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GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German word of the day: Dingsbums

You'll never encounter this word when reading Goethe, but it will come in handy when you can't remember the name of someone or something.

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

Why do I need this word?

If you’re studying for a C1 German exam, you can rest assured that probably won’t be asked about this funny-sounding term. But you’ll often hear it among speakers of at least this level, as an informal way of quickly naming something or someone whose name just isn’t coming to mind.

What does it mean?

In English, you might describe Dingsbums as a whatchamacallit, thingamobob, doohicky, thingy or doodad (or doodah in British English), and countless other colloquial equivalents. For a person, the equivalent might be whatshisname or whatshisface. 

You could use it in back and forth banter with a friend, when you’re looking for something, or even in a quick text message. But you’ll never find it in a formal written context, where it’s possible to pause and remember – or look up – the name of the Dingsbums in question.

A Dingsbums is diverse: it could be the tool you need for a paint job, an ingredient for a recipe, a random object you find and have no idea what it is, or a person you met at a party.

READ ALSO: German phrase of the day: Was für

It’s also a rare German word that can be used with the articles die, der, or das – maybe because a Dingsbums can be referring to any object, person or sea serpent imaginable. 

Here’s how it’s used:

Naja, ich habe keine Ahnung, was dieses Dingsbums tun soll.

So, I have no idea what this doodad is supposed to do.

Frau Dingsbums hat mich gerade angerufen.

Ms. whatsherface just called me.

Wozu ist dieses Dingsbums gut?

What is this thingsmabob good for?

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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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