German for beginners

[Spellbound]

Schadenfreude means malicious joy ... but the translation don´t hit the point Malicious just translatet means something bad, mean, vulgar... but Schadenfreude normally means something bad but friendly meaned fun... hard to learn

Hey, question for you: do Germans ever call the English schweinhunds, like they do in the movies? I was reminded of this because on another forum, each nationality has a rude nickname, and the English are called pigdogs, the French froggies, the Australians crims and so on.

[fenris]

Hey, question for you: do Germans ever call the English schweinhunds, like they do in the movies? I was reminded of this because on another forum, each nationality has a rude nickname, and the English are called pigdogs, the French froggies, the Australians crims and so on.

I think every country has a rude nickname for people in other countrys... but I have never heard "Schweinehunde" for English people... after 1945 germans named english soldiers just Tommys ( because many of them had the name Thomas ) but that had a - more or less - friendly meaning. Others called german soldiers "fritz"... because many men had the name Friedrich.... but honestly I don´t like both of this names...
In Germany it is a bit a thing where you live to call something an insult... By example: Here in the middle or in northern Germany it is a really hard insult to call someone Drecksau ( means dirty sow ) and in the bavarian Area the same word is a more or less friendly/rude insult between people or sometimes friends....
Don´t believe many things you hear or see in War- or ActionMovies about Germans and Germany... 89% are not true... we normally don´t live in really nice wooden houses with a lot of Flowers around.... I like the MacGyver Series which play in Germany... they are so wrong

[Matty71]

As I've stated earlier, I am German-American. I still consider living in Germany, someday. I have never been there, though. I have only been to Holland and I absolutely loved it. I think I would fit in well in any of the Northern European countries: Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Norway.

[fenris]

Holland is very nice.... all the northern European countrys are ... a friend of mine moved to norway ... and he like it there.

[Matty71]

Holland is very nice.... all the northern European countrys are ... a friend of mine moved to norway ... and he like it there.

I have been accused before of being "Euro-centric". Am I anti-American? Not exactly.

But I do believe Europe, in general, is far more cultured, appreciates the arts more and has a much higher level of education than the U.S. You could say I am very pro-Germany.

Also, I used to be politically-aligned with Socialism when I was younger. I see that many European countries are Democratic-Socialist. I like that.

[fenris]

I think we have a bit a other way to live in Europe.... I don´t want to say it is better or not ... it is just a bit a other way. A good example is the health insurance .... for me it is unimaginable to have no health insurance. In Germany, it is impossible to have no health insurance ... and if your employer do not pay the costs of your health insurance he ends up in jail.

[matty7]

I tried learning Russian last year or so and did really well but I think coming from the uk we can be really lazy and maybe a little arrogant and just expect everyone to understand English - speaking slower in english on holiday doesn't mean the other person will understand you , I think the younger generation at school though get better language education lessons now than I did all those years ago

[fenris]

Yes ... thats true .. the Internet is a good example ... without a bit english you can´t do much. I see it on my Facebook Page ... Not german speaking people require a translation ... and if not they just go. It seems to be to hard to translate by google... and ask by translation problems... It is a bit arrogant to demand that anybody has to speak the english language... and to speak perfectly

[Ekwarph]

I regret that I don't speak German. Germany is the country in Europe which attracts me (maybe with Sweden and other nordic countries but it's too cold there :o ). And they recruit lots of French engineers, but if I can't speak German...

So I'll change continent.

[fenris]

For me it is much to warm here .... I would like to live in Norway... or Iceland ...

It is very nice to see more people from France here ... I always wonder why there are only a few people from France in the net ...