What are you doing about languages? (German language primer)

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Learning another language is never a bad idea. Also, there could be some good looking chicas in your class as well.

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

First lesson:

Du hast schoene braune Augen. Ich bin geil.

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

"Ich bin ein Berliner" is the correct way to say what Kennedy wanted to say in high German. I would have said it exactly the same way.

And Bavarians suck at German anyway...

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

LOL!!!!!!!!


Anyway, to contribute something useful to the thread, everyone has been right so far. I've spent two months in Germany, and they really do appreciate it if you try speaking German with them. You can tell they know you're foreign, but some will speak German back to you, in retail places they usually switch to English.

I did notice some people are afraid to speak English with you, but I think more often than not Germans want to practice their English (younger Germans that is.) Taking the 101 class is a great idea, and you'll find that your German gets better after a few drinks

I'll be in Salzburg for 3 months leading up to the WC, I just hope I get tickets - but that venting is for another thread!

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

bought the same one.... got 6 mos to get good at it

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Remember that this is the World Cup. It might be helpful to know ANY language other than English.

German will be quite useful I imagine. Some of you German students might also appreciate the difference in dialect between the host cities. Cologne and Munich, for instance.

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Haha, I don't appreciate it at all.

My German Teacher: "The problem is, the only people who actually speak what you are learning is professors and students who are learning German."

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

I can't do anything with this class except learn...I already have my degree, so...I suppose it'll be nice to go back and learn something. Hoping for hot girls...cute ones at the very least

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

In reality, just say "Bahnhof bitte?" with the same question inflection you would in English... it might help to look lost. Technically, it's something like "Entschuldigen Sie bitte, in welche richtung liegt den Bahnhof?" which you're not going to remember, and probably won't understand the answer in German if they gave it to you. "Vorher, ungefahr zweihundert Meter mussen Sie nach links biegen..."

If you want to start a thread and ask the easiest way to convey something in German I'm sure that you'll get a multitude of answers.

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

There's nothing too complicated with "Wo ist der Bahnhof?"

Wo - Where
Wer- Who
Was - What
Wann - When
Warum- Why

Where is - Wo ist
How many - Wie Viele

I am - Ich Bin
You are - Du bist
He is - Er ist
They are - Sie sind

Stadium - Stadion
Bathroom - Badezimmer
Train - Bahn

And there's this evening's quick lesson...correct me if i'm wrong on any of those...i've had one semester and it was a bad one at that

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Great idea, Bill.

If someone wants to start such a thread, I'll sticky it -- no questions asked.

Also, I'll see if mrsbabytiger2001 would like to contribute on that thread -- her understanding of the language is probably more fluent than most other non-Germans here. In fact, if we were headed to Germany for the World Cup (which we're not, unfortunately), I'd have no problems using her as the interpreter.

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

I travel overseas alot. I make it my personal policy to always get a travel guide or language book to learn at least a few phrases.

While it's true you will probably be able to get by with just English for the World Cup, it shows respect to at least try to speak some of the language. In many places around the world that's all that's needed to convince the person you're speaking to that you're not just another arrogant American that has no desire to learn another language.

Here's a top 10 phrases I always try to learn:

1. Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening
2. My name is ...
3. I'd like a beer, please.
4. One more beer, please.
5. What's your name?
6. Can I buy you a beer?
7. I think destiny brought us together.
8. I want you to bear my children.
9. No, I don't want to meet your husband/brother/father.
10. American? No. I'm from Canada!

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

I imagine Germany will become practically an English-speaking country during the World Cup. Keep in mind people from all over the world, not just the English, Americans and Australians, will be counting on getting by with English.

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Wizhawk, on your list I'd use "Toiletten" instead of "Badezimmer".

1. (Guten) Morgen/Guten Tag / Guten Abend
2. Ich bin OR Ich heisse
3. Ein Bier, bitte
4. Noch eine/noch mals, bitte
5. Wie heissen Sie/ Wie heisst du?
6. Darf ich dir ein Bier kaufen? / Darf ich kaufen?
7. (No idea, but with dictionary) Das Schicksal hat uns zusammen gebracht. (Probably not you'd really say, and might not be understood they way you want)
8. Ich moechte dich ficken. Ich hab dich wirklich Lieb.
9. Nein, ich will nicht deine Mann/Bruder/Vater mittreffen.
10. Amerikaner? Ich komme aus Kanada!

