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LEARNING GERMAN

12 quirky German expressions to spice up your language skills

Idioms in a foreign language are some of the hardest things to master. Here are some fun German idioms to give you a head start.

12 quirky German expressions to spice up your language skills
What does it mean when an Austrian says "to tie a bear on someone"? (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)

However bamboozling expressions and phrases are at first, it’s definitely worth learning a few. At the least, you’ll have you’re native speaking friends cracking up at the fact that you can pull such pro-level German out of the bag. Plus, they add a level of comedy to language that always makes it more fun to speak.

1. “Jemandem einen Bären aufbinden”

Two female black bears born on February 4,2022, play during their first outing. (Photo by Frederick FLORIN / AFP)

Literally translated as “to tie a bear on someone”, this idiom has nothing to do with big furry beasts. The closest English equivalent is probably “to take someone for a ride” – essentially to deceive or mislead someone. With all the pitfalls of moving to a new country, it’s a phrase you may be the subject of in your early weeks in Austria.

2. “Die Kirche im Dorf lassen”

Houses by the lake in Hallstatt, Austria. Photo by Joss Woodhead on Unsplash

Translating as “leave the church in the village”, this one is probably more relevant in the rural, conservative areas! This idiom advises you to play it safe, or not to get carried away. Maybe a sound warning to a young person arriving in Austria from abroad for the first time…

3. “Wer weiß, warum die Gänse barfuß gehen”

(Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash)

“Who knows why geese walk barefoot” sounds like something Confucius might have said. An artful way to say, “that’s just how it is”. In other words, life is filled to the brim with pointless and idiotic realities. 99 percent of adulthood is wading through this bog of contradictions without thinking too much about it, making this idiom a handy one.

4. “Eine einzige Nuss rappelt nicht im Sacke” 

Chestnuts. Photo by Hansjörg Keller on Unsplash

Chestnuts. Photo by Hansjörg Keller on Unsplash

Literally, it means: “a single nut doesn’t rattle in the sack”. The perfect illustration of an opaque translation. Funnily enough, one way to understand this is through another German idiom: “einmal ist keinmal” – “once doesn’t count”. Essentially, this idiom implies that a single event is not statistically significant, or perhaps that a mistake can be forgiven the first time.

5. “Der Fisch stinkt vom Kopf her”

Photo by Jakub Kapusnak on Unsplash

Translated as “the fish starts stinking from the head”, this one seems particularly useful in the current climate of resentment towards political, business and industry leaders.

Attacking the idea that blame always trickles down, this phrase says that the problems always start at the top. Certainly one to be used in your next political debate.

6. “Ich bin keine Kuh, die man melken kann”

Photo by Ryan Song on Unsplash

Perhaps a bit more straight forward, this idiom translates directly as “I’m not a cow to be milked”. Save this one for your friend that always turns to you at the front of the shop queue or at the bar, asking if you could cover for them just once more.

7. “Mit Pauken und Trompeten durchfallen”

Photo by Josh Sorenson on Unsplash

Again one that makes sense more literally: “to go down with drums and trumpets”. To fail is to be human. The real distinction is in how we fail. This saying means to go down gloriously, all guns blazing, or to go out with a bang.

8. “Er hat das Pulver nicht gerade erfunden”

(Photo by GUILLEM SARTORIO / AFP)

We might say that someone is “not the sharpest pencil in the pack”, and this is the German equivalent. Literally “he didn’t exactly invent gunpowder”, this is a good phrase to describe a friend when they do something a little on the stupid side!

9. “Wer Feuer frißt, scheißt Funken”

Photo by Evgeniya Litovchenko on Unsplash

Quite bluntly: “he who eats fire s**ts sparks”. A masterpiece of Austria brevity and straight-forwardness. Perhaps the equivalent of “He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword”. In other words: you have to stand by the consequences of your actions.

10. “Das ist ein Streit um des Kaisers Bart”

Photo: Richard Brend’amour, Krieg und Sieg 1870-71, publisher: Julius von Pflugk-Harttung / Wiki Commons

This idiom translates as “this is an argument over the emperor’s beard”. If you ever find yourself caught up in an argument with an Austrian, and they resort to semantic arguments, or being ridiculously pedantic, this is the phrase to use. The English equivalent would be “to split hairs”. That is, to make small and overly fine distinctions.

11. “Einen Vogel haben”

Photo by Jan Meeus on Unsplash

The direct translation of this one won’t help: “to have a bird”. But when an Austrian speaker asks you, “Hast Du einen Vogel?”, they’re omitting the implied “im Kopf” (“in you head”). No, they’re not enquiring about your pet ownership. They’re calling you crazy. If someone has asked you this and you told them about your beloved parrot, then we’re sorry to break the bad news.

12. “Alles hat ein Ende, nur die Wurst hat zwei”

Photo by Bruno Kelzer on Unsplash

“Everything has an end, only the sausage has two”. Of course the Austrians have a sausage idiom, and this is certainly not the only one. It’s pretty clear what they’re saying, but it’s beautiful in its Teutonic pragmatism and simplicity.

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AUSTRIAN HABITS

Do Austrians still use the formal ‘Sie’ in German?

In Austria, addressing people with "Sie" has been a tradition for quite some time. However, has this tradition become more relaxed in recent years? And if so, how?

Do Austrians still use the formal 'Sie' in German?

In Austria, people have been using “Sie” as a formal way of addressing each other for decades, if not centuries.

Using “Sie” is deeply integrated with Austrian culture and has been passed down through generations as a sign of respect and politeness.

But even if “Sie” is still commonly used in Austria today, younger generations tend to use it less frequently than older ones, and the more informal “Du” is increasing in popularity, Vienna’s IKI language academy told The Local.

The ‘du’ form has gained popularity

In general, using “du” is accepted in less formal settings or when you know someone well.

Over time, the use of “Sie” has decreased in informal and semi-official contexts in Austria, according to the IKI language academy.

The informal “du” form has gained popularity, especially among younger people and in digital communication. In social media, informal meetings, and among friends, the “du” form is more commonly used.

Heike Ziehr, Head of the German Language Department at Sprachenzentrum in Vienna, also agreed that “du” is gaining popularity but added that he does not think it’s appropriate in certain situations.

“‘Du’ is spreading, in social media, leisure time, or at workshops. In the mountains, people always use “du” above 2,000 meters. Occasionally, students address me informally at the university, then I point out to them that it is not appropriate. Sometimes there is a high level of familiarity between teachers and students, and then “du” is often used. I do not recommend it in a professional context”, he said.

READ NEXT: How to explore the Austrian mountains in the summer like a local

Formal and official situations

How “Sie” is used among the different generations depends on the situation and who is involved in it.

“Sie” is mainly used in formal and official situations in Austria. You use “Sie” in conversations with strangers, in professional contexts, during official appointments, in stores, and generally in scenarios where respect and distance are expected to be maintained.

It is also common to address older people or those in higher positions with “Sie”, as a sign of respect and acknowledgement.

Some examples of situations where you are expected to use “Sie” include when you have a doctors appointment, in formal business settings such as meetings with customers, or in daily life situations where you engage with strangers, such as in restaurants or other service establishments, especially when speaking to staff members.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Austria wants to define its fundamental culture but what is it?

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