many words in German that are very similar if not exactly the same as in English, save a slight difference in spelling.

(Image: http://shelledy.mesa.k12.co.us/staff/computerlab/ColoradoLifeZones_Riparian_Plants.html)

[germanwordoftheday-blog]

BöLLER / FIREWORKS

German word of the day: n. der 'BöLLER' pronounced 'boe-ler,' also known as 'das Feuerwerk'; DEFINITION: fireworks.

If there is one special thing about Berlin, Germany, on NYE, it's the unofficial massive city-wide Fireworks Show. It starts at about 2pm on the 30th and culminates at midnight on the 31st/1st. Imagine, tens of thousands of people firing off fireworks at every corner!!! Every neighborhood. Every street. All you have to do is sit back and watch!

And for you, here is a video someone took of the streets from their car!

[germanwordoftheday-blog]

GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY!!!

As a special little extra, I present you with the classic "Dinner for One."

This short film/theatre piece is a must watch for every German household on New Year's Eve! The film was filmed in English although it was made by and for the German market! Funny stuff!

Enjoy and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

[germanwordoftheday-blog]

PFANNKUCHEN / JELLY-FILLED DOUGHNUT

German word of the day: n. ’ der Pfannkuchen’ pronounced ‘fan-koo-chen’ ; DEFINITION: a special jelly filled doughnut enjoyed on holidays

BONUS: PFANNKUCHEN is the WORLD-FAMOUS BERLINER!!!

Today, it's true... ich bin ein Berliner! Not only because I live in Berlin and am well, at least a Wahlberliner, but because I have already eaten 4 Pfannkuchen today!!! I am literally a Berliner. My doctor will be horrified by my sugar levels! Traditionally these delicious jelly doughnuts are filled with berry or plum jam, but in today's multi-kulti Germany you can find them in many variations including the famous Eierlikör, Contreau, chocolate pudding, pineapple, strawberry and cherry.

So, Happy New Year to you all!!! Und ich wünsche euch allen ein Guten Rutsch ins Jahr 2015!!!

(Image: http://static.chefkoch-cdn.de/ck.de/rezepte/60/60361/46022-960x720-berliner-pfannkuchen.jpg)

[germanwordoftheday-blog]

BESCHERUNG / GIFT-GIVING ON CHRISTMAS EVE

German word of the day: n. ' die Bescherung’ pronounced ‘beh-share-oong’ ; DEFINITION: gift giving on Christmas Eve

One of the reasons I love German so much is that there are many words that describe very specific things. This can be a nightmare when you are learning German, but it's really wonderful to have this nuance in language. One of these words is today's word, and very appropriate for the Holidays! How beautiful that there is a word for the gift being presented and unwrapped, specifically on Christmas Eve!

Many Germans wish each other, "eine schöne Bescherung!" or "A lovely gift-giving," before they head into the "FEIERTAGE," or holiday days off, which I find to be charming and beautiful for in that single word, they are honoring the fact that gifts are being given and received!

(Image: http://images.fotocommunity.de/bilder/gratulation-und-feiertage/weihnachten-christmas/schoene-bescherung-00671585-c700-4f02-b617-abff0d396f1b.jpg)

[germanwordoftheday-blog]

UNVERSICHERT VS. VERUNSICHERT / UNINSURED VS. UNSURE

German word of the day: v. ‘jemd. verunsichern’ pronounced ‘fer-un-zee-shern’ ; DEFINITION: to feel unsettled, insecure, unsure.

German word of the day: a. ‘unversichert’ pronounced ‘un-fer-zee-shirt’ ; DEFINITION: uninsured.

Sometimes in German, the simple misplacement of those beautiful separable prefixes can make for some embarrassing moments when talking with people! Luckily at work this week, I only informed my boss that I was "uninsured" for the project I was supposed to complete and not something else way more embarrassing!! SEE EINLAUF VS. AUFLAUF!

(Image: http://www.kidsprayer.com/wp-content/uploads/question-mark-guy-1024x599.jpg)

[germanwordoftheday-blog]

WUNDWASSER / LYMPH-MATERIAL

German word of the day: n. 'WUNDWASSER' pronounced ‘vuhnd-vah-sir’ ; DEFINITION: literally wound-water; lymph(atic) material.

But wound water sounds so nice... like a little fairy came along and dropped some healing dew drops onto your wounded skin!

(image: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cK3VJiV_izY/UImAHcNRPZI/AAAAAAAAEDI/5zfDvM-qu2s/s640/CIMG6318.jpg)

[germanwordoftheday-blog]

ANGLIZISMUS WOCHE!

SHOPPEN (EINKAUFEN) / TO SHOP

Anglicized German word of the day: v. 'SHOPPEN' pronounced ‘shaw-pen’ (actual German word: 'EINKAUFEN' pronounced ‘ain-kow-fen'); DEFINITION: to shop

You might be noticing a pattern here... the anglicized words tend to be verbs! Although, SHOPPEN is also a noun: das SHOPPEN!

