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LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

German word of the day: Der Erdapfel

German is a notoriously difficult language to master. And to make matters worse, some things have different names in different German-speaking regions. This word is a prime example

Published: 13 October 2020 16:44 CEST
German word of the day: Der Erdapfel
There are various regional terms for potatoes in the German language. Photo: DPA

German is the 12th most spoken language in the world, with over 130 million speakers worldwide. It is the official language of Germany and Austria, and is one of the official languages in Switzerland.

But the language may not sound as you expect if you visit certain regions, as there are plenty of variations to get your head around. 

One very common example is the different words used to refer to a very popular food: potatoes. 

The normal translation for this beloved carbohydrate would be die Kartoffel, but in Austria, parts of Bavaria and Switzerland the term Erdapfel is far more popular.  

Erdapfel literally translates as ‘earth apple’, which may be confusing for many. Apples, after all, grow on trees, whilst potatoes grow in the ground. 

The word Kartoffel comes from the Italian term tartufo (or tartufolo), which initially referred to truffles. As truffles had a similar appearance and also grew in the ground, the term eventually came to be used for potatoes as well. 

READ ALSO: Can you tell a Bavarian dialect from a north German one? 

While this term emerged in the 16th century, however, it is thought that Erdapfel dates even further back, coming from the Latin malum terrae as a loan translation into medieval German during the Middle Ages.

The Latin (and the corresponding German) term was used back then to refer to any fruit or vegetable that grew in or on the ground, such as melons or pumpkins. 

When potatoes arrived in Europe from South America centuries later, the term expanded in meaning to refer to them too.

Other languages’ terms for potato also have the same translation into English, such as the Dutch aardappel and the French pomme de terre. 

The regional variations do not stop there, either. Just some of the other terms you may hear on your travels around German speaking countries are Grundbirne (meaning ‘ground pear’, sometimes written as Gromper, or Krumper, or Grumbeere), which is used in Austria and in the some Western regions of Germany, Herdäpfel (or Härdöpfel), which can be heard in Switzerland or the hybrid term Erdbirne.

 

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EURO 2024

The German words and phrases you need for Euro 2024

With the Euros being hosted by Germany this summer, it's a great opportunity to broaden your German football vocabulary. Here are a collection of words and phrases to know to get into the games.

Published: 21 June 2024 10:33 CEST
The German words and phrases you need for Euro 2024

Auf geht’s!

You’ll usually hear this as the match gets underway and it means: let’s go! Another common expression that means the same thing is Los geht’s! and Fans will often stick their team on the end – Auf geht’s Deutschland! or Los geht’s Dänemark!

You can also shout: Deutschland vor! (Go Germany!) and Weiter, weiter! (keep going) as the match goes on.  

If you’re not feeling so confident at screaming these phrases at a TV, a simple way of explaining which team you’re supporting in a conversation is by saying: Ich bin für Deutschland or Ich bin für Italien. 

Tor!

If you already speak some German, you might recognise this word, which means ‘”gate” or “door” (think Brandenburger Tor) However, in football terminology, it is probably the most joyous word you’ll hear at a match because it means goal. Shout it out when your team gets one in the back of the net!

Italy's defender #05 Riccardo Calafiori reacts after scoring an own goal during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group B football match between Spain and Italy at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen on June 20, 2024.

Italy’s defender #05 Riccardo Calafiori reacts after scoring an own goal during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group B football match between Spain and Italy at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen on June 20, 2024. Photo by KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / AFP

This is a chant involving Tor that you might hear at a match or screening: “Los geht’s Deutschland, schießt ein Tor” (Let’s go Germany, score a goal!).

Meanwhile, the goalkeeper is called der Torwart or der Tormann. Some fans will use the English – goalie. 

READ ALSO: Where are the fan zones for Euro 2024 in Germany?

Elfmeter

For England fans – this is an important one, as England has had some famous trip-ups at penalty shootouts during international tournaments over the years.

The word for penalty kick in German literally means “eleven meters” – the distance from the penalty spot to the goal.

You’ll sometimes hear German fans shouting Elfer! If they think a player has been wronged and deserves a penalty.

Gut gehalten!

This is an excellent Fußball phrase to use if your team’s goalkeeper has just saved an Elfmeter. Literally translating to “well held”, this phrase means “good save”.

Denmark supporters cheer in front of a group of England supporters in Frankfurt on June 20th.

Denmark supporters cheer in front of a group of England supporters in Frankfurt on June 20th. Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP

Schiedsrichter

Der Schiedsrichter – or referee – is often the most unpopular person on the pitch. When watching a match with disgruntled German football fans, you might hear this word shortened to Schiri!, similar to how Ref! is used in English.

Schwalbe

The German word for the bird swallow – Die Schwalbe – is used as a rather poetic description for when a player takes a dive. In these situations, when a footballer dramatically falls to try to earn a free kick or a penalty, they often lie on the ground with their arms and legs spread out, resembling a swallow with its forked tail.

IN PICTURES: Football fans take over German cities for Euro 2024

A swallow in the night sky.

A swallow in the night sky. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Karl-Josef Hildenbrand

Abseits

You’ll hear this term frequently, especially if your team plays an attacking game. It’s the German word for “offside,” and fans will call it out whenever the linesman’s flag goes up. 

Meanwhile, der Freistoß is free kick and der Anstoß is kick off. 

Raus!

You’ll hear this being shouted out when things get tense. Raus! which means ‘out!’ is signalling for the players to quickly get the ball away from the box near their goals to avoid danger. 

Arschkarte

Getting shown die Arschkarte (literally arse card) is another word for getting a red card or Rote Karte. 

It dates back to the 1970s and is connected to referees keeping the yellow card in their shirt pocket and the red card in their back pocket, next to their butt. So it is literally an Arschkarte. You’ll also hear fans shouting Gelb! (yellow) or Rot! (red) if they think someone deserves a booking. Or simply Foul! or Foulspiel! (Foul or foul play). 

By the way, there’s an idiom that is used off the pitch. Die Arschkarte ziehen – ‘pulling the arse card’ is the equivalent to the English ‘drawing the short straw’. So if someone says: ‘Du hast die Arschkarte gezogen’, they mean – ‘you’re out of luck’ or ‘you drew the short straw’.

READ ALSO: How to watch the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany 

Das war knapp! 

Das war Knapp means ‘That was close!’ or ‘that was a close call!’ The Euro 2024 tournament is already proving to be nailbiting so this little phrase is a perfect one to call out in a variety of circumstances such as when your team nearly lets in a goal or when the game finishes, but you just made it. If your team wins by a whisker, you can also use the phrase: Um ein Haar! which translates to ‘by a hair!’

For example – Die deutsche Mannschaft hat um ein Haar gewonnen! – ‘The German team won by a whisker!’

With reporting by Rachel Loxton and Sarah Magill 

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