The standard negation in German — when you say that something is "not" by using nicht — is relatively straightforward for native English speakers. Although its placement in a sentence may differ from English, often falling at the end of a sentence (Ich liebe dich... nicht!), it usually parallels the use of the English word "not." A standard German phrase combined with the preposition ohne ("without") might read:
Das ist nicht ohne Risiko.
This is not without risk.
Caption 14, Die letzten Paradiese - Die Schönheit der Alpen 1
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Nee, nee, nee, mein Lieber, nicht ohne dich.
No, no, no, my dear, not without you.
Caption 75, Großstadtrevier - St. Pauli rettet HSV
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Und da bin ich nicht ohne Sorge.
And there I'm not without worries.
Caption 60, Holocaust-Gedenktag - Gespräch mit jüdischen Schülern
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Note that in the above cases, the phrase nicht ohne has an object that defines what is lacking, in the above examples Risiko, dich, and Sorge respectively. But what does it mean when somebody says nicht ohne without an object? To say "Oh, that's not without" in English is a sentence fragment with no clear meaning.
To say nicht ohne with no defined object in German, however, is an idiomatic or slang usage that has been in use since at least the 17th century, according to the Redensarten-Index website. To leave a word out of a sentence is what's known in linguistics as an ellipsis. This particular ellipsis is more difficult to immediately understand than most of those in English, however.
Ein Radfahrer... Das ist nicht ohne.
A bicyclist... That is difficult.
Caption 22, Knallerfrauen - Mathehausaufgaben
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Mein Fahrgestell ist nämlich auch nicht ganz ohne.
My undercarriage isn't exactly without its dangers, either.
Caption 27, Oskar - Gehen, wenn es am schönsten ist - Nur die Liebe zählt
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Thus, depending upon the specific context, the phrase nicht ohne can mean that something is difficult, dangerous, or to be taken seriously.
Further Learning
Read the above link for the Redensarten-Index and search for more examples of nicht ohne on Yabla German to see other ways that the phrase can be used in German sentences.
One of the most common mistakes that native German speakers make when translating the preposition seit to English is to always render it as "since," but in contexts where the English word is meant to be used to indicate the passing of a period of time, it should usually be translated as "for." The mistake seems to be common with Europeans speaking English, as I hear it regularly on the streets and in cafés and restaurants in Berlin, where so many Europeans are speaking English as a lingua franca.
Yes, I have been going there since (correct: for) many years.
We've been wanting to visit Paris since (correct: for) at least a decade.
I have lived in Berlin since (correct: for) 16 years.
It's easy to see how this mistake is made, as the German sentence uses the word seit and as it's actually correct to use "since" if a specific year is used in the same sentences:
Yes, I have been going there since 2018.
We've been wanting to visit Paris since at least 2012.
I have lived in Berlin since 2006.
Here are some examples of seit used on Yabla German with the correct English translations "for" and "since." Note the way that the context of each sentence changes which English word is used.
„Mir ist so“, maulte Piggeldy, „als tue ich das schon seit Tagen!“
"For me it's like," muttered Piggeldy, "as if I have already been doing this for days!"
Caption 11, Piggeldy und Frederick - Wanderdüne
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Seit Montag wird das Lied im Radio gespielt.
The song has been playing on the radio since Monday.
Caption 33, Liza - Ein Lied für Opel
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Sie schreibt ihr Referat, an dem sie schon seit zwei Wochen arbeitet.
She is writing her paper that she has been working on for two weeks.
Caption 15, Deutschkurs in Blaubeuren - Relativsätze mit Präpositionen
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Seit vergangener Woche hat die Kranich-Airline nun ihren ersten gebrandeten A dreihundertachtzig in Betrieb.
Since last week, the crane airline has now had its first branded A three hundred and eighty at work.
Caption 9, Rund um den Flughafen - Der neue Airbus A-380
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Na ja, ich krieg' ja seit Monaten keine Wochenendzeitungen mehr.
Oh well, I haven't been getting a weekend newspaper for months.
Caption 8, Großstadtrevier - Von Monstern und Mördern
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OK, ihr seid jetzt seit April in Deutschland, ja?
OK, you have been in Germany now since April, right?
Caption 1, Deutschkurs in Blaubeuren - Relativsätze mit Präpositionen
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Ich spiel' jetzt schon seit zehn Jahren Handball.
I've been playing handball for ten years now.
Caption 7, Jenny und Alena - Handball
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Also, die Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie gibt es seit dem Jahr zweitausend-und-acht.
Well, the sustainability strategy has been there since the year two thousand eight.
Caption 37, Rheinmain im Blick - Nachhaltigkeit
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A general rule of thumb is to translate seit as "since" if it refers to a specific date such as a year, month, or day of the week. If it is referring to a length of time, such as "many years," then seit is usually translated as "for."
Further Learning
Compare other contexts in which seit is used on Yabla German and study some other uses of the word in which the preposition seit can also be translated as "because."
Have you ever seen "Berlin" as the verb berlinern? It means to speak with a Berlin dialect. Now you may not necessarily want to learn to speak like a waschechter Berliner (Berlin native), but it's good to get your ears around hearing it a bit so it's easier to understand! This week we'll go through some sample videos of people speaking Berlinerisch. Here are some of the main features of the dialect.