And there's nothing more cool and 'English language' than taking your hard (or not so hard) earned cash to the mall for some SHOP 'TILL YOU DROP fun! Luckily for Germans, the whole credit card thing isn't quite so insidious as it is in the USA, so while the Germans love 'SHOPPEN GEHEN' (to go shopping), on average they aren't in nearly as much spending debt as their 'Ami' (nick name for American) counterparts!

(image: http://themonarchhouse.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Sale-Shopping.jpg)

[germanwordoftheday-blog]

ANGLIZISMUS WOCHE!

DOWNLOADEN  (RUNTERLADEN) / TO DOWNLOAD

Anglicized German word of the day: v. 'DOWNLOADEN' pronounced ‘down-load-en’ (actual German word: 'RUNTERLADEN' pronounced ‘roon-ter-la-den); DEFINITION: to download

You won't work in a startup, tech, fashion or any other company for that matter, without someone asking you, "Hast du das gerade gedownloaded?" ("Did you just download that?") or "Ich muss mir das Lied downloaden!" (I've got to download that song!"). While RUNTERLADEN is still very much in use, it's super hip, especially in regards to media, to use DOWNLOADEN!

(image: http://www.thinkbackup.net/filestore/image/download_large.gif)

[germanwordoftheday-blog]

ANGLIZISMUS WOCHE!

RECYCLEN  (WIEDERVERWENDUNG) / TO RECYCLE

Anglicized German word of the day: v. 'RECYCLEN' pronounced ‘re-sy-keln’ (actual German word: 'WIEDERVERWENDUNG' pronounced 'vi-dur-fair-ven-doong); DEFINITION: to recycle

  We start off the official Anglicized words with the greatest German past time after Fußball, Bier, Walking in nature and scolding you for walking against a red cross light: Recycling! The Germans are great at it and have MANY options for pre-processing sorting of recyclable goods... and don't let a German catch you putting an apple core in the plastic container or a green-glass bottle in the white-glass container.... their disappointment in your lack of caring about the environment is the LEAST of your problems! Recycle as much as you can... it's really worth it, even if you DON'T live in Germany!

(image: http://www.dw.de/image/0,,6650665_4,00.jpg)

[germanwordoftheday-blog]

IT'S A SPECIAL WEEK HERE AT GERMANWORDOFTHEDAY!

This week we'll celebrate some of the English-language words that have made their way into the German vocab, much to the chagrin of a cranky local baker or barmaid!

To kick off, I'd like to present:

ANGLIZISMUS / ANGLICISM

German word of the day: n. 'der ANGLIZISMUS' pronounced ‘an-gley-tsis-moos’; DEFINITION: a word, idiom, or characteristic feature of the English language occurring in or borrowed by another language.

*You hear and use these words every day, yet there do exist ACTUAL German words for most of these things. Language is fluid and it evolves, so most people just evolve their language usage with time, but you do hear the occasional person complaining, "Why are you calling it 'x' when we have the word 'y' for it? Scheiß' Anglizismus!"

(image: http://thecultureur.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/e7qd6.jpg)

[germanwordoftheday-blog]

SCHONKOST / FOODS GENTLE ON THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

German word of the day: n. 'die SCHONKOST' pronounced ‘shown kawst’; DEFINITION: a diet of foods or foods that are gentle on the digestive system; mild foods, diet

(image: http://www.athlecuisine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_1388.jpg)

[germanwordoftheday-blog]

DIE NASE VOLL HABEN / TO BE FED UP, SICK OF SOMETHING

German word of the day: v. 'die NASE VOLL HABEN' pronounced ‘dee na-zuh full ha-bun’; DEFINITION: to be fed up, sick of something

"Ich habe die Nase voll von dem Wetter!" - "I'm sick of the weather!"

"Ich habe die Nase voll von dir!" - "I'm sick of you!" (Probably the PG version of what Judge Judy is thinking here....)

(image: http://media0.giphy.com/media/Rhhr8D5mKSX7O/giphy.gif)

[germanwordoftheday-blog]

MITGEFÜHL / COMPASSION

German word of the day: n. 'das MITGEFÜHL' pronounced ‘mit-guh-fool’; DEFINITION: literally 'feeling with'; compassion

(image: http://www.upaya.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/compassion.jpg)

[germanwordoftheday-blog]

ÖKOTANTE / ORGANIC-CHICK

German word of the day: n. 'die ÖKOTANTE' pronounced ‘o-ko-tan-tuh’; DEFINITION: a woman who follows organic/natural lifestyle; 

While it's not really a negative term, some Germans use to make fun of or dismiss someone who follows that natural lifestyle. Like many other terms in all languages that can be used as a derogatory name, it is also embraced by the Organic community, akin to the movement(s) to "take back fag, dyke, etc." Of course, the term is not quite as historical or politically charged as the aforementioned terms, but still acts as a small pivot point of contempt and pride between different lifestyles.

(image: http://cdn2.spiegel.de/images/image-428165-galleryV9-iium.jpg)

[germanwordoftheday-blog]

NASHORN / RHINOCEROS

German word of the day: n. 'das NASHORN' pronounced ‘naz-horn’; DEFINITION: literally nose-horn; rhinoceros

(image: http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Components/Slideshows-NBC_sports/_production/ss-110131-AT/ss-110131-AT-29.ss_full.jpg)