This week, we will look at more words that only differ by an umlaut. 

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As you know, the plural version of some nouns is formed with an umlaut. An example of this is die Mutter ("the mother") and die Mütter ("the mothers"). 

So, jetzt wollen wir mal andere Mütter fragen, was es für sie bedeutet, Mutter zu sein.

So, now we want to ask other mothers what it means to them to be a mother.

Captions 16-17, Cettina: interviewt Mütter

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However, some words take on a completely different meaning when an umlaut is added to one of the vowels. One classic example is schön ("pretty," "nice") and schon ("already," "indeed"). 

Immer wieder schön, dich wiederzusehen.

Always nice to see you again.

Caption 1, AnnenMayKantereit 3. Stock

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One difference in pronunciation that might take some practice is between schwul and schwül. The adjective schwül means "humid."

Da diese Abkürzung für lesbisch, schwul, bisexuell, transsexuell und queer steht.

Because this abbreviation stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer.

Caption 4, LGBTQ Gendern

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Whereas die Küchen is the plural of "kitchen," der Kuchen means "cake." 

Heute möchte ich mit euch einen Kuchen backen.

Today I would like to bake a cake with you.

Caption 2, Apfelkuchen: mit Eva

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The noun der Müll means "the garbage." Without an umlaut, der Mull refers to muslin or gauze. 

Wir haben fünfhundert Tüten Müll gesammelt.

We've collected five hundred bags of garbage.

Caption 9, Die Pfefferkörner: Endspurt

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Further Learning
A few more words you can look up are die Schranke vs. die Schränke, der Bär vs. die Bar or das Bar, and die Bürger vs. der Burger. Stuck on pronunciation? Listen to the words pronounced by native speakers in videos on Yabla German.

The German adjective fertig is especially interesting because of its slang usages. In standard usage, fertig is usually translated as "finished," "ready," or "done":

Nun brauche ich meinen fertigen Teig nur noch in die Form füllen.

Now I just have to fill my finished batter into the mold.

Caption 27, Apfelkuchen: mit Eva

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Die Apfelpfannkuchen sind nun fertig zum Servieren.

The apple pancakes are now ready to serve.

Caption 30, Apfelpfannkuchen: mit Alina und Sabine

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So, mein Apfelkuchen ist jetzt fertig.

So, my apple cake is now done.

Caption 37, Apfelkuchen: mit Eva

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But in its slang usages, fertig takes on different meanings. The phrase fix und fertig, for example, means to be worn out or exhausted:

Wir sind fix und fertig, hä?

We are worn out, huh?

Caption 4, Deutschkurs in Blaubeuren: Der Relativsatz

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Simply saying fertig in certain contexts also has the same meaning:

Also, ich bin so was von fertig.

Well, I am so completely exhausted.

Caption 67, Großstadtrevier: Von Monstern und Mördern

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The phrase fertig machen, which until the German language reform of 1996 was the freestanding verb fertigmachen, means “to get ready” or "to prepare" in its standard usage:

Ich muss noch duschen und mich fertig machen.
I still have to take a shower and get ready.

But in its slang usage, fertig machen has a range of meanings, from exhausting oneself all the way to the threat of physical violence:

Das macht mich fertig.

It's getting me down.

Caption 14, Deutsche Welle: Leben zwischen zwei Kulturen in Namibia

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Wenn er mit dem Zeug abhauen will, dann mache ich ihn fertig!

If he tries to make off with the stuff, I'll finish him off!

Caption 28, Die Pfefferkörner: Endspurt

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Further Learning
The adjective fertig is also a root word in a number of adjectives and adverbs that have very different meanings. Do you know the difference between leichtfertig and schlagfertig, for instance? If you are ready to go deeper into the topic, take a look at this extensive list of German words containing fertig—but be aware that there are a lot of them. Mach dich doch nicht fertig dabei!

Although perhaps less so this year, December is often a month of visiting and hosting. As the year comes to an end, let's have a look at some vocabulary related to spending time with loved ones. 

You likely know the German verb besuchen ("to visit"). The noun der Besuch can mean "the visit," but also means "the visitor"/"the visitors." You can also say der Gastgeber / die Gastgeberin for "the host" and der Gast / die Gäste for "the guest"/"the guests." 

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Nun muss ich nur noch auf meinen Besuch warten.

Now I just have to wait for my visitors.

Caption 38, Apfelkuchen: mit Eva

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Ich bekomme heute nämlich Besuch, Günther.

I am getting a visitor today, Günther.

Caption 14, Nicos Weg: Lebensmittel

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Warum dauert denn das alles ewig? Die Gäste sind schon da.

Why is everything taking forever then? The guests are already here.

Caption 1, Marga Engel schlägt zurück: Arbeiten für den Feind

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When it comes to actually staying with someone, two more advanced verbs to know are unterbringen and unterkommen.

Ach, er ist ein Austauschschüler, der vorübergehend eine Unterkunft braucht.

Oh, he is an exchange student who needs a place to stay for a while.

Caption 17, Küss mich, Frosch: Die Zeiten haben sich geändert

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Wir hätten noch kurzfristig Möglichkeiten, dich unterzubringen...

We would have the last minute possibility of housing you...

Caption 14, Lilly unter den Linden: Umzug in die DDR

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However, to talk about someone staying with you or staying with someone, it's perhaps more common to simply use wohnen paired with bei: 

Ich bin zu Besuch in Berlin und wohne bei meinen zwei Freundinnen.

I'm visiting Berlin and staying with my two friends.

