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GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German phrase of the day: Als hätte der Himmel seine Schleusen geöffnet

If you have dared to step outside in Germany over the last few days, it's likely you've ended up resembling something closer to a drowned rat than a human. This evocative German phrase describes the kind of weather that leaves you soaked to your skin. 

German phrase of the day: Als hätte der Himmel seine Schleusen geöffnet
A brave cyclist in the pouring rain in Frankfurt, Hesse, on June 29th. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sebastian Gollnow

Germany has been experiencing some fairly apocalyptic weather over the last week. One moment you are lying in the park, bathing in glorious sunshine, the next you are running home, your summer clothes drenched by a sudden downpour. The phrase als hätte der Himmel seine Schleusen geoeffnet translates to ‘as if the heavens had opened their floodgates’ and refers to a heavy, sudden rain shower. 

We have a similar idea in English, and you might have heard the phrase ‘the heavens have opened’ thrown about on a particularly wet day. This idiom evokes the image of an unavoidable cloudburst, from which there is seemingly no shelter. 

READ ALSO: ANALYSIS: What’s going on with Germany’s weather right now?

The phrase comes from the idea that this kind of rain is sudden and unavoidable. Usually rain will start falling lightly and then get heavier over time but, if der Himmel seine Schleusen öffnet, the rain seems to come down all at once. It is as if the only thing holding the water back was a gate or door somewhere high in the sky and, once this is opened, the rain is free to pour through and hurtle down to earth. 

You would not use this phrase if it were merely drizzling, instead this idiom refers to the type of rain that clatters down, sometimes even rendering umbrellas useless. If you get caught in this kind of weather, it is best to resign yourself to the fact that you will return home soaked through and dripping with rain. 

Examples

Wir sitzen gerade zufrieden an unserem Lagerfeuer als der Himmel plötzlich seine Schleusen öffnet.

We were sitting happily by the campfire when the heavens suddenly opened. 

Das Wetter war gestern so schlecht, es war als ob der Himmel seine Schleusen geöffnet hat. 

The rain was so bad yesterday, it was raining cats and dogs.

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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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