Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

GERMAN LANGUAGE

10 German words you need to know to keep up with the coalition talks

There's a whole set of German vocabulary you'll need to know if you want to follow the ins and outs of the coalition talks. Here are ten words that can help you impress your friends during your next heated political debate.

Published: 1 October 2021 16:50 CEST
10 German words you need to know to keep up with the coalition talks
Traffic Lights outside the German Bundestag. Are you in favour of an Ampel coalition? Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Julian Stratenschulte

1. (die) Sondierungsgespräche

Right now the Sondierungsgespräche – or exploratory talks – are happening between parties. These talks are for the political big-wigs to sound each other out, to see if there is a possibility to work together or if it will be too difficult. It’s basically the talks before the talks. And of course there’s a word for that in German.

READ ALSO: What you need to know about Germany’s upcoming coalition talks

2. (die) Selfie-Sondierung

The very first exploratory talks took place in secret on Tuesday night and caught everyone by surprise. The Greens co-leaders Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck, along with the pro-business FDP’s head honchos Christian Lindner and Volker Wissing then almost broke the internet by posting a selfie of the group to each of their Instagram accounts. And that’s why we are including “selfie exploration” as a word you need to know. 

“Jokes or not – the four have achieved what they wanted to achieve with their joint post: to be the talk of the town everywhere,” said Bavarian broadcaster BR24.

“Some even want to recognise a historic moment. Media journalist Stefan Niggemeier says maybe it’s ‘silly to be impressed by such cheap Instagram symbolism, but this still feels like a bigger moment that you’re witnessing here.'”

3. (die) Gesprächsrunde

Formulated with the German word for conservation or discussion (das Gespräch), this is basically a round of talks. A little more substance than the exploratory talks, the round table discussions will involve a bit more thrashing out of the key policy issues, like that niggling question of the Tempolimit on the Autobahn (to speed or not speed – that is the question). We told you this was riveting vocabulary right? 

4. (die) Regierungsbildung

Now that the election is over, the parties have been entrusted with the formation of a government – or Regierungsbildung. 

In this election the two smaller parties – the Greens and the FDP have wasted no time in teaming up in their quest to make a new government. They’re keeping the two bigger parties – the Social Democrats (SPD) and the centre-right CDU/CSU on their toes.

5. (die) Koalitionsverhandlungen

Finally we get to the official coalition negotiations. This is the moment where the finer details will be discussed in preparation for launching a new government partnership. We’re expecting three political parties in the new German government (more on the formations below). As you can imagine, it will take a good bit of time to keep everyone happy in the negotiations. 

Now you can see why it takes months for Germany to form a government.

6. (der) Rücktritt

All is fair in love and war… and politics. And it may come to a point where we see someone having to hand in their resignation – der Rücktritt.

At the time of writing on Friday, there were calls for CDU leader and chancellor candidate Armin Laschet to stand down. A majority of people in Germany believe he should give his resignation, according to a recent poll.

7. Ampelkoalition

Let’s look at those coalition formations starting with the Ampel – or Traffic Light. It’s part of the German obsession with colour-coded politics. 

An Ampelkoalition describes a coalition government led by the SPD (red), with the Greens and the FDP (yellow).

The term Traffic Light coalition originates from Germany and has subsequently been picked up by other countries to describe similar coalitions between social democrats, liberals and green.

A majority of Germans say they want this type of coalition following the election, with the SPD’s Olaf Scholz as chancellor.

READ ALSO: Jamaica or Traffic Light? What’s next for Germany and what does it mean?

8. Jamaika-Koalition

There’s another contender for the hearts of the Greens and the FDP – that’s CDU leader Armin Laschet. He wants to form a coalition with these two parties which would be a Jamaica formation. It has nothing to do with the country. It’s called that because the party colours of black, green and yellow match the Jamaican flag. 

Even though the SPD scooped first place in the election, it’s not inconceivable that the CDU could form a coalition government.

9. Große Koalition (GroKo)

A Große Koalition, or a grand coalition in Germany describes a governing coalition of the two biggest parties in one parliament.

In the caretaker German government, a Große Koalition (GroKo for short) exists between Angela Merkel’s CDU party and the SPD party. But neither side is eager to continue this so you probably don’t need to be talking about this too much at the moment unless you want to declare how annoyed you are at GroKo, or that GroKo is dead which would probably earn you some brownie points among your German friends.  

A guest at the SPD election party in 2017 holds up a 'no more GroKo' sign.
A guest at the SPD election party in 2017 holds up a ‘no more GroKo’ sign. Photo: picture alliance / Christian Charisius/dpa | Christian Charisius

10. bevorzugte Regierungsoption

What is your bevorzugte Regierungsoption – preferred government option?

Are you an Ampel, Jamaika or GroKo kind of person? Or did you have a completely different wish for the next German government? Take your pick and impress your friends with your German current affairs knowledge and vocabulary because who doesn’t love a politics nerd? 

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

GERMAN LANGUAGE

‘Umpf’: Six noises to help you sound like a German

You may think fancy vocab is the only way to impress your friends in German, but these quirky noises could actually be the key to sounding like a local.

