Word USED Very frequently BY Everybody
(noun) • (Late-y) • Little shops that sell snacks, alcohol, ice cream, chewing gum and random other things like milk or mulled wine, the list goes on. They are called Späti because they're open until late.
"Berlin ist berühmt für seine Spätis."
"Berlin is famous for its Spätis."
Submitted November 2023 by anonymous
Expression USED Frequently BY everybody
(April-weather) • It's not so much the weather in April, more so a concept of weather that changes within seconds: One minute it's sunny, and the next it's hailing. Even though it is mostly used in the month of April, it can be used any day of the year when the weather is super unpredictable.
"Heute ist ja richtiges Aprilwetter!"
"Such April-weather we're having today!"
Submitted March 2023 by anonymous
Interjection USED Frequently BY Everyone
This word can be used in three situations. 1. In an argument where the other person says you‘re in the wrong. You‘d interfere with "Doch!". 2. It can also be used as in "nevertheless" in a sentence. 3. To underline your disbelieve.
"Ich glaube nicht, dass du zehn Schüsseln Corn Flakes essen kannst" "das ist doch viel zu viel!" "Doch, kann ich!"
"I don‘t believe you can eat ten bowls of corn flakes" "that‘s way too much!" "Yes, I can!"
Submitted May 2021 by anonymous
German
| South german Variation
South of Baden-Wütttemberg,
Germany
Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People
(at the moment he has Corinna) • Corinna is a German female name, but here it is an alternative for saying that someone tested positive for Corona (Covid).
"Wo ist eigentlich Julian, arbeitet er heute nicht?" "Der hat grade Corinna."
"Where is Julian, is he not working today?" "At the moment he has Corinna."
Submitted May 2021 by anonymous
Idiom USED On Rare Occasion BY Some People
(there lies the rabbit in the pepper) • It is used to point out the relevant bit or the cause of something.
"Eigntlich hatte ich einfach keine Lust zu kommen." - "Da liegt also der Hase im Pfeffer - es stimmt gar nicht, dass du keine Zeit hattest."
"Actually I just did not feel like coming." - "So that is where the rabbit lies in the pepper - it was not actually true that you did not have any time."
Submitted April 2021 by anonymous
Word USED On Occasion BY Older Generations
(n.) • (eastern Frisians‘ Mink) • Ostfriesennerz is the name for these yellow plastic raincoats worn very often at the seaside while the weather is rainy and stormy. The name refers to the Eastern Frisians, who live in the northwesternmost edge of Germany and are often subject to jokes by other Germans, probably due to them historically having sometimes different habits. For example, they were not authority-loving sycophants and had their own tribes and chiefs but no duke.
"Bei dem Schietwetter heute ziehen wir am besten die Ostfriesennerze an."
"While weather is so crappy today we better put on our Eastern Frisians‘ minks."
Submitted March 2021 by anonymous
Word USED On Rare Occasion BY Almost Everyone
(noun) • (chicken scratch) • Krickelkrakel is handwriting that no one can read.
"Die Schrift kann man ja überhaupt nicht lesen, was für ein Krickelkrakel!"
"This writing is really unreadable, what a chicken scratch!"
Submitted February 2021 by nelila
Idiom USED Very frequently BY Young people who menstruate
(strawberry week) • To have one’s ‘strawberry week’ means that one is currently menstruating.
“Ich möchte heute nicht mitkommen, mir geht’s heute nicht so gut.” “Oh, was ist los?” “Erdbeerwoche.”
“I don’t want to come with today, I’m not feeling well.” “Oh, what’s up?” “Strawberry week.”
Expression USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone
(between the years) • The period between Christmas Day and New Year's.
"Tschüss und frohe Weihnachten, wir sehen uns dann zwischen den Jahren! "
"Goodbye and merry Christmas, we'll see each other between the years! "
Submitted December 2020 by anonymous
Word USED On Occasion BY Everybody
(noun) • (behind Posemuckel) • A faraway place which is rural and far away from everything important. The back of beyond.
"Wir hatten uns verfahren und landeten dann irgendwo in Hinterposemuckel."
"We got lost and ended up somewhere behind Posemuckel."
Submitted December 2020 by anonymous
Standard Phrase USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone
(it's sausage to me) • It's used when expressing that you don't care about something.
"Was willst du tun?" "Das ist mir Wurst"
"What do you want to do?" "That's sausage to me."
die Augen waren größer als der Bauch
Standard Phrase USED On Rare Occasion BY Mostly middle aged people
(the eyes were bigger than the belly) • Usually used when someone bought or put more food on their plate than they could eat because they were hungry and therefore thought they could eat more than they actually could. It can be an accusation that they wasted food.
„Das kann ich nicht mehr essen, ich bin so satt!“ „Deine Augen waren größer als dein Bauch.“
„I can't eat that anymore, I’m so full!“ „Your eyes were bigger than your belly.“
Slang USED On Rare Occasion BY Young People
(n.) • It’s an abbreviation for “Mensch Ohne Freunde” (Person without friends) and is usually used as a joke among friends when you’re in a situation all by yourself.
“Ich war die einzige, die da war. Ich habe mich wie ein Mof gefühlt.”
"I’m the only one who was there. I felt like a Mof."
Word USED On Occasion BY Some People
(n.) • (double chin holder) • Used to jokingly refer to a face mask, as people often wear their masks below their chin so they can pull it up over their mouth and nose quickly when needed. But this looks as if they are using it as a holder for their double chin.
"Guck mal! Da ist wieder jemand mit Doppelkinnhalter."
"Look! There's another person wearing a double chin holder."
Submitted October 2020 by melanie
Word USED On Occasion BY Most People
(n.) • (face beautifier) • Used ironically during the coronavirus pandemic to express that wearing the face mask makes us look more beautiful ("face beautifier"). In Germany it is illegal to use the official name (Mund-Nasen-Schutz = mouth-nose-protection, only to use for professional and certified medical products) for our homemade masks (especially when they are sold to others). So we created some other funny names for it.
"Einen Moment, bitte, ich muss erst meine Gesichtsverschönerung anziehen."
"One second, please, I need to put on my face beautifier first."
Slang USED On Occasion BY mostly young people
(n.) • (bull) • a rather insulting term used to refer to a police officer, often used similar to the word „cop“ in English
"Ich rufe die Bullen."
"I‘m calling the bulls."
Expression USED On Occasion BY mostly everyone
(Holland in distress ) • Used when a problem occurs or a situation seems to go bad.
Wenn sie das nochmal machen, dann ist aber Holland in Not!
If they’re doing this again, Holland’s gonna be in distress!
Submitted September 2020 by nelila
Idiom USED On Rare Occasion BY Some People
(interj.) • (dumb as a bean haulm) • Describes a stupid person.
"Er ist wirklich dumm wie Bohnenstroh!"
"He’s dumb as a dumb as bean haulm!"
auch ein blindes Huhn findet mal ein Korn
Idiom USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone
(a blind chicken will also find a seed) • Used when even though you're not very competent or good at something, you succeed. It's usually used pejoratively or dismissively or to belittle someone.
"Hey, ich habe es geschafft!" "Auch ein blindes Huhn findet mal ein Korn."
"Hey, I made it!" "Even a blind chicken can find a seed sometimes."
Word USED On Occasion BY Everyone apart from old people
(n.) • Money.
“Ich habe keine Kohle mehr.”
“I don’t have any money left.”
