It’s been a while since we last published an article in our ongoing “Learn German with iHeartBerlin” series. In fact, you haven’t received any German advice from us since you discovered the “10 German Terms That Describe Complex Personalities in One Word”. But now we’re back and taking it a step further: here are not just some new words, but some real sentences! And may I add: extremely practical phrases, since Berliners have always been known for their complaints. So if you want to bridge the gap between a tourist and a legitimate inhabitant of this city, you had better learn them by heart.
Das ist zu teuer!
A practical expression when you are at the Flohmarkt and strongly disagree on the monetary value of a particular piece of jewelry. You may want to keep in mind that just saying “it’s too expensive!” is not overly polite, however.
So ein Scheißwetter!
“Scheißwetter” is a very common example of how German “Scheiße” can be combined with other nouns to create a myriad of other, even coarse words. In this particular case, the object of the speaker’s annoyance is the seemingly unpleasant weather.
Ruhe!
“Ruhe!” (“Quiet!”) Is a popular phrase in the repertoire of any easily irritated German neighbor. They like to shout it casually at the top of their voices whenever they perceive a threat to their peace and quiet, which can make initial noisy circumstances worse.
Hinten anstellen!
These two words are so universal you can hear them in a bus station and (once upon a time, when clubbing was a thing) in KitKat’s queue. Obviously, order-loving Germans won’t pass up an opportunity to remind others that no matter how cool they look, they should stand in line.
Sie sind zu spät!
You wouldn’t want to hear this one in a Terminus in Ausländerbehörde. Germans are generally punctual and value everyone’s time, so if you are disrespectful by showing up too late, you can say goodbye to your Aufenthaltsgenehmigung.
Komm bad runter!
“Komm mal runter” (“get off”) is not generally meant to be taken literally. Pointed at someone in a agitated state, he essentially tells them to relax in a rather decisive way. For obvious reasons, “Komm bad runter!” should not be used in response to your neighbor from above who has just yelled “Ruhe!”.
Aus dem Weg!
You might run into this one when you inadvertently wander down a cycle path, which everyone knows are like highways for cyclists, discreetly embedded into the sidewalk. “Aus dem Weg!” just means ‘out of the way’ and just couldn’t be simpler.
Schon wieder ?!
“Schon wieder ?!”, meaning something like “Not yet!”, Is a classic reaction to the Ersatzverkehr of the BVG. Of course, it is universal enough to be applied to other life struggles, as long as they are awkward enough and appear with apparent regularity.
Früher war alles besser!
Previously, “Früher war alles besser” was generally used in reference to the time of the pre-gentrification of Bar25. This sentence, saying that everything was better in an indefinite past, certainly strikes differently during the pandemic.
Diesen Artikel auf deutsch lesen.
through Michalina
November 13, 2020
in the stories
