German is boring? Think again! German is funny and crazy.
Let’s look at 5 German expressions that are funny:
1. Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof
English: I only understand station
Español: Sólo entiendo estación
Meaning:
I can’t understand anything
No entiendo ni una palabra
Explanation:
Imagine that you are in a foreign country (maybe in Germany?) and you ask for information on how to get to the station (Bahnhof). The only word you know in German is station (Bahnhof). The German person starts talking very fast and you, of course, have no idea what they are saying. In the end, you still don’t know how to get to the station because the only word you could understand was the only word you knew, Bahnhof.
2. Das kannst du deiner Oma erzählen
English: You can say this to your granny
Español: Esto lo puedes contar a tu abuela
Meaning:
I don’t believe a single word you are saying
No te creo para nada
Explanation:
What you are telling me is so ridiculous that nobody will believe it except your dear old grandmother who loves you so much that she will believe anything you say.
3. Du hast nicht alle Tassen im Schrank
English: You don’t have all the cups in the cupboard
Español: No tienes todas las tazas en el armario de la cocina
Meaning:
You are a bit crazy, short of a penny
Estás loco
Explanation:
A normal cupboard should have all the cups (how German!) or else it’s a crazy cupboard. I mean, a cupboard that is only half full is unthinkable for a German. We want precision!
4. Das ist mir Wurst
English: It’s all sausage to me
Español: Todo esto es salsicha para mí
Meaning:
I really don’t care
Me da igual
Explanation:
Sausage (Wurst) is the basis of German life, so it’s everywhere, so much so that we don’t care whether we get sausage or not. It will always be there for us anyway. Welcome to Germany!
5. Du hast Tomaten auf den Augen
English: You have tomatoes on your eyes
Español: Tienes tomates encima de los ojos
Meaning:
You can’t see the obvious truth
No puedes ver lo evidente
Explanation:
How can you see if your eyes are covered? But covered with tomatoes? Now, that’s a strange thing to say. But then, German is a strange language.
So, you see, German is not boring. German is funny!