Suggested Germanisms
Check out all the suggested Germanisms starting with the most popular ones. Express your opinion and rate them! Your favorite German word is not on the list? Join the community, submit your Germanism and promote it!
Damit ist eine schüchterne und unscheinbare Person gemeint.
Der Begriff entstammt aus dem Bild der einzeln an der Mauer wachsenden Blume, die fernab von anderen Artgenossen ihr Dasein fristet, z. B. das auch Mauerblümchen genannte Zimbelkraut.
transl. worry bacon, the weight you put on when you're anxious or excess weight gained due to emotion-caused overeating.
I wish I could get rid of my Kummerspeck
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mother land, country of origin
I left Germany, my Mutterland, a couple of years ago
Probably a word from yiddish, meaning "mess" in a rather trivialized way. It usually describes a situation involving people. A dirty room would not be a Schlamassel.
The financial crisis really caused a schlamassel. The situation at work is a real schlamassel.
little lump of sweetness, cute kid
My cute, little nephew constantly smiles - he's such a wonneproppen
A "Trantüte" is somebody, who is very slow in doing something, for example walking or working.
==> eng: slowcoach, slowpoke, slow mover
Come on Herman, move faster! You are such a Trantüte!
a noun, describing a rather major size meal, usually involving a large group of people. However, it can also be used to express fondness for other things, such as films (Augenschmaus) , music, (Ein Ohrenschmaus) etc. It is an exclusivlely positive word.
This sausage is really a schmaus! Harry Potter was really a schmaus to read.
A "Dumpfbacke" is a stupid and / or ingenuous person.
==> eng: dumbass, dimwit
In the german version of "Married... with children" Al Bundy calls his daughter Kelly a "Dumpfbacke" all the time.
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"cuddly toy" or "Teddy Bear", in Germany often used as a nick name for a spouse.
People let me tell you 'bout my best friend, he's a real Kuschelbär.
In english known as a "catch-22 situation". It is taken from the board game "Nine Men's Morris", also known as "Mill" or "Mills". A "Zwickmühle" is a paradox situation, where every decision is a wrong decision. No matter which choice you make, you always lose.
Man, I can't see a way out of this Zwickmühle we're in
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