Ick (or icke) instead of ich:
Ick [ich] hab' die alle manipuliert, ick hab' die alle manipuliert.
I've manipulated them all, I've manipulated them all.
Caption 17, Rapucation - Lernen durch Rapmusik
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Wat instead of was:
Und Bananen, so wat [so was] fressen bei uns nur die Affen, du Affe.
And bananas, only apes devour stuff like that where we live, you ape.
Caption 60, Die Klasse - Berlin '61
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Keen and weeß instead of kein and weiß; in fact, most standard German "ei" sounds are pronounced as "ee":
Alle keen [kein] Zuhause oder wat [was]? -[„Die Anstalt“, Regie: Axel Bock]
All of you don't have a home or what? -["The Institution", directed by Axel Bock]
Caption 53, Alexander Hauff - Showreel
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Dett [dass] ick [ich] nicht deine Geliebte bin, weeß [weiß] ick [ich] och [auch].
I do know that I'm not your lover.
Caption 14, Mathieu Carriere - Ein Mann will nach oben
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You probably noticed too that dass in the above is spoken as dett and auch as och: a translation to standard German would be: Dass ich nicht deine Geliebte bin, weiß ich auch.
Another typical feature of Berlinerisch is that the hard German "g" is rendered as a soft German "j": janz jenau!
Sind janz [ganz] schön viele. -Bärbel.
That is a whole lot. -Bärbel.
Caption 12, Die Klasse - Berlin '61
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There are also a number of words that are unique to Berlin, such as der Kiez instead of die Nachbarschaft:
Gitarrist Jürgen Ehle wohnt seit fünfundzwanzig Jahren
Guitarist Jürgen Ehle has lived for twenty-five years
in dem Kiez und schwelgt in Erinnerungen.
in the neighborhood, and luxuriates in memories.
Captions 3-4, Pankow - Rolling Stones des Ostens
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Further Learning
Read the German Wikipedia page about the Berlin dialect and look for some of the unique Berlin words on Yabla German to accustom yourself to understanding it.
It's good to get familiar with the phrase je nach (and je nachdem), which is usually translated as "according to" or "depending on." Here are some examples.
Ähm, wir haben natürlich je nach Film junge Pärchen da.
Um, we have, of course, depending on the film, young couples here.
Wir haben, ähm, die Actionfans da.
We have, um, the action fans here.
Caption 22, Autokino - Gravenbruch
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Wenn die fünfhundert Gramm Mehl abgewogen sind,
When the five hundred grams of flour are measured out,
kann man je nach Belieben noch eine Prise Salz hinzugeben.
you can also, according to taste, add a pinch of salt.
Captions 7-8, Bayrische Spätzle - mit Christiane
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Je nach der Branche, in der man arbeiten möchte,
Depending on the field that you would like to work in,
kann man auch Arbeitsproben oder die Referenzen der letzten Arbeitgeber hinzufügen.
you can also add work samples or the references from the previous employers.
Captions 30-31, Eva erklärt - Bewerbungen
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Stimmt nicht! Flüchtlinge bekommen je nach Situation eine Bleibe und Versorgung
Not true! Refugees receive, according to their situation, shelter and provisions
im Wert von zweihundertsiebenundachtzig bis dreihundertneunundfünfzig Euro pro Monat.
at a value of two hundred eighty-seven to three hundred fifty-nine euros per month.
Captions 7-8, Flüchtlingskrise - 10 Vorurteile, die nicht stimmen
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Darin enthalten sind allerdings noch nicht die Kosten für das Autogramm,
However, this still does not include the cost of the autograph,
so werden je nach Bekanntheitsgrad des Schauspielers
so depending on the level of fame of the actor,
schnell bis zu zweihundert Euro für die Fan-Erinnerung fällig.
up to two hundred euros can be soon owed for the fan memento.
Captions 12-14, Star Wars - Treffen der Fangemeinde
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Historisch hatten die entweder Leder
Historically, they had either leather
oder halt, äh, Turban, und gewickelt,
or just, uh, a turban and wrapped it around,
je nachdem, wo sie beim Militär waren.
according to where they served in the military.
Captions 17-19, Mit Schwert und Schild - Gladiatorenschule in Trier
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Je nachdem is correct when it is followed by a subordinate clause as is the above case, whereas je nach dem is only correct when followed by a masculine or neuter noun – and only when the definite article is mentioned, which is usually not the case (for example, you would never say je nach dem Belieben; only je nach Belieben is correct). Je nach dem is, for example, correct in je nach dem zugrunde liegenden Gedanken.
Further Learning
Write down some example sentences in English using "according to" and "depending on" and translate them into German. You can ask your teacher or a classmate to check your work for you. You can also go to Yabla German and find some other examples of sentences using je nach.
New Year's Eve is just around the corner! We at Yabla wish you einen guten Rutsch and hope to contribute to your festivities with some relevant vocabulary.
Eine kurze Frage: Wie feiern Sie Weihnachten? -Mit der Familie.
A quick question: How do you celebrate Christmas? -With the family.
Caption 10, Weihnachtsinterviews - Diane in Karlsruhe
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Wir werden wahrscheinlich mit ein paar Freunden feiern.
We will probably celebrate with a few friends.
