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GERMAN LANGUAGE

10 ways of speaking German you’ll only ever pick up on the street

Learning German and want to hear how people really speak? Our list breaks down a few colloquial words and phrases that will make you sound like a local.

10 ways of speaking German you'll only ever pick up on the street
Group of friends talking outside. Photo: depositphotos/william87

You can bet your bottom dollar that your teachers didn’t tell you these colloquial words and phrases when they taught you how to speak Hochdeutsch (Standard or High German) perfectly.

1. “Krass”, “Hammer”, “Wahnsinnig” and “Geil”

Do you have strong feelings about anything and everything? “Krass” can be used whenever you have an extreme emotional reaction towards something.

If you love it, it’s krass. If you hate it, it’s krass. If it makes you roll around on the floor laughing, it’s krass. If it makes your hair stand on end with fear, yes you’ve guessed it, it’s also krass.

READ ALSO: German word of the day: Krass

The phrase “Das ist der Hammer!” in fact has nothing to do with hammers, but actually implies that something is completely extraordinary.

“Wahnsinnig” has quite a similar meaning. Feeling the adrenaline pump through your body as you plunge down a crazy rollercoaster? “Das ist ja wahnsinnig!” will convey that you think it’s insanely fun or even exhilarating.

Do you think something’s cool, awesome, great or amazing? Don’t stick with your textbook classics of “toll”, “spannend” or “ausgezeichnet” – why not try the less standard “geil” instead?

The adjective “geil” gained superstar status in Germany when “Supergeil”, a promotional music video by supermarket giant Edeka, went viral.

But just a word of warning: be careful as to when you use this word, as in some contexts it can mean “horny” instead.

2. “Quasi”, “sozusagen”, “naja” and “halt”

If you want to avoid umming and ahhing when lost for words, these fillers are your go-to. “Quasi” and “sozusagen” are the equivalent of “so to speak”, and “naja” (“well…”) can be used if you’re a bit hesitant about a statement.

READ ALSO: German word of the day: Naja

Have you heard British and American teens throwing the word “like” into sentences as if a phrase is utterly incomplete without it? It’s exactly the same here in Germany, where “halt” is sprinkled into phrases like there’s no tomorrow.

So next time you chat to your German friend, try throwing in a few fillers – you might end up with a bizarre sentence like “Naja…es war denn…halt…quasi schrecklich, sozusagen”.  

3. “Bescheuert”

People wait for a train in Munich. Photo: DPA

While you were probably taught the adjectives “schlecht” and “schrecklich” over and over again until you could say them standing on your head, you probably haven’t heard of the more colloquial “bescheuert”.

Whether something’s rubbish, annoying, or depressing – if it brings you down, it can be described as “bescheuert”.

But when you get to Germany, you’ll hear anyone and everyone uttering the phrase “das ist total bescheuert!” as they dash onto the station platform only to have missed the train by a few seconds.

4. “Na?”

Forget “Wie geht es Ihnen heute?”, “Wie geht’s dir?”, or even “Was geht ab?”. Why trot out all those long phrases when you can stick to the one-syllable word “Na?” to ask how someone is?

You can also use “Na” to ask how something went. When your friend comes back from a date, no lengthy question is required, just a simple “Naaaa?” will get across that you want to know all the details.

But try not to confuse it with the rather more sarcastic “Na und?” (“so what?”).

5. “Alter”

Photo:DPA

In America you’d say “buddy”, in England you’d say “mate” and in Scotland “pal”. But how do you refer to a male friend very casually in German? “Alter” or “Alta” is the way.

“Alter, was geht ab?” (“Dude, what’s up?”) is often heard among German teens. As you can tell, this kind of slang is very colloquial, so it’s generally only used by younger people.

6. “Quatsch”

“Das ist totaler Quatsch”, you might think when someone shamelessly declares that they are an authority on a particular subject when they clearly don’t know the first thing about it.

If you say that something is “Quatsch”, it means that it’s utter nonsense or complete gibberish.

7. “Bock auf etwas haben”

People dancing at a club in Stuttgart. Photo: DPA

If you know the expression “Lust haben” (“to want to do something” or “to be up for doing something”), the phrase “Bock haben” means roughly the same thing.

Not really up for the day trip that your German friends are organising? “Ich habe keinen Bock darauf” will convey your lack of enthusiasm.

Completely down for a night out, though? “Ja, ich hab’ Bock drauf” will show that you’re interested.

8. “Auf jeden Fall”

“Bock haben” and “auf jeden Fall” go hand in hand on the enthusiasm scale.

Instead of using “natürlich” (“of course”), a piece of vocab which was probably drummed into you at school, try out the more casual “auf jeden Fall” (“definitely” or “for sure”).

And if you want to be really down with the kids, you can shorten it to a simple ‘auf jeden’.

9. “Jein”

Another way of expressing uncertainty, “jein” is a mashup of, yep you’ve guessed it, “ja” and nein”.

So if you want to express that you’re quite doubtful about something, or you just don’t want to come down really strongly on one side or the other, “jein” is the one to use.

10. “Mach’s gut!” 

German footballer Bastian Schweinsteiger. Photo: DPA

Forget the textbook ways of saying goodbye – the casual “Tschüß” and the more formal “Auf Wiedersehen” – by throwing in a “Mach’s gut!” to your friends instead.

Literally translated as “Make it good!”, the phrase is the equivalent of “Have a good one!” in English.

For all The Local’s guides to learning German CLICK HERE

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GERMAN CITIZENSHIP

Language and citizenship tests: 7 essential articles for German naturalisation

With the citizenship law coming into effect soon, many international residents in Germany are getting ready to apply. Here's a list of some articles with a focus on language requirements and citizenship tests to help you on the way.

Language and citizenship tests: 7 essential articles for German naturalisation

Germany’s citizenship rules will change on June 27th 2024. When the new law comes into force, foreign residents will be able to apply for citizenship after five years of legal residence in Germany instead of eight years. Holding multiple nationalities will also be allowed in future. 

But what about language requirements?

We explain what level of German you’ll need for the various paths to citizenship here: 

To prove your language level, you will likely need to take a test. We spoke to a language teacher for tips on how to pass the exams: 

Last year, we asked readers of The Local who have passed the B1 language test to share their advice. Here’s what they had to say:

Under the fast-track route for gaining German citizenship, applicants will need C1 level German (along with three years of residence and proof of exceptional integration). In this article, Sarah Magill talks us through her experience of passing the exam: 

Citizenship test essential articles:

Another requirement for the majority of people when naturalising is that you have to pass the German citizenship test. Imogen Goodman talks us through her experience of sitting the test in Berlin and shares her tips: 

Want to try out an (English language) version of the German citizenship test yourself in the form of a quiz? Look no further!

One thing to keep in mind is that Germany is planning to shake up its citizenship test questions. We explain the changes you can expect here: 

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