Every language has certain words that are used often in everyday life, to the extent that they may seem to shape the language and the culture. One such word in German, with a myriad of implementations, would have to be the verb schaffen.

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The verb schaffen can mean "to do," "to manage," "to achieve," "to cope with," or "to successfully complete something," to "make it" or "make it work."

Oh, aber das schaffst du doch auch alleine!

Oh, but you'll manage it alone after all!

Caption 64, Großstadtrevier - Von Monstern und Mördern

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However, it can also mean "to create," "to make," or "to bring something into being."

Es ging eigentlich darum, Wohnraum zu schaffen in der Stadt.

It was actually about, creating living spaces in the city.

Caption 20, Umweltbewusstes Wohnen - Architekturpreis Green Building

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There is one thing to watch out for with the verb schaffen, and this is that the two meanings are reflected with two different participles when it is used in the past tense. Here we see the past participle for the first definition:

Juhu, dann haben wir's geschafft!

Yahoo, then we've done it!

Caption 41, Deutschkurs in Tübingen - Weil oder obwohl?

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Damit hat man also den ersten Schritt im Bewerbungsverfahren geschafft.

With that, you have succeeded with the first step in the application process.

Caption 42, Eva erklärt - Bewerbungen

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Whereas geschafft would refer to something being successfully done or achieved, geschaffen refers to creation:

Hier, mitten im Zentrum von Berlin,

Here, in the center of Berlin,

[gefahren auf einem speziellen Kurs]

[driving on a special course]

haben sich BMX-Fahrer und Mountainbiker ihr Eldorado geschaffen.

BMX riders and mountain bikers have created their El Dorado.

Captions 4-5, Pumptrack - Rad fahren, ohne zu treten

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Mit Höckern und Bänken

With stools and benches,

sollen Verschnaufmöglichkeiten für Senioren geschaffen werden.

possibilities [places] for seniors to rest and catch their breath will be created.

Captions 44-45, Bespielbare Stadt - Griesheim

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Further Learning
Here is a list of the conjugations of schaffen, including the preterite schaffte and schuf. See which of these conjugations you can find in use on Yabla German!

Since most of us are probably pretty broke after holiday expenses, here are some money expressions in German that are good to know!

Ich hätte zweihundert Schlösser und wär' nie mehr pleite [Umgangssprache].

I would have two hundred castles and would never again be broke.

Caption 19, Rio Reiser - König von Deutschland

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The word pleite is slang, but if you are seriously pleite, you wind up thus:

Jetzt sind wir bankrott,

Now we are bankrupt,

obwohl, äh, wir zehn Jahre lang [Geld] gespart haben.

even though, uh, we've saved money for ten years.

Caption 2, Deutschkurs in Tübingen - Weil oder obwohl?

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The holidays aren't getting cheaper every year, that's for sure. At some point they always start costing money (ins Geld gehen):

Sollte es länger dauern,

Should it take longer,

dann geht es aber auch irgendwann mal ins Geld.

then at some point, however, it will also start costing money.

Captions 28-29, Endlich glücklich - Liebe im Netz

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And on this, we can all agree:

Zeit ist Geld und Geld ist gut.

Time is money and money is good.

Caption 9, Jan Wittmer - Leben für den Lebenslauf

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Not forgetting, of course, that:

Geld allein ist nicht alles.

Money alone isn't everything.

Caption 62, Für Tierfreunde - Tierheim Nied

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Since after all, the holidays should remind us not to forget that love is the most important thing of all!

Zeigt die Liebe allen Wesen, die da atmen.

Show the love to all beings that breathe there.

Caption 18, Cosma Shiva Hagen - So trägt man Pelz

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Further Learning:

Do a search on Yabla German for financial expressions in English and see in what context they are used in German. For a bit of cheer, see what kind of expressions a search for die Liebe brings up. Happy New Year from all of us at Yabla!