Caption 5, Silvester - Vorsätze für das neue Jahr - Karlsruhe
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The noun die Feier is used for a party or celebration, although it's normal to hear die Party as well. You may remember from our recent newsletter that the preposition auf is used: Wir gehen auf eine Party for "We're going to a party," and Wir sind auf einer Party for "We're at a party."
Hauptsache sie haben Spaß. -Hauptsache: Party und schöne Stimmung!
The main thing is that they have fun. -The main thing: party and good vibes!
Caption 63, Fastnacht - Karneval - Karnevalisten
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Und natürlich drückt das auf die Partystimmung.
And, of course, that puts a damper on the party atmosphere.
Caption 60, Heute-Show - 30 Jahre Mauerfall: So feiern die Deutschen ihre Einheit
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Fun fact: die Stimmung can refer to instruments being in tune, but also means "mood" or "atmosphere."
And finally, a slang usage related to celebration is Lass es krachen!, which literally means "Make noise!"
Also, dann wünsch ich dir viel Spaß.
So, then I hope you have a lot of fun.
-Danke schön. -Und lass es krachen!
-Thank you. -And make some noise!
Caption 17, Fasching - mit Cettina
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Further Learning
For more about New Year's Eve in Germany, you can do a quick search for our related videos on Yabla German. You can also review our previous newsletters on the topic: Learn about the origins of the word Silvester and make a few New Year's resolutions in German!
For the last weeks, many Germans have been visiting Christmas markets, opening the windows of their advent calendars, and celebrating Nikolaus. Tomorrow night is Christmas Eve, which is called der Heiligabend or der Heilige Abend in German. Let's look at some vocabulary associated with Christmas Eve traditions.
Many families in Germany will have gotten a Christmas tree and decorated it in time for Christmas Eve. A Christmas tree can be referred to as der Tannenbaum (which is simply "the fir tree"), der Weihnachtsbaum, or der Christbaum.
Jetzt schmücken wir den Baum noch mit ein paar goldenen Kugeln.
Now we'll decorate the tree with a few golden balls.
Caption 57, Frohe Weihnachten - der Christbaum
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In Germany, it is traditional to exchange gifts on Christmas Eve rather than the next morning. The exchange of gifts is known as die Bescherung.
Wie machen Sie das mit der Bescherung?
How do you do your gift exchange?
Caption 7, Weihnachtsinterviews - Diane in Karlsruhe
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Families may go to mass as part of their Christmas Eve tradition:
Meistens gehen wir auch vorher... vorher noch in die Kirche.
Usually we also still go beforehand... to church beforehand.
Caption 37, Weihnachtsinterviews - Cettina in Linkenheim
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A traditional Christmas Eve meal in Germany is rather simple, consisting of either fish, or sausages with potato salad. The large Christmas feast is generally eaten on Christmas day. Throughout these days, there are also many sweets that are typically consumed. For more information on these, we would suggest watching the following video by Eva:
Nachdem ich euch ein typisches deutsches Weihnachtsessen gezeigt habe,
After I've shown you a typical German Christmas meal,
kommen wir nun zum Wichtigsten, nämlich den Weihnachtsnaschereien.
we now come to the most important [thing], namely, the Christmas goodies.
Captions 9-10, Weihnachtsessen - mit Eva
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Further Learning
For more holiday vocabulary, check out our recent blog post. There are a number of individual videos on Yabla German that will certainly get you into the Christmas spirit. Listen to a traditional Christmas song, see Krampus parade around at the Christmas market in Munich, and watch some Germans decorate a Christmas tree under water. Or watch one of our feature films, such as Ein Sack voll Gold or Weihnachtsmann gesucht, starring a young Christoph Waltz!
The words "somebody," "someone," "anybody," and "anyone" are indefinite pronouns that are usually translated as jemand in German. The indefinite pronoun jemand is similar to the definite pronouns I (ich), you (Sie or du), we (wir), or they (sie), but is referring to an indefinite rather than specific person.
Just like the definite pronouns in German, jemand is also subject to changing its form when used in the dative case after prepositions like nach, zu, mit or von. In the dative case, jemand gets an additional -em ending:
Sie suchen nach jemandem für ihre Marketingabteilung.
They're looking for someone for their marketing department.
Caption 8, Berufsleben - das Vorstellungsgespräch
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Es ist lange her, dass ich so eine Verbindung zu jemandem gespürt habe.
It's been a long time since I felt such a connection to anyone.
Caption 53, Die Wohngemeinschaft - Die Verabredung
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Habt ihr mit jemandem Probleme, sagt's ihm ins Gesicht
If you have problems with someone, tell him to his face
Caption 57, Golo - Smile
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Der Vorschlag müsste von jemandem kommen.
The proposal would have to come from someone.
Caption 46, Pastewka - Neue Serie für Kessler
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This is also true when the sentence structure requires the dative case, such as when you give somebody something:
Jemandem einen Korb geben.
To give someone a basket.
Caption 17, Eva erklärt - Sprichwörter
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The above expression usually is an idiom that means you are rejecting something that has been offered. Another figure of speech that you may already know is:
Und wenn ich jemandem die Daumen drücke,
And if I press my thumbs for someone,
dann wünsche ich der Person ganz viel Glück.
then I'm wishing the person a whole lot of luck.
Captions 28-29, Eva erklärt - Redewendungen
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Further Learning
Look for other examples of how jemandem is used in a real-world context on Yabla German and try devising some sentences of your own using jemandem and have a fellow student check your work! If you're feeling brave you can explore the related expressions irgendjemandem and irgendwem!
