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GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German word of the day: Basteln

This is a great word for those looking for a way to keep their kids entertained.

German word of the day: Basteln
Photo credit: Francesco Ungaro / Unsplash + Nicolas Raymond / flickr

What does basteln mean?

The German verb basteln means to engage in handicrafts or to tinker around with something. Though there isn’t a direct equivalent verb in English, the closest translations would be “to do handicrafts”, “to make” or “to tinker”.

Basteln is most commonly used to describe the kind of arts and crafts activities that children are particularly fond of, such as painting eggs or making puppets out of socks. But, of course, children aren’t the only ones who like to get make things, and DIY projects, or working with materials to create or repair objects also come under the umbrella of basteln

If you need to find a shop near you that sells the kind of materials you’d need for a Basteltag (craft day), you can search for online a Bastelladen (crafts store) or for Bastelbedarf (craft supplies).

The term basteln can also be used more generally to mean “to put something together”, usually at short notice. For example, if you find yourself having to throw together a last-minute presentation, you could say:

Ich kann aus diesen Dokumenten etwas basteln

I can put something together from these documents

Where does the word basteln come from?

The origin of the word is not entirely clear, but it is believed to be derived from the Middle High German besten, meaning “to knot” or “to tie up”. During the Middle Ages, the word besten was also used to refer to the handicraft work of laymen or craftsmen.

Over time, basteln evolved to mean the act of constructing or assembling something using simple and easily accessible materials. 

Use it like this: 

Basteln ist eine tolle Aktivität für die ganze Familie

Doing crafts is a great activity for the whole family

Er mag es zu basteln und mit seinen Händen zu arbeiten

He loves to do crafts and to work with his hands

Seit Tagen bastelt sie an ihrer Präsentation

She’s been tinkering with her presentation for days

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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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