When it comes to expressing embarrassment in German, it's important to not only know the relevant adjectives and verbs, but understand exactly how they are used.
For example, there are the adjectives peinlich and verlegen. These both describe uncomfortable emotional states in German, but they have different meanings and uses. The adjective peinlich refers to a situation or behavior that causes shame or embarrassment, often in a social context.
Das ist so peinlich! Erst lade ich dich ein und dann passiert so was.
This is so embarrassing! First, I offer to pay for you and then something like this happens.
Caption 22, Nicos Weg: Partnersuche
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Das muss dir doch nicht peinlich sein, wenn dir meine Musik gefällt.
You don't have to be embarrassed if you like my music.
Caption 23, Die Pfefferkörner: Das Wunderkind
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Es war ihr voll peinlich, als ich sie erwischt habe.
She was totally embarrassed when I caught her.
Caption 39, Die Pfefferkörner: Gerüchteküche
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The adjective verlegen describes the internal state of a person who feels uncomfortable, shy, or uncertain, corresponding to the English word "embarrassed."
Junge Frau ... Sie machen mich ganz verlegen.
Young lady... You're making me feel quite embarrassed.
Caption 25, Nicos Weg B1: Richtiges Benehmen
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Von Verlegenheit überhaupt keine Spur, er ist ene wahre Frohnatur
No trace of embarrassment at all, he is truly a good-natured guy
Caption 14, Herbert Grönemeyer: Was soll das?
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So, while a situation can be peinlich, a person is typically verlegen as a reaction to it. It's important to note that verlegen is also a verb, and it has a completely unrelated meaning! You can read about the distinction here.
When it comes to embarrassing oneself rather than feeling embarrassed, the correct verb is sich blamieren.
...denn dieses Verhalten kann in der Regel nur zum Scheitern führen oder dazu, dass man sich blamiert.
... because this behavior can, as a rule, lead to failure or to you embarrassing yourself.
Captions 55-56, Eva erklärt: Sprichwörter
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When it comes to embarrassing someone else, another structure to know is in Verlegenheit bringen, as in Er wollte sie damit nicht in Verlegenheit bringen.
Further Learning
You'll find more examples of these adjectives and verbs on Yabla German.
In our previous lesson on the verb setzen ("to set") and the reflexive version sich setzen ("to be seated"), we looked at several related verbs, including the inseparable verb besetzen, and the separable verbs einsetzen and absetzen. There are many more verbs that contain setzen as a root, and most don't have a related meaning.
The verb aussetzen can mean "to expose," "to skip," or "to abandon." You'll see it used below to also refer to releasing fish into water. The verb auseinandersetzen means "to confront" or "to deal with."
Und dann wird abwechselnd gezogen, wobei man nicht aussetzen darf.
And then you take turns to move, and you're not allowed to skip.
Caption 37, Schach: Regeln, Strategie und Taktik
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Der nordamerikanische Kamberkrebs wurde in vielen Alpengewässern ausgesetzt.
The North American Eastern Crayfish was put out in many Alpine waters.
Caption 20, Alpenseen: Kühle Schönheiten
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Sie wollen sich nicht wirklich damit auseinandersetzen.
You don't really want to deal with it.
Caption 49, Weihnachtsmann gesucht: Bist du verliebt?
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The verb sich durchsetzen means "to prevail," and often refers to persevering to get one's way.
Und das war die Olivia, und die hat sich dann auch durchgesetzt.
And that was Olivia, and she then got her way.
Caption 33, Rheinmain im Blick: Einschulung Drillinge
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So konnten sich überall die erfolgreichsten Überlebensstrategien durchsetzen.
For this reason, the most successful survival strategies were able to prevail everywhere.
Caption 6, Evolution: An Land
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The verb umsetzen means "to move," "to implement," or "to realize."
Dann wird es Zeit, dass wir die Theorie in die Praxis umsetzen.
Then it's time for us to put theory into practice.
Caption 9, Nicos Weg: Jobsuche
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The verb versetzen can refer to a job transfer or moving to the next level in school. It can also be a simple shift or movement.
Könnten wir den Off vielleicht noch ein Stück nach hinten versetzen?
Could we maybe move the "Off" a bit further back?
Caption 2, Lerchenberg: Du bist, was du isst
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Also, wenn du versetzt werden möchtest, musst du dich ein bisschen ranhalten.
So if you want to be promoted to the next grade, you'll have to hustle a bit.
Caption 9, Die Pfefferkörner: Gerüchteküche
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And we'll end with the verb voraussetzen, which means "to require" or "to presume."
Vorausgesetzt natürlich, sie sind aufrichtig.
Provided, of course, that they are sincere.