This week, we will conclude our five-part series on how to express movement from one place to another in German — in other words, translations of the preposition "to." We have looked at instances in which nach, in, an, and auf are used for this purpose, and now it's time for the preposition zu.
There are a few things to know about the preposition zu. First of all, it is always followed by the dative, even when used to express movement! This means you will often see zum, which is a combination of zu + dem for when a masculine or neuter object follows, and zur, which combines zu + der for a female object (again, it is always dative).
Kuckt mal, jetzt gehen wir mal zur Mauer und kucken uns die mal an.
Look, now let's go to the Wall and take a look at it.
Caption 7, 25 Jahre Mauerfall - Bürger Lars Dietrich erinnert sich
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Am nächsten Tag geht er zur Schule.
The next day, he goes to school.
Caption 16, Sabine erzählt Witze - Ein Satz
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Und wer von der Politik genug gesehen hat,
And anyone who has seen enough of politics
kann einfach weiterflanieren,
can just continue strolling,
zum Beispiel zurück zum Potsdamer Platz.
for example, back to Potsdamer Platz.
Captions 38-39, Berlin - Hauptstadt des vereinten Deutschland
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Zu is the most widely used preposition to express "to" and it can often (but not always) substitute for in, an, and auf. We can say Ich gehe ins Fitnessstudio, but also Ich gehe zum Fitnessstudio. Both Ich gehe auf den Markt and Ich gehe zum Markt are correct. However, sometimes only zu is correct and sometimes it can't be used at all. Ich fahre ins Restaurant doesn't sound right because you aren't literally going to drive your car into the restaurant. With the verb fahren it's better to use zum Restaurant.
There is an instance in which zu is used exclusively and you have likely already come across it. You may know that zu Hause sein means "to be at home" and nach Hause gehen is "to go home." But when we talk about visiting someone at their home, we always use zu and it is actually very simple.
Ich gehe um elf zu Lisa.
I'm going to Lisa's at eleven.
Caption 16, Nicos Weg - A2 Folge 5: Geld ist für mich…
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Aber jetzt gehen wir erst mal zu deiner Tante.
But first let's go to your aunt's now.
Caption 22, Nicos Weg - A1 Folge 23: Ich habe kein…
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Further Learning
Re-read the other parts of this series of lessons linked in the first paragraph. You can keep a running list of how you see the preposition "to" translated on Yabla German, or make a list of places and try to say "I'm going to ____" for each one in German. Here are some sentences you can translate to get started: "I'm going to the park," "I'm going to the restaurant," "I'm driving to the beach," "I'm taking the train to Munich," "I'm going to Ana's house," "I'm getting into the car," "I'm going to the market," "I'm going home." Consider: which of these can also be said in German using zu?
You may be familiar with auf as a preposition meaning "on" or "for." However, like the prepositions nach, in, and an, there are times when its meaning is "to" (accusative) and "at" (dative) and you will see it translated as such.
Viele machen sich's gemütlich zu Hause oder sie gehen auf eine Party.
Many people will make themselves comfortable at home or they will go to a party.
Caption 93, Silvester - Vorsätze für das neue Jahr - Linkenheim
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Yes, in German we say auf eine Party gehen ("to go to a party") and also auf eine Hochzeit gehen ("to go to a wedding").
There are certain public places for which auf is used as well. In the sentence below, der Markt refers to the consumer market, but you would also say Ich gehe auf den Markt to tell your friend that you are going to an outdoor farmer's market, and Ich bin auf dem Markt (with dative) once you have arrived there.
Und einige der neuen Fahrzeuge, die jetzt auf den Markt kommen,
And you will see some of the new vehicles that are now coming on to the market
werden Sie erstmals bei dieser IAA sehen.
for the first time at this IAA.
Captions 44-45, Internationale Automobilausstellung - IAA in Frankfurt öffnet die Pforten
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As you might imagine, auf is also used when we will end up on or on top of something. If you remember our previous newsletter on the preposition in, the second example below might be quite confusing. But indeed, we say in die Berge when driving into/towards the mountains and auf den Berg when referring to climbing a single mountain.
Die Aktivisten kletterten über Kräne auf das Dach des Gebäudes.
The activists climbed via cranes onto the roof of the building.
Caption 8, Atomkraft - Streit um AKW-Laufzeiten
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Am besten steigen wir auf den Berg.
It's best if we climb the mountain.
Caption 9, JoNaLu - Ein Tag am Meer
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And finally, auf is also used with islands.
Die Urlauber, die jetzt auf die Insel kommen, lassen sich den Wind um die Nase pusten.
The vacationers who come now to the island let the wind blow over their faces.
Caption 2, Die Insel Fehmarn - Gästeboom
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Further Learning
Other places and nouns that are commonly paired with the preposition auf when they are the destination include der Spielplatz, der Fußballplatz, der Fluss, die Messe, and der Turm. Don't forget that auf is also a two-way preposition, so you will also see it used with the dative on Yabla German to describe location.
After looking at the two-way preposition in last week, let's continue our series with an. This preposition is also a two-way preposition and is used in a multitude of contexts, including with the accusative case to express movement from one place to another.
