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

a large percentage of germans speak english...

in fact, most of europe you'd get away with NOT speaking the native language....

unless your car breaks down on a rural dirt path, you'll be ok....

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Amerikaner? Ich komme aus Kalifornien. Unsere Gubenator ist Arnold Schwartzenegger!

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Everyone in Germany speaks English. Most of them speak it better than us. Nobody should have any trouble communicating.

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

I highly recommend picking up a copy of Langenscheidt's "Jiffy Phrasebook" in German. It's small, has a vinyl cover, and pretty much covers all the phrases you could need: from booze, to food, to the hospital (hopefully you won't need that), it pretty mcuh covers it all.

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Re #8, well, that's what you get when you ask me something like that. it is direct and to the point.

9. You're correct. Too many languages in my head. In German the article takes the case of the subject, I was thinking feminine 'cause he was speaking to a women (usually). Mittreffen was a bit of swag and unnecessary. The "with" is implied in German IIRC.

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Is that volume relatively easy to pick up?

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Wrong.

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

My parents and lots of other relatives of mine can't speak English at all and there are lots more.

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Doesn't look too heavy.





Try this link for that book on Amazon.

Should be just under $8. Sounds like a decent investment.

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Bitte sehr!

I got it at Borders within the last two years - I think it is on Amazon for about $7.95

Alles gute.

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

So you are saying that Germans would know to use "we" instead of "us", right?

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Oddly enough, the German word for heavy is schwer, which is also the German word for difficult or hard.

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Aren't schwer words banned in this forum?
P.S. I'm trying to find my copy of this: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1563052946/soccerphile-20/002-3159922-7979242
So far my search has only tunred up my Korean phrasebook!

 

But in your case Mike, they BOTH apply

Not that there's anything wrong with that

Kidding aside, you'll be glad to know that all of us up here in New England are Steeler fans for the day!

GO STEELERS!

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Have to agree. This idea that everybody speaks English is completely wrong. My girlfriend speaks perfect English. Her brother and parents barely speak a word. about half of her friends speak English well, while the other half are useless.

I also have a lot of relatives in Germany and only three of the 50 or so I have met speak passable English. By passable I mean able to give simple directions and answer very basic questions. The others, if for instance asked 'Where is the train station?', would respond with a blank stare.

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Touristenwurst!?!

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

Try this link for the German phrasebook: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887299520/104-3267522-7311112?v=glance&n=283155

$7.95 - a bargain at twice the price!

 

Re: What are you doing about languages?

I linked that in a previous page. But I think you missed his point. He's linking to a book called "Wicked German", part of the Wicked Travel series. Here's a review from Soccerphile:

For those of you with a similar bent, here's an important phrase I didn't learn until I lived in Germany (not generally taught in courses): Scheiss egal! And here's usage in a sentence. "What was Hugh Dallas thinking when he didn't call a handball there?!? SCHEISS EGAL!!"

 

'Scheiss egal' means 'I don't give a sh!t' and is both very useful and common. I'm not sure if it really applys to Hugh Dallas, as I imagine I would like to know what he was thinking. My example sentence:

'Do you prefer blonds or brunettes?'

'Scheiss egal, so lange die grosse titten haben!'

 

I've heard it used as "it doesn't matter" and in the sense of "screw that" or even where I'd use "motherf&cker!" It's all in the context. It's literally more "It's all ********", isn't it?

 

I haven't heard it in that context. I'll defer to a native speaker.

It's literally 'It's sh!t to me' (Es ist mir scheiss egal), which of course makes no sense in English.

What I usually hear in the situation you described is 'blöde Scheisse!' or 'verdammted Scheisse!', but again I'll defer to a native speaker. As you say, these terms don't normally popup in classes or guidebooks, so the fact that I haven't heard it used in your context certainly doesn't mean that it's wrong.

In place of a term to describe copulation with ones mother (god I hate trying to find ways to describe profane language here), I've found the standard is 'Kinderficker'.

 

An easy way to handle this is to pronounce it like the "zz" in pizza.

 

Please don't follow this advice. I teach German. Go with the "ts".

 

I don't know about you, but I pronounce the word "pizza" as "peatsah."