Caption 34, Deutsch mit Eylin: Worte der Liebe
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Further Learning
You'll find more examples of all of these verbs in use on Yabla German. Then try writing your own sentences with the ones you are less familiar with.
We already discussed a number of German words that may be translated as "crazy" in a couple of previous lessons, including Part I of this lesson. These include the adjectives verrückt, wahnsinnig, irre, and bescheuert, as well as the verbs spinnen and piepen. Let's take a look today at some more German expressions and idioms relating to "crazy."
But please remember: while it may be perfectly polite to use such expressions regarding objects or situations, it may be rude to use them to describe people. The German Duden dictionary even warns: The reference of the adjective "crazy" (and words derived from it) to mentally or psychologically ill people is strongly discriminatory. It also might get somebody very angry with you, so it's a better policy to be polite!
Also, die hat so derart einen Sprung in der Schüssel, du!
That is, she's crazy, you know!
Caption 4, Tatortreiniger: E.M.M.A. 206
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The German idiom einen Sprung in der Schüssel haben literally means "to have a cracked bowl." One meaning of the English idiom "to be cracked" means "crazy" too.
Ja, vielleicht bin ich auch irgendwie durchgeknallt.
Yes, perhaps I am also somehow crazy.
Caption 3, Luxuslärm: Einmal im Leben
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Bist du völlig durchgeknallt?
Are you completely insane?
Caption 27, Gran Paradiso Kapitel 2: Eine Bergtour
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Hat die einen Knall?
Is she crazy?
Caption 36, Die Pfefferkörner: Gerüchteküche
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The adverb/adjective durchgeknallt could be literally translated as "popped through," but the proper translation is "crazy" or one of its many synonyms. The German noun der Knall means a loud noise like a "bang" or a "pop," but einen Knall haben means "crazy."
Nur Flausen in der Birne und nichts im Gehirne!
Only fluff in the head and nothing in the brain!
Caption 27, Es war einmal: das Leben Die Zelle
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The noun die Birne actually means "pear" but is used in much like the English slang "noggin" or "bean" to mean "head." The phrase eine weiche Birne haben is similar to the deprecating English phrase "to be soft in the head" or "crazy."
Er sei vollkommen unsichtbar für jeden, dem etwas im Oberstübchen fehlte.
It was entirely invisible to anyone who is stupid.
Caption 27, Märchen - Sagenhaft: Des Kaisers neue Kleider
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If somebody "is missing something upstairs," they don't feel that this person is very smart. But if something "is not quite right in their back room" (nicht ganz richtig im Hinterstübchen sein), then somebody thinks this person is crazy!
Die sind total bekloppt. Los! Kommt mit!
They are totally nuts. Get moving! Come on!
Caption 8, CHoE Rocker: Wahlbetrug 2009? Der Videobeweis!
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The translator of the caption above chose "nuts" for bekloppt, but any synonym of "crazy" could work. According to DWDS, the word originates from the verb klopfen ("to knock").
Further Learning
You can review the first part of this lesson, and then go to Yabla German and watch the full videos for the above captions to get a better feel for the contexts in which they are used.
In the German language, there are a number of words that can be used to describe whether something is allowed or not. Generally, each adjective is also the participle of the related verb.
For something that is allowed, permitted, or approved, there are the adjectives erlaubt (verb: erlauben), gestattet (gestatten), gewährt (gewähren), and zugelassen (zulassen).
Was ist bei Bundestags- und Landtagswahlen in Deutschland erlaubt?
What is allowed in the national and state elections in Germany?
Caption 19, Bundesrepublik Deutschland - Einbürgerungstest
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Das dürfen wir nicht gestatten, König.
We must not allow that, King.
Caption 31, Deutsche Sagen - Die tapferen Weiber von Weinsberg
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Einen kleinen Einblick gewährt er uns aber trotzdem.
He grants us a little glimpse, but nevertheless.
Caption 10, Der Papst - Hier wohnt der Papst
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Nun, die politischen Umstände in Nordafrika
Well, the political circumstances in North Africa
haben das erst mal nicht zugelassen.
didn't allow that at first.
Caption 66, Terra X - Ohne Kohle und Atom - Geht uns der Strom aus?
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Some words that have the opposite meaning are verboten (verbieten) and untersagt (untersagen).
Du weißt, dass Handys in meinem Unterricht verboten sind.
You know that cellphones are banned in my classroom.
Caption 31, Die Pfefferkörner - Gerüchteküche
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Schulen wurden geschlossen, Spielplätze gesperrt,
Schools were closed, playgrounds closed off,
der Kontakt zu anderen Menschen wurde untersagt.
contact with other people was prohibited.