Caption 2, Die Wohngemeinschaft: Probleme

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Of course, it all starts with an invitation: 

Da hat man sich Gäste zum Essen eingeladen

You have invited guests to dinner

Caption 1, Das perfekte Dinner: Kochen für Gäste

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Further Learning
In addition to checking out our recent holiday content on Yabla German, create five to ten sentences about this December. Who did you visit? Who visited you? Who will you visit for New Year's Eve? This is a great opportunity to practice building sentences in a number of tenses. 

The noun der Beleg, the verb belegen and the adjective belegt have related roots, but are used differently in a variety of contexts. Let's start with the noun der Beleg.

Du brauchst einen Ort, an dem deine Belege sicher sind.

You need a place where your documents are safe.

Caption 7, Reposito - in 60 Sekunden

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Der Beleg is often translated as "evidence," "proof," "document," "documentation," "voucher," or "receipt." In everyday life in Germany, I probably hear it most often when leaving the cash register at the supermarket after having paid: Möchten Sie den Beleg haben?

Now onto the verb belegen: 

Nun muss ich meinen Teig nur noch mit den Apfelstücken belegen.

Now I just have to cover the batter with the apple pieces.

Caption 29, Apfelkuchen - mit Eva

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Unfallstudien belegen sogar, dass Autos mit hoher passiver Fußgängersicherheit

Accident studies even prove that cars with a higher passive [automatic] protection for pedestrians

für den Unfallschutz von Radfahrern kaum helfen.

barely help in the protection of cyclists from accidents.

Captions 12-13, Crashtest - Fahrradfahrer profitieren kaum vom Fußgängerschutz am Auto

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Wie man hier sieht, haben wir auch frisches Gemüse

As you see here, we also have fresh vegetables

wie Tomaten, Gurken,

like tomatoes and cucumbers

da wir frisch, äh, Sandwiches und Brötchen belegen.

since we make fresh sandwiches and rolls.

Captions 21-23, Berlin - Judith und die „Brezel Bar“

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In most cases, belegen is usually translated as to "to cover," "to prove," or "to document." In the last example, however, an open-faced sandwich is a belegtes Brot in German. Thus when you literally "cover" sandwiches and bread rolls, you are in fact "making" them. Again, understanding properly all depends upon the context!

The verb belegen can also be translated as "to occupy" or "to take," at least in the sense that you "occupy" a position in a race or "take" a university course: 

Nürnberg belegt jetzt Platz fünfzehn...

Nuremberg is now in fifteenth place...

Caption 46, FC Bayern München - in einer eigenen Liga

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Na ja, in der Justizvollzugsanstalt Fuhlsbüttel kannst du ja einen Kursus belegen als Alleinunterhalter.

Well, at Fuhlsbüttel Penitentiary you can take a class to become a solo entertainer.

Caption 66, Großstadtrevier - St. Pauli rettet HSV

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Last but not least, let's take a look at belegt as an adjective: 

Die besten Plätze sind schnell belegt.

The best places are quickly occupied.

Caption 43, Abenteuer Nordsee - Unter Riesenhaien und Tintenfischen

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Drei Damen vom Grill, die eine belegte Schrippe mit 'ner Bulette gefüllt haben [Inhaber]

Three ladies from the grill who have filled an open-faced roll with a meatball [owner]

und das Hamburger genannt haben.

and called that a hamburger.

Captions 14-15, Berlin - Die beste Auswahl an Hamburgern

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Further Learning
See if you can find other examples of der Beleg, belegen, and belegt on Yabla German and find a tandem partner to take turns making up and checking your own sentences using these words.

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"). 

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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.

In English, one way of saying that an event is finished or done with is to say that it's "over." In German, the word über, though usually meaning "about,"  is sometimes translated as "over" when it is referring to the physical placement of something: 

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Ganz zum Schluss verteile ich meinen Zuckerguss über den Kuchen.

Right at the end, I spread my sugar frosting over the cake.

Caption 36, Apfelkuchen - mit Eva

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But in German, if you want to say that an event is over, the word über turns out to be a kind of false friend: the correct term here is vorbei: 

Doch diese Zeiten sind vorbei

But those times are over

Caption 12, Christina Stürmer - Wir leben den Moment

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Meine Stunden bei der Gepäckverladung der Bodenverkehrsdienste sind vorbei.

My hours at the baggage loading area of the ground traffic services are over.

Caption 45, Selbst versucht - Gepäckabfertigung bei Fraport

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Es ist jetzt vorbei, ich starte neu

It's over now, I'm starting anew

Caption 7, Beatrice Egli - Irgendwann

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Depending upon the context, vorbei can also be translated as "passed," or "gone," or "past," to name a few possibilities:

Vier Jahre sind vorbei und unser Team ist mit dabei

Four years have passed and our team is in

Caption 9, Die gestiefelten Zwerge - Am Kap der Hoffnung steht der Cup

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... denn dann ist der Zauber vorbei.

... because then the magic is gone.

Caption 57, Märchen - Sagenhaft - Aschenputtel

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Der Winter ist vorbei.

The winter is past.

Caption 2, Jahreszeiten - Der Frühling

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Another possibility for expressing that something is over or has passed by is the adverb vorüber: 

So, jetzt ist der Haxen fertig, die drei Stunden sind vorüber.

So now the knuckle is finished, the three hours have passed by.

Caption 45, Kochen mit Cettina - Schweinshaxe

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Ein Jahr weht vorüber...

A year flies past...

Caption 24, rheinmain Szene - Selig

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Further Learning
Go to Yabla German and see the many other examples of vorbei and vorüber in a real world context. See too if you can correctly translate the title of this week's lesson: Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei. Hint: the direct translation "fat years" isn't quite right!