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LEARNING GERMAN

German word of the day: Der Wetterfrosch

If you've wondered why the weather forecast often is unreliable, this word might help you figure that out.

German word of the day: Der Wetterfrosch
Photo: depositphotos

What does it mean?

The word “Wetterfrosch” (weather frog or weatherman) has two meanings which both stem from one myth.

The first and literal definition translates to weather frog, and directly originates from the idea that European tree frogs can predict the weather because they climb up plants as the sun starts to emerge.

This occurs not because frogs can predict the weather, but because these ambitious amphibians are in search of insects for food, who tend to fly higher in the air when the weather is warmer.

Nevertheless, this leads to some people holding tree frogs inside jars with a built-in latter, hoping for their position on the ladder to forecast the weather.

The further the frog climbs ladder, the better the weather will be. On the contrary, the closer he stays to the ground, the worse the weather is likely to be.

The second meaning refers to a meteorologist (weatherman) or a person who is interested in the weather, and therefore is similar to the weather frog.

How is it used?

In both definitions, the word is used in a humorous sense because an actual weather frog does not exist, nor can a tree frog foresee the weather.

One could comically refer to the meteorologists on TV as “Wetterfrösche”. 

Examples

“Ich glaube nicht, dass der Wetterfrosch wirklich das Wetter voraussagen kann.”

“I do not think that the weather frog can really foretell the weather.”

“Die Wetterfrösche im Radio meinten, dass es morgen sonnig werden wird.”

The weathermen on the radio said that it will be sunny tomorrow.

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GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German word of the day: Dudelsack

This hilarious sounding German word describes something quintessentially Scottish.

German word of the day: Dudelsack

Why do I need to know Dudelsack?

In the run-up to the German v Scotland opening match of Euro 2024, there were a lot of these gracing the streets of Munich. More importantly, why wouldn’t you want to know a word like Dudelsack?

Just say the word aloud and it will brighten your day. 

What does it mean?

Dudelsack (pronounced like this) is one of those German words that’s both charmingly literal and somewhat onomatopoeic, describing a big bag or sack that makes a ‘doodling’ kind of noise: in other words, the bagpipes.

As well as sounding like the noise this traditional Scottish instrument makes, dudeln also translates as ‘to drone’, and anyone who’s heard the bagpipes will know that this is also a fairly accurate description of how they sound. 

READ ALSO: 10 German words with hilarious literal translations

As Scotland geared up to play Germany in the opening match of Euro 2024 in Munich, many sacks were doodled in the Bavarian capital. 

Seeing parades of kilts and hearing the distinctive wail of the Dudelsack against the backdrop of Munich’s gothic town hall isn’t something you experience every day, and we’re sure it’s an experience the people of Munich also won’t forget for a while. 

Use it like this: 

Hör mal auf, Dudelsack zu spielen! Es geht mir auf die Nerven.

Stop playing the bagpipes! It’s getting on my nerves.  

Weißt du, wie der Dudelsack klingt? Man hört ihn überall in Schottland.

Do you know what the bagpipes sound like? You can hear them everywhere in Scotland. 

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