We use an rather than nach or in in some contexts where we will end up next to or to the side of something rather than in or on it.
Sarah, komm du doch mal bitte an die Tafel.
Sarah, come up to the blackboard, please.
Caption 5, Bundesländer und ihre Spezialitäten - Baden-Württemberg
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Ich gehe rüber ans Fenster
I go over to the window
Caption 5, Philipp Poisel - Wie soll ein Mensch das ertragen?
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An is also used when we are going to a place that forms a boundary or edge. In particular, you can memorize an die Küste and an den Strand.
Natali und Florian zieht es zunächst an die Küste Cornwalls.
Natali and Florian proceed first to the coast of Cornwall.
Caption 28, Abenteuer Nordsee - Unter Riesenhaien und Tintenfischen
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In dieser Nacht segelten sie zurück an den Strand von Troja.
That night they sailed back to the beach of Troy.
Caption 80, Märchen - Sagenhaft - Das Trojanische Pferd
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Eine neue Hiobsbotschaft
A new piece of bad news
ist die plötzliche Abberufung Tresckows an die Ostfront.
is the sudden recall of Tresckow to the Eastern Front.
Captions 80-81, Die Stunde der Offiziere - Dokudrama über den 20. Juli 1944
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Und man davonfliegen möchte, so leicht wie eine kleine, weiße Feder,
And you would like to fly away, as light as a little white feather
bis ans Ende der Welt.
to the end of the world.
Captions 32-33, Piggeldy und Frederick - Das Fernweh
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Further Learning
Other places/nouns that are commonly paired with the preposition an when they are the destination include die Kreuzung (the intersection), die Wand (the wall), and die Grenze (the border). With all three of these examples, an + the accusative is only used when the barrier is NOT being crossed or traversed and it is simply a matter of going/driving/walking "up to" it. When you see an on Yabla German, you can quickly note whether it's being used with the accusative to mean "to" or with the dative to mean "at" or "on." Don't forget, however, that an also appears in contexts that have nothing to do with going or being anywhere (for example, an etwas denken).
In last week's newsletter on the preposition nach, we also looked at a few instances in which in is used to express going to a place, specifically for certain countries. In is also used to talk about going into town (in die Stadt), and actually also to talk about going into the mountains (in die Berge) and into the forest (in den Wald).
Ich als Hamburger bin hier eigentlich als Flachlandtiroler bekannt
As a resident of Hamburg, I am actually known as a "flatland Tyrolean"
und dennoch zieht es mich immer wieder in die Berge.
and yet I am still repeatedly drawn to the mountains.
Captions 3-4, 48 h in Innsbruck - Sehenswürdigkeiten & Tipps
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In is a two-way preposition. With the accusative case, it is used to express movement towards a place — i.e. the English preposition "to." You wouldn't know it from the examples above, but one pattern you can note is that it is actually often used when the goal is an indoor location that you will spend time in. It is perhaps somewhat similar to how we sometimes use the preposition "into" in English.
Wir gehen total gerne ins Kino.
We really like going to the cinema.
Caption 50, Anja Polzer - Interview
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Ich erinner' mich, wie wir nach der Schule immer in den Laden gekommen sind.
I remember how we used to always come into the shop after school.
Caption 29, Malerei - Benno Treiber
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Wir sind jeden Morgen in die Schule gefahren nach West-Berlin.
We rode to West Berlin to school every morning.
Caption 44, Die Klasse - Berlin '61
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Note how in das is shortened to ins in the first example above. This is a common contraction.
When speaking about getting into a car or boarding a bus or train, you can also use the preposition in, as the implication is that you will spend time inside.
Und ich würd jetzt sagen, wir steigen jetzt ins Auto.
And I would now say, we'll get in the car now.
Caption 27, Sallys Tortenwelt und Kochwelt - Backen mit Kindern & Auftritt bei Radio Rumms
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Other phrases with the preposition in to memorize include ins Bett gehen:
Ich lese gleich noch ein Buch für die Schule und dann geh ich ins Bett.
I'm going to read a book for school now and then I'll go to bed.
Caption 21, Nicos Weg - A1 Folge 31: Am Sonntag koche ich
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In German, there are a number of prepositions that can be translated as "to" to express movement from one place to another: nach, zu, in, an, and auf. Often it is difficult to know which one to use in what context and with what type of place, and you simply have to memorize certain patterns. This week, let's begin with the preposition nach.
We use nach when the destination is a city, and also for most countries. However, there are some exceptions to this in which in is used with countries, for example, with die Türkei, die Schweiz, and die Vereinigten Staaten (As you may remember, some countries have genders in German). And keep in mind that the preposition in is used when the destination is die Stadt ("the city" or "the town") or das Dorf ("the village").
Ihre Nachkommen wanderten auch nach Italien und Österreich aus.
Their offspring also migrated to Italy and Austria.
Caption 26, Alpenseen - Kühle Schönheiten
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Er will in die Schweiz reisen. Schön, was noch?
He wants to travel to Switzerland. Nice, what else?
Caption 37, Deutschkurs in Tübingen - Über jemanden sprechen
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Hi, ich bin Marie. Ich bin gerade mit Julia nach Berlin gezogen.
Hi, I'm Marie. I just moved to Berlin with Julia.
Caption 3, Die Wohngemeinschaft - Besuch
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Eines Tages machte sich der Kaufmann auf den Weg in die Stadt, um Geld zu verdienen.
