The Local Germany

The new German words that perfectly describe the coronavirus pandemic

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 14:45:55 +0100

From Impfneid (vaccine envy) to Abstandbier (socially distanced beer), these words are so hot right now.

Nine things Germans have way too many words for

Tue, 06 Sep 2016 19:37:30 +0200

If you're baffled by what the heck you’re supposed to call a pancake, it's not your fault.

8 German words that are impossible to translate into English

Tue, 20 Feb 2018 12:42:28 +0100

Some words in the German language are so culturally specific, they just don’t exist in English.

Seven English words Germans get delightfully wrong

Wed, 02 Sep 2015 19:34:06 +0200

As much as English-speakers might feel insecure about their Deutsch skills when faced with Germans' comparatively widespread grasp of English, Germans themselves often mess up English - in some pretty hilarious ways.

15 Bavarian words you need to survive down south

Fri, 27 Sep 2019 16:53:47 +0200

Things are a wee bit different down in Bavaria, so you might want to brush up on your basic Bairisch before paying a visit.

These 9 German words perfectly sum up being in your 20s

Mon, 09 Sep 2019 18:55:13 +0200

Whether just graduated, just dumped or just now trying to figure yourself out, sometimes you're just at a loss for words in your twenties. But Germans are here to help.

Are these the 10 most German words you can find?

Thu, 20 Jun 2019 17:51:35 +0200

The German language is known for having words that describe things perfectly. We spoke to a German blogger to put together a list of some of the best ones.

The times when learning German has made me feel like a real geek

Tue, 30 Jan 2018 15:46:14 +0100

The Local editor Jörg Luyken gets a nerdy kick every time a German word helps him understand a little more about his own language.

New Twitter rule will finally allow Germans to use more than three words, jokes Foreign Office

Thu, 28 Sep 2017 13:19:46 +0200

In light of Twitter contemplating upping its character limit, the German Foreign Office tweeted a German word with 63 characters on Wednesday, garnering lots of likes and retweets on the social media platform.

8 simple (and hilarious) German words that unlock amazing secrets in English

Wed, 16 Nov 2016 19:06:23 +0100

Sometimes when you're learning German, you have that eureka moment - and realize something you never knew about your mother tongue.

These are the very longest words in the German language

Thu, 24 Aug 2017 18:46:42 +0200

German is well known for the unwieldiness of its vocabulary. But which words take the crown as the very lengthiest of all?

The one German word English speakers need this winter

Mon, 17 Oct 2016 18:29:37 +0200

Most English speakers understand Schadenfreude or Zeitgeist, but Gemütlichkeit should be added to the English lexicon too.

The 6 German words you need to know for spring

Mon, 02 May 2016 18:45:59 +0200

With May 1st now over and the sun finally coming out, The Local looks at essential German words for describing your spring fever (Frühlingsgefühl).

Using German to express our weirdest fears

Fri, 13 Nov 2015 15:18:38 +0100

An Italian expat in Berlin decided to start inventing German words for comical, angst-ridden everyday situations - but now that he's started, he just can't stop.

The 10 weirdest German words that don't exist

Fri, 13 Nov 2015 15:08:57 +0100

Federico Prandi, an Italian expat in Berlin, has started inventing hilarious German words for comical every day situations. Here are ten of the best.

12 signs you've mastered the German language

Wed, 04 Nov 2015 17:32:23 +0100

How do you know when you've become a true master of the German language? Here are 12 sure ways of recognizing that your language skills make you as good as local.

Ten English words only Germans use

Wed, 07 May 2014 15:42:00 +0200

Most English-speakers will know exactly what words like bodybag, peeling and timer mean. But in German these familiar words are used to mean something completely different. How many of the English words in our Local List can you guess the meaning of?

'GroKo' named German word of the year

Fri, 13 Dec 2013 12:15:00 +0100

“GroKo” was named as German word of the year on Friday morning - an abbreviation for the planned “grand coalition” government between Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and the Social Democrats.

New Duden dictionary adds 5,000 words

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:15:00 +0200

The 25th edition of the German language dictionary Duden is out with 5,000 new words, daily Die Welt reported on Tuesday.