How to improve your German
How to improve your German
There is a great website that offers word translation German-English and German-French
http://www.leo.org
Here are some examples that you may want to exercise with:
German: "Herzlichen Glückwunsch Deutschland zum Gewinn der Fussball-Weltmeisterschaft"
English: "Congratulations Germany for winning the World Championship in Football"
German: "Keiner schlägt die Deutschen im Handtuch-Laufen"
English: "No one beats Germans in running with a towel"
German: "Der Vereinigungs-Hans ist ein britischer Simpel"
English: "The Union Jack is a british Symbol"
German:"Prost"
English: "Cheers"
Greek: "Yamas"
Norwegian: "Skol"
French: "Santé"
Italien: "Cin-Cin"
Spanish: "Salude"
Finnish: "Kippis"
Russian: "Nastrowje"
More at:
http://www.awa.dk/glosary/slainte.htm
http://www.leo.org
Here are some examples that you may want to exercise with:
German: "Herzlichen Glückwunsch Deutschland zum Gewinn der Fussball-Weltmeisterschaft"
English: "Congratulations Germany for winning the World Championship in Football"
German: "Keiner schlägt die Deutschen im Handtuch-Laufen"
English: "No one beats Germans in running with a towel"
German: "Der Vereinigungs-Hans ist ein britischer Simpel"
English: "The Union Jack is a british Symbol"
German:"Prost"
English: "Cheers"
Greek: "Yamas"
Norwegian: "Skol"
French: "Santé"
Italien: "Cin-Cin"
Spanish: "Salude"
Finnish: "Kippis"
Russian: "Nastrowje"
More at:
http://www.awa.dk/glosary/slainte.htm
I have decided to try to avoid being a complete ignoramus in Berlin by attempting to learn a few basic phrases, and thought I'd put them here in case it is useful for anyone else. This is for complete beginners. I will add more regularly.
Hello!/Good day! Guten Tag! (GOO-ten tahk)
Good-bye! Auf Wiedersehen! (owf VEE-der-zane)
Good morning! Guten Morgen! (GOO-ten morgen)
Good night! Gute Nacht! (GOO-tuh nahdt)
My name is... Ich heisse... (ich HYE-suh)
I am... Ich bin... (ich bin)
Do you have...? Haben Sie...? (HAH-ben zee)
a room: ein Zimmer (eye-n TSIM-air)
a rental car: ein Mietwagen (eye-n MEET-vahgen)
a bank: eine Bank (eye-nuh bahnk)
the police: die Polizei (dee po-lit-ZYE)
the train station: der Bahnhof (dare BAHN-hof)
the airport: der Flughafen (dare FLOOG-hafen)
yes / no: ja / nein (yah/nine)
please/thanks: bitte/danke (BIT-tuh/DAHN-kuh)
You're welcome: (for a favor) Gern geschehen. (ghern guh-SHAY-un)
Excuse me! Entschuldigen Sie! (ent-SHOOL-de-gen zee)
Where's the restroom/toilet?: Wo ist die Toilette? (vo ist dee toy-LET-uh)
left / right: links / rechts (linx/rechts)
downstairs / upstairs: unten / oben (oonten/oben)
Shall we hug this tree? Sollen wir diesen baum umarmen? (Solan weer deasen bowm oomahrmen)
Thanks to Henning for the translation of the last one. Please could you let me know the pronunciation, Henning, so I could add it in.
Hello!/Good day! Guten Tag! (GOO-ten tahk)
Good-bye! Auf Wiedersehen! (owf VEE-der-zane)
Good morning! Guten Morgen! (GOO-ten morgen)
Good night! Gute Nacht! (GOO-tuh nahdt)
My name is... Ich heisse... (ich HYE-suh)
I am... Ich bin... (ich bin)
Do you have...? Haben Sie...? (HAH-ben zee)
a room: ein Zimmer (eye-n TSIM-air)
a rental car: ein Mietwagen (eye-n MEET-vahgen)
a bank: eine Bank (eye-nuh bahnk)
the police: die Polizei (dee po-lit-ZYE)
the train station: der Bahnhof (dare BAHN-hof)
the airport: der Flughafen (dare FLOOG-hafen)
yes / no: ja / nein (yah/nine)
please/thanks: bitte/danke (BIT-tuh/DAHN-kuh)
You're welcome: (for a favor) Gern geschehen. (ghern guh-SHAY-un)
Excuse me! Entschuldigen Sie! (ent-SHOOL-de-gen zee)
Where's the restroom/toilet?: Wo ist die Toilette? (vo ist dee toy-LET-uh)
left / right: links / rechts (linx/rechts)
downstairs / upstairs: unten / oben (oonten/oben)
Shall we hug this tree? Sollen wir diesen baum umarmen? (Solan weer deasen bowm oomahrmen)
Thanks to Henning for the translation of the last one. Please could you let me know the pronunciation, Henning, so I could add it in.
Last edited by Diane on Sun Jan 15, 2006 11:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Hi Henning ~
With your language cheat sheet, we may starve in the street, die of thirst, go without restroom facilities, and become hopelessly lost, but at least we'll be popular
.
Diane ~
That's really great that you've taken the time to do that! When I get to work on Tuesday [where I'll have access to a printer], I'll get a copy and start studying. I, of course, particularly love your last one
!
I thought I'd garnered every phrase I'd 'really' need for Hydra, but when the time came, I was looking once, twice, and three times at my cheat paper, and thinking, "How could I have possibly forgotten to get that one
!?!" More than once
.
This is getting more exciting all the time
.
Love,
Lizzy
With your language cheat sheet, we may starve in the street, die of thirst, go without restroom facilities, and become hopelessly lost, but at least we'll be popular

Diane ~
That's really great that you've taken the time to do that! When I get to work on Tuesday [where I'll have access to a printer], I'll get a copy and start studying. I, of course, particularly love your last one

I thought I'd garnered every phrase I'd 'really' need for Hydra, but when the time came, I was looking once, twice, and three times at my cheat paper, and thinking, "How could I have possibly forgotten to get that one


This is getting more exciting all the time

Love,
Lizzy
- liverpoolken
- Posts: 3174
- Joined: Sun Aug 11, 2002 11:25 pm
- liverpoolken
- Posts: 3174
- Joined: Sun Aug 11, 2002 11:25 pm
I will try to learn all these phrases next week, Lizzy. The only problem with phrase-book language, is that you are unable to understand the replies you are given. But, still, we will worry about that when the time comes.
Thanks for your help with the tree hugging phrase, Henning.
Diane
Thanks for your help with the tree hugging phrase, Henning.
Well, yes, actually. But please let us know if it is terribly culturally inappropriate.Are you going to talk things like that in Berlin ?
I really think, that as the reigning champions at running with bath towels, you ought to give us other nations a chance for the title. Therefore I propose a running with a bath-towel race, as an event. Is there an appropriate outdoor area we could use, do you think?German: "Keiner schlägt die Deutschen im Handtuch-Laufen"
English: "No one beats Germans in running with a towel"
Diane