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Good job Shibb. Just a couple corrections, though.

8. should be 'Ich will ein Kind von dir.', although what you wrote is just lovely, too!

9. 'Mann/Bruder/Vater' is masculine, not femanine, so it should be 'deinen' not 'deine' (or is it 'deiner'? I hate German grammar!!!). Also, I'm not aware that 'mittreffen' is a word, but simply 'treffen' is the right verb in the case anyway, as far as I know.

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Sweet! That'll save me a few hours of translating my English into "frontier gibberish*" German using my handy English-German dictionary!!



*What it would sound like to a German.

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

I was in Germany 2.5 years ago for about 10 days. Some of that time I had an American friend eager to practice her German and interpret. Most of the time I was on my own and didn't have much of a problem. I had 2 years of the language in HS. Stupidly, I didn't attempt to learn much, but the few words and knowledge of pronunciation was helpful.

Most staff at hotels/restaurants/bars/airports/castles/museums are probably hired because of their English. I tried asking for a room (ein zimmer?) a few times but the conversation always turned to English quickly. There was a communication barrier at an Italian restaurant in Fussen, but the attractive dark-haired waitress made it more than bearable.

It wouldn't hurt to take a beginning German course, but it's definitely not necessary. Though if you want to gain any sort of comfort, I would study with CD's, phrasebooks, etc. on a daily basis starting now. Unless you're a language genius, don't expect any miracles. It's also important to speak, not just read. Get a friend or fellow traveler to learn with you (bonus if they already know the language).

Practice the important words and phrases such as:
--NUMBERS! When in doubt about prices, have them write it. By the way, they use commas instead of decimals ($40.00=40,00)
--"Check please." You'll likely have to ask. Europeans don't seem to have the same philosophy of in-your-face-hurry-up-and-eat-and-pay-and-get-out customer service that we are accustomed to in the States.
--Greetings (Hallo, Tschuss, Danke, etc.)
--Emergencies (medical stuff, where's the bathroom?, I need a beer, I am too drunk and I'm lost and need to get to the USA match)
--It wouldn't hurt to have a little cheat sheet in your pocket (reminds me of HS German class. Ha!).

On my French experience...
I had to stop for gas there while driving from Germany to UK. That's when I discovered I didn't know one word of French. When I went to pay, I just held up 4 fingers (for pump #4). I guess the moral is: If all else fails, use sign language.

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Isn't slang: "Wie geht's zur Bahnhof?"
"Wo ist ...?" should also work fine, or even "Bahnhof?"
Ignore lengthy answers, just walk in the direction pointed & ask again in the next block or two! No one in the US needs to inquire "Excuse me, sir, but could you provide me with directions to the main train station?" The last two words suffice. Someone willing to stop & listen to your question will probably also be helpful enough to provide the correct answer or enlist the help of other passersby!

 

Slighly altered the thread title, and it is now a sticky, since there is valuable information in the thread that those travelling to Germany can use as a highly essential set of survival skills.

Carry on, all... keep up the good work.

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Just as a means of common sense, it might be a good idea to carry one of these German-English/English-German dictionaries around, merely as a last resort.

 

One valuable lesson I learned on dance floor about 20 years ago:

When you're in a club and trying to pick up the girl you just danced a few songs with, and want to head back to the table because you're getting a little sweaty from moving around, don't say

"ich bin warm"

Instead, use the phrase "es ist mir warm."

The first translates literally to "I am warm," and the second to "it is warm to me."

The problem I encountered is that "ich bin warm" is an idiom for "I am gay."

 

Maybe I'm being picky about this sticky, but it might be better to start a new thread for the purpose of educating folks on the culture also (not just language). A poll doesn't seem to be the right format for this type of thing.

Deposit 2¢, please.