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GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German phrase of the day: Unter vier Augen

If you've got something important to get off your chest in confidence, this German phrase could be exactly what you need.

German phrase of the day: Unter vier Augen

Why do I need to know Unter vier Augen?

Because when it comes to speaking your mind, it’s often best to do so in the right setting.

What’s more, you’re likely to hear this phrase anywhere from the office to reality TV shows, so it’s useful to know what it means.

What does it mean?

Literally translated, Unter vier Augen means “under four eyes”. No, this isn’t a childish slur against people who wear glasses, but rather a way to describe a conversation where only two people are present – in other words, in private. 

READ ALSO: How to remember the gender of German words

As you might imagine, the four eyes refers to the fact that what goes on will only be observed by two people (i.e. two sets of eyes) and nobody else. Think of the English phrase, “for your eyes only” or the French tête à tête‎. 

It’s best used when you want to tell someone something in confidence, without anyone else present.

For example, you might want to have a one-to-one chat with a romantic interest to clarify your feelings, or your boss may want to have a private chat with you to talk about your performance at work. In this kind of situation, requesting a conversation unter vier Augen can signal your intention to have an open and honest chat. 

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How to get free vouchers to learn German in Vienna

Of course, this being German, you can also turn this entire concept into a compound noun: das Vieraugengespräch, or private conversation.

Use it like this:

Er sagte es mir unter vier Augen.

He told me it in confidence.

Darf ich mit Ihnen unter vier Augen sprechen? (formal)

May I speak with you in private? 

READ ALSO: German phrase of the day: Jetzt haben wir den Salat

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GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German word of the day: Blockade

If something's getting in the way - either literally or metaphorically - you may well reach for this German word.

German word of the day: Blockade

Why do I need to know Blockade?

As well as being a useful word in general, die Blockade is also one that is highly topical, whether you’re reading about protests on the street or deadlock and inaction in the political sphere.

What does it mean?

As you might have guessed, die Blockade is similar to the word blockade in English, though in German it tends to be used more broadly. 

You can use the word Blockade to talk about actions that prevent something else from happening, whether it’s an opposition party in the Bundestag blocking a controversial bill from passing or an artist’s lack of inspiration that prevents them working on a new project.

In a more literal sense, you’ll probably hear or read the word Blockade when it comes to street protests – most commonly climate activists blocking lanes on the motorway, for example. 

On a grander scale, eine Blockade can refer to the cordoning off of sections of sea, air or land in a specific region, such as Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip that has stymied the free movement of people and goods in and out of the area for 17 years, or the Soviet Union’s blockade to limit gas and electricity in West Berlin from 1948 to 1949. 

A word of warning: despite the similarities in spelling, the German word is pronounced very differently from its English counterpart, so be sure to use the German pronunciation whenever you’re using the word in German. 

Use it like this:

Dank des Protestaktions, drohen Blockaden auf Straßen. 

Thanks to the protests, there could be road blockades.

Diese Politikern regieren nicht, sondern nur Blockaden aufstellen. 

These politicians don’t govern – they just put up blockades. 

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