German Idioms and Slang

As always, Yabla's German videos show how the language is spoken in a real world context, offering you a lively selection of idioms and slang. Here are some examples from this week's new videos.

So, dann geht's jetzt ans Eingemachte [umgangssprachlich].

So then, it's getting to the preserves [to the matter at hand].

Caption 3, Pastewka - Cantz fährt betrunken Auto
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In its standard definition, the noun das Eingemachte means canned or jarred food preserves (especially fruit), but in slang usage it means "getting to the matter at hand." An English equivalent might be "getting down to brass tacks."

Frau Korff verarscht uns nach Strich und Faden.

Ms. Korff is fooling us after stitch and thread [idiom, thoroughly].

Caption 14, Großstadtrevier - Von Monstern und Mördern
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The idiom of doing something nach Strich und Faden means to do something very thoroughly. There are no equivalents in English related to sewing, but a literary translation of this might be "to go through something with a fine-toothed comb."

Mann, jetzt halt' doch einfach mal die Fresse.

Man, now simply just shut your mouth.

Caption 38, Pastewka - Cantz fährt betrunken Auto
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The noun die Fresse, described by Duden dictionary as derb ("coarse" or "crude"), means the mouth or the face. It is derived from the verb fressen, which means "to devour," but is also used as the verb "to eat" when referring to animals. The phrase die Fresse halten, or literally "hold your mouth," is a definite request to stop talking!

Further Learning
Brush up on your German idioms on this Wikipedia page and go to German Yabla to find the phrases used in context in some Yabla videos.