One day, the Merchant set out for town in order to earn some money.
Caption 9, Märchen - Sagenhaft - Die Schöne und das Biest
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Nach is also used for cardinal directions and with "left," "right," "up," and "down."
Es drehte sich nach links... -Und du? -und dann nach rechts.
He turned to the left... -And you? -and then to the right.
Caption 18, Meine Freundin Conni - Conni schläft im Kindergarten
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Der Russe dreht mit starken Kräften westlich der Düna nach Norden ein.
The Russians are turning west of the Daugava River towards the north with strong forces.
Caption 25, Die Stunde der Offiziere - Dokudrama über den 20. Juli 1944
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Another rule: while we say "go/drive/come home" in English, the equivalent phrase in German has a preposition: nach Hause + verb.
Und als der Bär nach Hause kam, machten sie sich einen gemütlichen Abend.
And when the bear came home, they had a cozy evening.
Captions 37-38, Janoschs Traumstunde - Post für den Tiger
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Further Learning
We will cover the other prepositions used to express movement from one place to another in coming newsletters. Pay attention to how "to" is translated with various places and directions on Yabla German and stay tuned!
A sentence construction with das sind... followed by a plural noun is a bit confusing at first, but it's very common in spoken German. At first you might be tempted to translate it literally, but with "that are" (sic), you'll find the singular subject and the plural verb to be in disagreement. That's because the demonstrative pronouns das and dies are not inflected by the plural of the verb sein ("to be").
So it's more natural for a native German to say Das sind Hans und Grete. This can sound a bit strange when you're first learning German.
Nein, das hier sind keine mutierten Gartenzwerge.
No, these here are no mutated garden gnomes.
Caption 1, „Mini-Marxe“ - In Trier
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Immer dran denken: Das sind alles Verben, die einen Akkusativ brauchen.
Always remember: they are all verbs that require the accusative case.
Caption 31, Deutschkurs in Tübingen - Fragen
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Das sind nun die Zutaten für unseren Apfelkuchen.
These are now the ingredients for our apple cake.
Caption 3, Apfelkuchen - mit Eva
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Das sind oft nur wenige Pfennige und man bekommt das Geld natürlich wieder.
Often these are just a few pennies and you get the money back, of course.
Caption 34, Eva erklärt - Mülltrennung
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And here are a couple of examples using dies sind:
Dies sind nur ganz wenige Ausschnitte aus dem zurückliegenden Jahr.
These are just a very few excerpts from the previous year.
Caption 8, Angela Merkel - Neujahrsansprache
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Dies sind Hinterlassenschaften eines Krokodils.
These are the remains of a crocodile.
Caption 10, Ausgrabungen - Auf den Spuren der Dinosaurier
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Further Learning
Look for more examples of das sind on Yabla German to see the phrase used in a real-world context.
Whether we are referring to our stuff on a nearby chair or a serious matter that needs to be discussed, there are several words in German that can be helpful. Most of them can be used in a number of contexts, but there are a few things to be aware of.
Sachen is a very versatile word, and can be used to refer to physical items but also matters and topics. Of course, das Thema is a more common word for "the topic."
Und ja, ich räume meine Sachen nicht immer sofort weg.
And yes, I don't always clean up my stuff away right away.
Caption 29, Die Wohngemeinschaft - Probleme
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Hier gibt es viele verschiedene Sachen für die Familie und für die Kinder zu sehen.
Here there are many different things for the family and for the children to see.
Caption 8, Berlin - Domäne Dahlem
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Fazit: In Sachen Hamburger hat die Hauptstadt auf jeden Fall mehr zu bieten.
Conclusion: When it comes to hamburgers, the capital city definitely has more to offer.
Caption 25, Berlin - Die beste Auswahl an Hamburgern
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Der Gegenstand is used to refer to a physical object or item, but also a topic of conversation or debate. And, of course, there is also the word das Objekt. In shopping, der Artikel ("the item") and die Ware are more likely to be used.
Auch hier handelt es sich um einen runden Gegenstand.
Also here it is about a round object.
Caption 34, Eva zeigt uns - Formen
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Slang terms for "stuff" or "odds and ends" are der Kram and das Zeug.
So viele Spinnweben und so viel Kram
So many cobwebs and so much stuff
Caption 11, Silbermond - Leichtes Gepäck
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Diese Box wird für Bücher, dieser Karton wird für das Zeug aus der Küche sein.
This box will be for books, this carton will be for stuff from the kitchen.
Caption 14, Drei Leute - beim Kofferpacken
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The word das Ding is, of course, also commonly used, and not just for objects.
Wir testen die Dinger jetzt schon seit Monaten.
We've been testing the things for months already.
Caption 30, Die Stunde der Offiziere - Dokudrama über den 20. Juli 1944
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Ich habe entschieden, die Dinge selbst in die Hände [sic, Hand] zu nehmen.
I have decided to take matters into my own hands.
Caption 6, Berufsleben - Probleme mit Mitarbeitern
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The plural forms die Dinger and die Dinge are both used. Generally, die Dinger refers to multiple things of the same kind, whereas die Dinge refers to multiple things of different kinds.
