Sorry! Search is currently unavailable while the database is being updated, it will be back in 5 mins!

German Interjections

According to the third edition of the Shorter Oxford Dictionary, an interjection is a grammatical term "expressing emotion, viewed as a Part of Speech." Wikipedia describes an interjection as "a word or expression that occurs as an utterance on its own and expresses a spontaneous feeling or reaction" that furthermore "partly overlaps with categories like profanities, discourse markers and fillers."

BANNER PLACEHOLDER

In German too, some interjections are also standard nouns, but most are basically sounds that express emotion. Here are some examples of German interjections that are nearly identical to English: 

 

Ach, jetzt weiß ich, warum wir verschlafen haben. -Aha, warum denn?

Oh, now I know why we overslept. -Uh-huh, why then?

Caption 55, Die Pfefferkörner - Cybermobbing

 Play Caption

 

The next one is pretty easy, because even though it's spelled differently, it sounds the same:

 

Sonst gibt es keine Krone. -Autsch!

Otherwise there won't be any crown. -Ouch!

Caption 8, JoNaLu - Prinz Dreckspatz

 Play Caption

 

The more common expression of pain in German, however, is aua, which is similar in sound to the English "ow."

 

Bingo, wir sind im Geschäft!

Bingo, we are in business!

Caption 61, Rücksicht im Verkehr - Christophorus - Die Mission

 Play Caption

 

„Es ist schön, dass wir in Deutschland sind." -Bravo.

"It is nice that we are in Germany." -Bravo.

Caption 29, Deutschkurs in Tübingen - Die Konjunktion „dass“

 Play Caption

 

There are also many German interjections that sound entirely different from their English counterparts: 

 

Ich bin... was, "short"? -Ach, ich bin klein!

I am... what, short? -Oh, I am small!

Caption 15, Deutschkurs in Tübingen - Obwohl

 Play Caption

 

Na ja, wer's glaubt, wird selig.

Well, he who has faith shall be blessed.

Caption 12, Großstadtrevier - Von Monstern und Mördern

 Play Caption

 

Mensch, wo bleibt sie denn?

Man, where is she then?

Caption 25, Die Pfefferkörner - Eigentor

 Play Caption

 

BANNER PLACEHOLDER

Further Learning
See this list of German interjections and find some of them used in a real-world context on Yabla German.

Funktionsverben: German Light Verbs

A light verb (Funktionsverb, also called vector verb or empty verb) is a verb that has very little intrinsic meaning on its own and requires an additional expression, usually a noun, to give it meaning. Some light verb expressions in German are similar to English, and therefore easy to understand, such as Einfluss ausüben (to exert infuence), zu Ende sein (to be at an end, to be over) or in Sicht bleiben (to remain in view). But many other German light verbs do not have direct parallels in English and are somewhat more difficult to understand. Let's look to some Yabla videos for some examples!

BANNER PLACEHOLDER

 

in Angriff nehmen (to attack, to tackle, to proceed with):

 

Und dann mal schauen, ob wir eventuell irgendwas Live-mäßiges in Angriff nehmen.

and then [we'll] see if we perhaps take on something live.

Caption 16, rheinmain Szene - Selig

 Play Caption

 

unter Druck stehen (to be under pressure):

 

Ich denke, dass die Russen natürlich genauso unter Druck stehen.

I think that the Russians are certainly under an equal amount of pressure.

Caption 13, Fußball - Die deutsche Nationalmannschaft

 Play Caption

 

auf etwas Rücksicht nehmen (to show consideration for):

 

Wenn die Menschen doch nur mehr Rücksicht aufeinander nehmen würden.

If only people would show more consideration for one another.

Caption 10, Rücksicht im Verkehr - Christophorus - Die Mission

 Play Caption

 

BANNER PLACEHOLDER

Learning Suggestions:

See if you can find out the proper English meanings for the following German expressions containing light verbs: eine Anwendung finden, in Verlegenheit geraten, eine Mitteilung machen, eine Wahl treffen, unter Beobachtung stehen, zu Ansehen gelangen, in Druck geben, sich in Abhängigkeit befinden, in Erfahrung bringen, in Auftrag geben, in Frage stellen.