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LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

German word of the day: Die Schokoladenseite

Improve your German skills by taking a bite into today’s word of the day.

German word of the day: Die Schokoladenseite
German has an interesting term for your most photogenic side. Photo: DPA

Very few people are lucky enough to look good in every photo. Most of us have learned (through trial and error) which angles are most flattering when it comes to group photos, selfies and everything in between.

Germans looking for the perfect Instagram shot have a special term to describe this very modern struggle.

They would say that they are trying to capture their Schokoladenseite, which translates literally as ‘chocolate side’. 

Chocolate is known for being sweet and delicious the world over, and so it should come as little surprise that Schokoladenseite refers to a person’s ‘good’ side. 

READ ALSO: Nine tasty German food and drink idioms

The term is not just used in the context of a person’s appearance, however: it can also refer to the better parts of their personality or their more endearing traits. 

Showing your Schokoladenseite is therefore not just important for Facebook profile pictures, but also for job interviews, or the first encounter with your future in-laws!

Example sentences:

Linda hat sich heute von ihrer Schokoladenseite gezeigt! 

Linda showed her good side today!

Warum hast du so viele Selfies gemacht? 

Ich versuche, meine Schokoladenseite zu finden. 

Why have you taken so many selfies?

I’m trying to find the most flattering angle. 

 

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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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