Further Learning
Das Thema, die Sache, das Objekt, der Artikel, die Ware, der Gegenstand, der Kram, das Zeug, and das Ding: Yabla German has many examples of all of these words, as they are commonly used. Go through them and make sure you know which are only used for non-physical ideas, topics, and matters, which are exclusively for physical objects, and which are applicable in both contexts. Making a venn diagram may be a good strategy!
Both fürchten and befürchten mean "to be afraid" in some sense, and although it's a bit confusing at first, have no fear! Let's first take a look at some of the differences, starting with fürchten:
Es war richtig gewesen, den Wolf zu fürchten,
It had been right to fear the Wolf,
und richtig sich deshalb ein Steinhaus zu bauen.
and therefore right to build a stone house.
Captions 80-81, Märchen - Sagenhaft - Die drei kleinen Schweinchen
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Denn ihn fürchten sie: den Adler.
For it is the one they fear: the eagle.
Caption 19, Die letzten Paradiese - Die Schönheit der Alpen 2
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The verb fürchten is usually translated as "to fear" and can be used to describe the state of having real fear, of being truly afraid of something like a dangerous animal. But it can also be used to show fear of a situation:
Viele Demonstranten fürchten,
Many demonstrators fear
dass Minderheiten in den USA nun kein Gehör mehr finden.
that minorities in the USA will now no longer be heard.
Captions 41-42, Tagesschau - Amtseinführung von Donald Trump
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The verb fürchten is also often used reflexively:
Ich trag' mein Licht und fürcht' mich nicht...
I'm carrying my light and have no fear...
Caption 3, Sankt Martin - Das Laternenlied
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Therefore, ich fürchte mich is another way of saying ich habe Angst or "I am afraid," and afraid in a serious way.
The verb befürchten, on the other hand, is never used reflexively and is generally used in situations where you're not literally afraid or having serious fears, but rather in situations where you are merely worried about something.
Sie befürchtete, dass ihr Herr noch immer in Gefahr war.
She was afraid that her lord was still in danger.
Caption 71, Märchen - Sagenhaft - Ali Baba und die 40 Räuber
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This could also have been translated that "she was worried" about her lord.
Es ist, wie ich befürchtet hatte.
It is as I had feared.
Caption 10, Oskar - Gehen, wenn es am schönsten ist - Nur vier Wochen
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So even though befürchten is translated here as "to fear," it could equally have been translated as "to expect" with the implied connotation of expecting a negative development.
Unfortunately, sometimes even native German speakers use fürchten (to fear) as a way of exaggerating a circumstance where befürchten (to be worried about) would be more appropriate, and also vice versa. The German Duden dictionary, the standard for the German language, is quite clear on its definitions of the two words, however. To reiterate: fürchten should generally be used to express real, direct fears, and befürchten in milder situations to express worry.
Further Learning
Translate these Duden definitions of fürchten and befürchten, then go to Yabla German and find some more examples of videos using these verbs.
1. vor jemandem, etwas Angst haben; Unangenehmes ahnen, befürchten
2. Furcht empfinden, Angst haben
3. sich vor der Prüfung fürchten
4. vor jemandem Ehrfurcht haben
befürchten (only one definition):
(etwas Unangenehmes, was vielleicht eintrete könnte) aufgrund bestimmter Anzeichen oder intuitiv erwarten, kommen sehen.
This week, let's review the vocabulary in German for political and geographical subdivisions. We will start from the largest subdivisions and proceed to the smallest.
Dann natürlich auch, um 'nen fremden Kontinent kennenzulernen,
Then of course also in order to get to know an unfamiliar continent,
weil man aufm Fahrrad eigentlich so nah dran ist wie sonst nicht, wenn man reist.
because on the bicycle you actually are so much closer to it than when you otherwise travel.
Captions 14-15, Mountainbiken - Auf dem Anden-Trail
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Welches Land ist ein Nachbarland von Deutschland?
Which country is a neighboring country of Germany?
Caption 27, Bundesrepublik Deutschland - Einbürgerungstest - Part 14
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Die Region zwischen Amrum und Sylt wurde wegen der Meeressäuger unter Schutz gestellt.
The region between Amrum and Sylt was placed under protection because of the marine mammals.
Caption 2, Abenteuer Nordsee - Unter Riesenhaien und Tintenfischen
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You probably already know the word die Stadt ("the city") and related words like die Hauptstadt or die Großstadt. The word der Staat is not to be confused with die Stadt. Although the United States is die Vereinigten Staaten in German, the word used for a federal state is generally das Bundesland. Der Staat is more often used when referring to something being done or provided by the federal or state government.
Es ist sein erster Besuch in Berlin als Präsident der Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika.
It is his first visit to Berlin as the president of the United States of America.
Caption 4, Angela Merkel - Gemeinsame Pressekonferenz mit Barack Obama
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Der Staat muss die Gesetze einhalten.
The state has to abide by the laws.
Caption 4, Bundesrepublik Deutschland - Einbürgerungstest - Part 7
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In Deutschland gibt es in jedem Bundesland sogenannte Landeshauptstädte.
In Germany, there are so-called state capitals in each federal state.
Caption 15, Bundesländer und ihre Spezialitäten - Baden-Württemberg
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When speaking about a district of a city, or a "quarter," the German word is der Bezirk or der Stadtteil or das Viertel. The word der Kiez is used in certain cities on an informal basis to denote a particular part of a district that may even be just a few square blocks. In these places, it is much more commonly used than die Nachbarschaft.