Published: 24 April 2024 17:23 CEST
Updated: 28 April 2024 08:39 CEST
'Umpf': Six noises to help you sound like a German

For most German-language learners, it’s a familiar scenario: you kick off your language journey with textbooks and courses and eventually start to get comfortable with the tricky grammar and vocabulary.

But as soon as you start talking to a native speaker, you’ll probably hear several words you’ve never heard before – and even a few confusing noises that are hard to decipher.

These funny sounds – which are usually described as discourse markers by linguists – can be used to express anything from exhaustion to surprise, or even to check whether the person you’re talking to is listening.

If you want to sound like a native, it’s worth getting familiar with these quirky noises and trying to incorporate them in your everyday speech.

The good news is that they’re a lot more fun to use than the tricky words you learn in language schools.

What’s more, they’re an easy way to add some natural flair and personality to your German.

READ ALSO: What are the different levels in German and how do I reach them?

Tja

Hearing this word can be confusing for foreigners, because it may sound an awful lot like “ja”, or yes.

But rather than being an affirmative response to a question, ‘tja’ is often used ahead of a contradiction or as an expression of scepticism, similar to the English word “well”.

You may also hear “tja”, or even “ja”, simply used as filler words for the speaker to buy time to think about what they’re saying. For example, if a stranger asks you if the next train to Dresden leaves from Platform 3, you may respond with “Ja… nein”, if you aren’t quite sure of the answer.

Another key meaning of ‘tja’ is best summed by a meme that defines it as a the typical German response to the apocalypse, nuclear war, alien attack or having no bread in the house.

When something catastrophic has happened – like the apolocalypse or an empty bread shelf – it can be taken to mean either “I told you so” or “sh*t happens”, casting an ironic light over the gloomy situation.

Here’s how you pronounce it.

Hä

This is a word you won’t read in the German textbooks, but “hä” is a sure-fire way to sound more German in your conversations.

Much like the English “huh?”, you can use “hä?” to express surprise or incomprehension. If a friend from your German course tells you they actually enjoy learning German grammar, then a disbelieving “hä?” is probably an apt response.

In a more banal context, if you haven’t quite understood what somebody’s said, a gentle “hä?” could stand in for the more polite and formal, “wie bitte?”.

A word of warning, though: “hä?” is viewed as very informal and can even be construed as rude in certain situations, so be sure to only use it among people you’re very friendly and familiar with.

Here’s how you pronounce it.

READ ALSO: German word of the day – Hä?

Ne

Whether you’re a fan of German podcasts or have a few German friends who enjoy to speak at length about the world, you’ve probably come across ‘ne’ at some point or other.

It’s generally used at the end of sentences to check that the other person is listening and has understood, similar to the English “right?” or “you know?”.

For that reason, it often has a high inflection, as if you’re asking a question – though you don’t necessarily expect a response.

So next time you embark on a long rant in German, try interjecting a “ne?” or two. This can add variety to your tone and at the very least ensure the other person hasn’t fallen asleep halfway through.

Here’s how it’s pronounced.

Auwa

When a German child trips and falls over at the Spielplatz, the first thing they may shout is, “Auwaaaaa!” before calling on their parents to come and comfort them.

But it’s not just the little ones who use this noise to express pain in Germany – adults will also emit an occasional “auwa!” if they accidentally stub their toe.

A sad teddy bear with broken arm

A sad teddy bear with a broken arm. “Auwa” is the most German way to respond to a painful accident. Photo: Photo by Trym Nilsen on Unsplash

An alternative to “auwa” is the more English-style “auch!”, which is pronounced the same as “ouch!” but spelled differently. This can also be used to respond to a comment that stings a little, as a good-natured way of letting someone know your feelings were hurt.

Here’s how “auwa” is pronounced.

Puh

Though hearing this word may bring some toilet humour to mind, “puh” has less to do with bodily functions than you might expect.

It’s actually more similar to the English word “phew”, which is used to express tiredness or relief.

One scenario you might use “puh” is after running to the bus stop to catch the last bus home. Once you sprint through the doors and sink into your seat, you may let out an exhausted “puh!” to show your relief at having made it.

Before you forget the more childish connotations entirely though, it’s worth knowing you can also use “puh” when encountering something disgusting.

If it’s your turn to take out the Biomüll and the rotten vegetables are starting to emit a foul odour, you might say, “Puh! Es stinkt!” (Ew! It stinks!”), before hurrying to the bins as fast as you can. 

Here’s how it’s pronounced.

READ ALSO: 12 colourful German expressions that’ll add swagger to your language skills 

Uff / Umpf

If you’ve ever eaten an entire bowl of Käsespätzle, you probably know the sensation of feeling so full you’re about to burst.

For precisely this situation, you’ll need to know “umpf” or “uff”. Both of these words neatly sum up that feeling of being stuffed to the brim with food – but not necessarily in a bad way.

A bit like “oof!” in English, “uff” and “umpf” are ways of showing that you’re both sated and a little bit sleepy after a big meal. With Germany’s very hearty cuisine, they’re both expressions that you’ll need in your life fairly often.

Here’s how “uff” is pronounced.

SHOW COMMENTS