By Rachael Funk
Ever at a loss to say exactly what you’re thinking? Do you long for a no-frills way to express yourself? Germany did too, and what they’ve come up with is the best thing since the printing press. Before you beeline for Bavaria or set a course for Cologne, brush up on these linguistic gems.
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Word: Kummerspeck
Translation: Grief bacon
What it means: Weight gained from emotional overeating
Word: Schnapsidee
Translation: Schnapps idea
What it means: Similar to the popular North American phenomenon, “shower thoughts,” schnapsidee is a great idea you get while drunk and will likely regret.
Word: Backpfeifengesicht
Translation: A face in need of a fist
What it means: This is so precisely what it sounds like, it’s practically an onomatopoeia. Another way to translate this is “a face in need of a slap.”
Word: Futterneid
Translation: Feed envy
What it means: Feeling regret and jealousy when the waiter brings out someone else’s food and it looks better than what you ordered.
Word: Bewegungslegastheniker
Translation: Movement Dyslexic
What it means: A person who is hopelessly clumsy
Word: Kampfdackel
Translation: Combat dachshund
What it means: A small dog who thinks he’s bigger than he is; a tiny dog that acts tough
Word: Zweisamkeit
Translation: People-ness
What it means: The feeling of closeness between two people; the opposite of loneliness
Word: Fremdschämen
Translation: Strange shame
What it means: Similar to secondhand embarrassment, this word describes being embarrassed from someone else embarrassing themselves.
Extra sausage!
Not only is the German language filled with fun words, it’s also filled with snacks! Here are some sausage-related idioms you should also probably know.
Expression: Das ist mir Wurst
Translation: It’s sausage to me
What it means: I don’t care; it’s all the same to me
Expression: Jetzt geht um die Wurst
Translation: Now it’s all about the sausage
What it means: Something is very important; an all-or-nothing situation; now or never
Expression: Die beleidigte Leberwurst spielen
Translation: To act like an offended sausage
What it means: Someone who is being melodramatic; a drama queen
Expression: Du armes Würstchen!
Translation: You poor little sausage
What it means: A patronizing way to say “you poor thing” while not truly sympathizing
Expression: Er glaubt, er bekommt eine Extrawurst
Translation: He thinks he gets an extra sausage
What it means: Someone is acting entitled or expecting special treatment
Expression: Mit dem Schinken nach der Wurst werfen
Translation: To throw ham after sausage
What it means: To downgrade; to be taken advantage of
Expression: Alles hat ein Ende, nur die Wurst hat zwei
Translation: Everything has an end, only sausage has two
What is means: Everything must come to an end
Expression: Senf dazugeben
Translation: To add mustard
What it means: To put in your two cents; volunteering opinions whether or not they are requested