Hallo, ich stehe hier am Eingang des Viktoriaparks im Berliner Stadtteil Kreuzberg.
Hello, I am standing here at the entrance of Viktoriapark in the Berlin district of Kreuzberg.
Caption 1, Berlin - Eva im Viktoriapark
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Gitarrist Jürgen Ehle wohnt seit fünfundzwanzig Jahren
Guitarist Jürgen Ehle has lived for twenty-five years
in dem Kiez und schwelgt in Erinnerungen.
in the neighborhood, and luxuriates in memories.
Captions 3-4, Pankow - Rolling Stones des Ostens
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In German, die Kleinstadt specifies a town rather than a city. To talk about rural life, there is das Dorf ("the village") and also die Gemeinde, which can be used for a rural community as well as an urban one.
Further Learning
Practice these words and their correct articles by describing where you live. Begin with the smallest area unit and progress until you are at continent level! Yabla German can provide more examples using these words if you get stuck on the declensions.
The usual German words for "flag" are die Fahne or die Flagge, and they're used in a number of idiomatic expressions, some of which parallel those in English.
Wir mussten die Flagge streichen.
We had to strike the flag.
The phrase die Flagge streichen can be used in the literal sense of striking or taking down a flag, but is more often used figuratively to mean "to give up," as in "We had to give up." Note that the verb streichen also means "to paint," but that won't be the case here!
Lass uns doch lieber von der Fahne gehen.
But let's rather go from the flag.
That is a literal translation, but von der Fahne gehen is usually used figuratively to mean "to give up" in the sense of leaving a project, or cause, or organization.
Sie stemmten das eiserne Stadttor auf und schwenkten eine weiße Flagge.
They pried open the iron city gate and waved a white flag.
Caption 48, Märchen - Sagenhaft - Die Weiber von Weinsberg
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This too is a literal translation, as the story is about an army surrendering, but as in English, "to wave a white flag" is also often used figuratively to mean "to give up."
Wir haben unsere Fahnen nach dem Wind gedreht.
We have changed according to the circumstances.
Literally translated, this would read "We've turned our flags to the wind," but is used figuratively to mean that one has followed popular opinion or adapted according to the circumstances. It's similar to the English expression "whichever way the wind blows" or "to see which way the wind is blowing." As in English, the phrase can also be used as a negative critique of somebody being opportunistic.
One of the more common idiomatic uses of die Fahne can sound very strange to English speakers:
Buah, hat er 'ne Fahne [Umgangssprache]? -Und wie! Cognac? -Feine Thunfischstückchen.
Ew, does he have a flag [slang, bad breath]? -And how! Cognac? -Fine little pieces of tuna fish.
Captions 52-53, Küss mich, Frosch - Frosch oder Mensch?
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Du hast ja eine tierische Fahne [umgangssprachlich].
You have a beastly flag [slang, stench of alcohol].
Ich fress' doch schon die ganze Zeit Pfefferminz.
I've been devouring peppermints the whole time.
Captions 14-15, Pastewka - Cantz fährt betrunken Auto
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You've probably gathered that they aren't literally talking about "having a flag." The phrase eine Fahne haben means "to have bad breath" and is usually associated with the smell of alcohol. The question Hast du eine Fahne? is a way of asking somebody if they've been drinking alcohol.
Further Learning
Look up the words die Flagge and die Fahne on Yabla German to see them used both literally and figuratively in a real-world context.
There are several words in German that convey the essential meaning of "however," even if they are not always translated as such. The primary words to look out for are allerdings, jedoch, and hingegen.
Dirk Nowitzki weiß allerdings, wo seine Wurzeln liegen.
Dirk Nowitzki knows, however, where his roots lie.
Caption 24, Basketball-Superstar - Dirk Nowitzki im Kino
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Allerdings scheiterte sein Fluchtversuch.
However, his attempt to flee failed.
Caption 7, 25 Jahre Mauerfall - Radtour durch die Geschichte
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Das Wahrzeichen ist jedoch das mit feuervergoldeten Kupferschindeln gedeckte Goldene Dachl.
The landmark, however, is the Goldenes Dachl [Golden Roof] covered with fire-gilded copper tiles.
Caption 31, 48 h in Innsbruck - Sehenswürdigkeiten & Tipps
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Der Eintrittspreis ist jedoch der alte geblieben.
The entry fee, however, stayed the same.
Caption 17, Autokino - Gravenbruch
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An anderen Orten und in anderen Ländern wird hingegen das Vieh geehrt.
In other places and countries, however, the cattle are honored.
Caption 21, Cettina erklärt - Pfingsten
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Der Bilderrahmen hingegen ist quadratisch, weil alle vier Seiten gleich lang sind.
The picture frame, however, is square, because all four sides are equally long.
Captions 40-41, Eva zeigt uns - Formen
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You may also see any of the words above translated as "at the same time," "on the other hand," or simply as "but." Similarly, aber and doch are occasionally translated as "however." Dennoch (translated as "nonetheless," "nevertheless," "however") and wiederum ("in turn," "on the other hand," "however") are two more words that have a similar function.
Further Learning
Pay attention to the various ways in which these words are translated on Yabla German and especially to the position of the word in the English sentence in comparison with the original German, as it may not be the same.
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