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GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German word of the day: Noch

With a myriad of meanings, this is one of the most commonly used words in the German language.

Noch
Photo: Annie Spratt/Unsplash/Nicolas Raymond

Why do I need ‘noch’?

Listen in on any conversation in German (or engage in one yourself!) and you’re bound to hear this tiny word thrown around several times, in different contexts.

So what does it mean exactly?

Firstly, noch can simply be translated as “even”, in the sense of “noch besser” (even better), “noch schneller” (even faster) or “noch kälter” (even colder).

It’s also commonly used to mean “still”, so you could say “Ich bin noch nicht da” (I’m not there yet). But to emphasise this, you’ll also hear “immer noch”. 

This gives the sense of something which has been going on for a long time, which is why “immer noch” is also synonymous with the English phrase “to this day.” “Ich bin immer noch auf der Suche nach einer Wohnung” signals that you’ve been trying to find a flat for awhile.

If you’re sitting in a cafe, you’ll also likely hear someone ask for “noch ‘nen Kaffee”, or another coffee. The barista might reply with “sonst noch einen Wünsch?” or “Noch etwas?” (anything else?)

Here the word implies “another” so it’s handy to have in your vernacular when you would like “noch ein Bier” or have “noch eine Frage”: another question. 

It’s also part of the German expression “neither…nor” or “noch…weder”. As in “Ich habe noch die Zeit weder die Interesse, diesen Artikel zu lesen.” (I have neither the time nor interest to read this article). Though we hope that’s not the case!

Noch other meanings?

Along with all of these ways of utilising the word which you’ll likely learn by the time you reach a B1 German class, there’s a slew of slang uses which your textbook probably won’t teach you.

READ ALSO: 10 ways of speaking German you’ll probably only ever pick up on the street

If someone asks “Geht’s noch?”, they’re not inquiring if something still functions but rather uttering the equivalent of “Are you mad?”

A frustrated person at the end of their tether might sigh and say “Auch das noch!” (Not that as well! or That’s all I need!) about one more thing going wrong. Someone might try to reassure them with “Das geht noch,” or “It’s still alright”.

“Weißt du noch?” – or “Weest noch?” in Berlinerisch – is another way of asking “Do you remember?”.

And if someone says that something has occurred “noch mal” (also written as nochmal or nochmals), it’s simply happened again.

READ ALSO: Grüß Gott, Moin, Hallo! The complete guide to regional dialects in Germany

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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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