Captions 12-14, Cettina erklärt - Auswirkungen des Coronavirus
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In general, the adjectives gestattet and untersagt are used in more formal contexts than erlaubt or verboten. The adjective zugelassen can also be translated as "licensed" or "registered."
61,5 Millionen Kfz sind in Deutschland zugelassen.
61.5 million motor vehicles are registered in Germany.
Caption 2, Richter Alexander Hold - Richtig parken
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Further Learning
Go to Yabla German and search for the verbs and the adjectives that are derived from them. Pick a place and write some sentences about what is allowed or not allowed there. Some examples are Glasflaschen sind im Freibad nicht gestattet or Handys sind während der Prüfung verboten.
One topic that tends to intimidate students learning German is the use of these four words: Wessen, dessen, deren, and denen. They are indeed tricky, but they make it possible to construct elegant sentences and are therefore very good to get acquainted with!
Wessen, dessen, and deren can all be translated as "whose." However, unlike "whose" they are each only correct in certain situations. Wessen is related to wer, wen, and wem, i.e. it is asking "who?," but it is possessive. It is used when the "who" of the sentence is not known and could therefore be any gender:
Sach ma [Sag mal], wessen Freundin bist du eigentlich?
Tell me, whose friend are you actually?
Caption 45, Die Pfefferkörner - Gerüchteküche
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Es dachte auch nicht darüber nach, wessen Haferbrei das war.
She also didn't think about whose oat porridge it was.
Caption 19, Märchen - Sagenhaft - Goldlöckchen und die drei Bären
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Dessen is used when the person or noun in question has already been named or referred to, and is masculine or neuter:
Acht Minuten später schickt der Paulianer geschickt Julian Schieber,
Eight minutes later the "Paulianer" skillfully sends Julian Schieber
dessen Schuss aber knapp vorbeigeht.
whose shot, however, just misses.
Captions 10-11, Fußball - U21-Nationalmannschaft
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Deren is used when the person or noun in question has already been named or referred to, and is feminine or plural:
Seine königliche Hoheit, der Prinz,
His Royal Highness the Prince
wird die Frau heiraten, deren Fuß in diesen Glasschuh passt.“
will marry the woman whose foot fits in this glass slipper."
Captions 25-26, Märchenstunde - Das Aschenputtel
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Wessen, dessen, and deren are all genitive relative pronouns. The relative pronoun denen, however, is used for relative clauses involving a plural noun in the dative case, with prepositions such as mit, auf, nach, or bei.
Es macht einfach Spaß, mit denen Zeit zu verbringen.
It is simply fun to spend time with them.
Caption 36, Curly Horses - Pferdeglück auch für Allergiker
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Und hier sehen wir zwei alte Kutschen,
And here we see two old coaches,
auf denen man im Sommer Kutschfahrten machen kann mit der Familie zusammen.
upon which you can take coach rides together with you family in the summer.
Captions 37-38, Berlin - Domäne Dahlem
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Further Learning
Searching for any of these words on Yabla German will bring up a lot of examples that can help you solidify your understanding of the topic. You can additionally watch our videos featuring German teacher Barbara and her students working on relative clauses, starting with this one.
Using the German adjective verlegen and the verb verlegen could lead to some embarrassing mix-ups if their meanings are not clearly understood. As you can see in this week's premiere episode of a new season of Die Pfefferkörner, the meaning of the adjective verlegen is... embarrassed!
Um eine Ausrede bist du ja nie verlegen.
You are never embarrassed to make an excuse.
Caption 6, Die Pfefferkörner - Gerüchteküche
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The German verlegen is often also translated to English as shy, awkward, bashful, or as you see in its adverbial form in this video on Yabla:
„Ach so, hm“, meinte Frederick verlegen.
"Ah, so, hm," said Frederick sheepishly.
Caption 34, Piggeldy und Frederick - Das Lachen
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On the other hand, the verb verlegen has to do with more concrete matters:
... um eine ganz normale Hartsteinbetonplatte, die wir verlegen.
... with a totally normal hard stone concrete panel that we are installing.
Caption 19, Schadstoffarme Straßen - Neue Gehwegplatten für reinere Luft
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Hundert Jahre nachdem das berühmte Kinderbuch erschienen ist,
A hundred years after the famous children's book was published,
hat der Regisseur die Story in den Zweiten Weltkrieg verlegt.
the director has relocated the story to the Second World War.
Captions 35-37, Kinotipp - Battleship und Unter Wölfen
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The verb verlegen can also be translated as to publish, postpone, or evacuate. The German word for "publisher," which you see in nearly every German book, is der Verlag. Here you can easily see the connection to the verb verlegen.
Further Learning
For some advanced learning on the topic, go to the online Wiktionary and see some other examples of verlegen in context and some other related words.
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