German Germany

Schadenfreude

Word USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(n.) • (damage happiness ) • To be happy by other people’s misfortune.

"Hast du gehört? Herr Müller hat schon wieder verschlafen. *lacht* Jetzt muss er Extraarbeit machen." "Du bist wirklich schadenfroh!"

"Did you hear? Mister Müller overslept again. * laughs* Now he’s got to do extra work." "You’re well gleeful!"

Confirmed by 10 people

syn

German Austria

die Nerven schmeißen

Idiom USED On Occasion BY Everyone

(to throw one's nerves) • To feel overwhelmed or to have a mental breakdown.

"Nachdem mein Laptop zum dritten Mal abgestürzt ist, habe ich die Nerven geschmissen."

"After my laptop crashed for the third time, I threw my nerves."

Confirmed by 3 people

German Germany and Austria

Grüß Gott!

Expression USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(Greet God!) • Saying "Grüß Gott!" is a polite way of greeting people in Southern Germany and Austria. Despite its obviously religious background, this greeting is being used by everyone, regardless of their religious orientation. Furthermore, it can be used at all times of the day.

"Grüß Gott! Ich würde gerne einen Termin für nächste Woche buchen."

"Greet God! I would like to book an appointment for next week."

Confirmed by 3 people

alt

German Germany

Schadenfreude

Word USED Frequently BY Everyone

(n.) • (Damage-happiness ) • A feeling of happines that someone gets when others fail or things go wrong.

"Hast du gehört? Herr Müller hat schon wieder verschlafen." "Du bist ja richtig schadenfroh!"

"Did you head? Mr. Müller overslept again." "You’re really 'damage-happy'!"

Confirmed by 3 people

German | Saarländisch Saarland, Germany

Unn?

Slang USED Very frequently BY Almost Everyone

(and? ) • Dialect for "und?" (and?) which asks how someone is doing or how someone's day has been etc. Often used as a beginning of a conversation

"Unn?" "Jo, und selbst?" "Jo."

"And?" "Good, and you?" "Good."

syn

German German speaking countries

toll

Word USED Very frequently BY Almost Everyone

(adj.) • (cool) • Used to express acceptance, or to indicate that you like something.

"Es ist toll das du da bist."

"It is cool that you are here."

Confirmed by 2 people

syn

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German German speaking countries

geil

Word USED Very frequently BY Young People

(adj.) • Used both as an adjective or an interjection to express that you like something or approval.

"Dein neues Lied ist echt geil!"

"Your new song is really cool!"

Confirmed by 10 people

syn

German Germany

knorke

Word USED On Occasion BY Young People

(adj.) • It means “cool”.

"Das ist echt knorke!"

"That’s really cool!"

Confirmed by 11 people

alt

German Northern Germany, Germany

Moin!

Expression USED Very frequently BY Almost Everyone in Northern Germany

A greeting that can be used at every time of day in Northern Germany - basically the equivalent to "Hi". In Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg, it is more common to use "Moin" and not "Moin moin", since the latter is sometimes considered to be too much talk.

"Moin Andreas, alles klar?"

"Moin Andreas, everything alright?"

Confirmed by 11 people

German Germany

eine Naschkatze sein

Idiom USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(To be a nibbling cat.) • To have a sweet tooth.

"Meine Tochter ist eine echte Naschkatze. Sie isst gerne Kuchen, Kekse, Schoko - alles!"

"My daughter has a really sweet tooth. She likes eating cakes, biscuits, chocolate - everything!"

Confirmed by 11 people

German German speaking countries

geil

Word USED Very frequently BY Young People

(adj.) • (horny) • Used to refer to something really good.

"Heute ist geiles Wetter."

"It's good weather today."

German Rhineland, Germany

du Otto

Expression USED On Rare Occasion BY many people

(you Otto) • It is a expression to playfully insult someone, reminding them that they said/did something a little bit dumb. It normally meant not to be taken seriously.

"Das war die falsche Kiste, du Otto."

"That was the wrong box, you Otto."

Confirmed by 2 people

German | Bavarian Bavaria, Germany

heier

Word USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone

(noun) • This year.

"Heier ist das Wetter recht schlecht."

"This year the weather is pretty bad."

Confirmed by 3 people

syn

German Carinthia, Austria

ga?

Interjection USED Frequently BY Everyone

(interj.) • Can be used at the end or in the middle of sentences as well as on its own. Its usage at the end of a sentence usually (but not always) implies that your dialogue partner expects you to either approve or reject what was just said whereas on its own, it expresses approval towards a statement.

"Der Umzug war anstrengend, ga?"

"The move was exhausting, wasn't it?"

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German German speaking countries

nur Bahnhof verstehen

Idiom USED On Occasion BY Some People

(to only understand train station) • Being unable to understand something.

"Tut mir leid, ich verstehe nur Bahnhof. Kannst du mir das noch einmal erklären?"

“Sorry, I only understand train station. Can you explain this to me again?"

Confirmed by 14 people

æ

German Various countries

sich die Kante geben

Idiom USED On Rare Occasion BY Some People

(v.) • (to give oneself the edge) • To get really drunk.

"Sie hat sich letzte Nacht so richtig die Kante gegeben."

"She really gave herself the edge last night."

Confirmed by 8 people

German Germany

Verschlimmbessern

Word USED On Rare Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(v.) • (disimproving) • To worsen something whilst trying to improve something.

"Ich wollte den Fleck entfernen, aber jetzt ist es schlimmer als zuvor..." "Das hast du richtig schön verschlimmbessert!"

"I wanted to get rid of that stain, but now it’s even worse..." "You’ve disimproved it very nicely!"

Confirmed by 14 people

German German speaking countries

die Bürgersteige hochklappen

Idiom USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(fold up the sidewalks) • To indicate that there is nothing going on in a town (or a village).

"Da, wo ich herkomme, werden um Acht Uhr die Bürgersteige hochgeklappt. "

"Where I come from, the sidewalks are folded up at 8 pm. "

German Germany

Jetzt haben wir den Salat

Expression USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(Now we have the salad ) • It’s used as an expression of frustration when something goes wrong.

"Max, pass auf die Vase auf!" (Max lässt die Vase fallen) "Jetzt haben wir den Salat!"

"Max, mind the vase!" (Max drops the vase) "Now we have the salad!"

Confirmed by 17 people

German German speaking countries

jemandem die Daumen drücken

Expression USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone

(to press someone's thumb) • Used to wish good luck to someone, similar to "fingers crossed".

"Ich drücke dir die Daumen!"

''I'm going to press you the thumbs!''

Confirmed by 2 people