Spending a little time learning colloquial language is one of the best things you can do to become fluent in a language. Everyday colloquial lingo allows you to develop more personal relationships with the locals, which means you’ll be more motivated to learn and you’ll have loads more fun with the language. For those of you who have tried learning German before but have lost motivation, focusing on learning German slang words and phrases will give your German a reviving jump-start. The fact is that German slang is surprisingly fun and the sooner you get cracking learning cool German lingo the better!
German slang for everyday: It’s a fact that even if you are familiar with the German language basics, if you don’t know German slang phrases you will be lost in many casual German conversations. Ordinary Germans use plenty of colorful slang expressions when sharing day-to-day experiences, chatting over a coffee at work or over a beer at the local bar. German slang is an essential part of everyday German conversation that strangely is often overlooked by German learners.
German slang for a laugh: Believe it or not, it’s not just the English who know how to have a laugh. Although the Germans are not known for their humour, perhaps surprisingly the German language is full of it. To understand many German jokes you’ll first have to get a handle on German slang phrases and colloquial terms. A knowledge of German slang phrases is vital to be able to read between the lines and understand amusing and often cheeky German comments.
German slang for down to earth: Using German slang is a great way to demonstrate that you’re down to earth and don’t take yourself too seriously. That’s why slang will help you meet and integrate with other down to earth people. Learn German slang and you will familiarise yourself with how truck drivers, bakers, computer hackers, sports fans, motor bikers, soldiers and all sorts of ordinary (and not quite so ordinary) people talk – especially when they’re our for a few beers.
German slang for irony and exaggeration: Like in English, Germans often convert originally negative words to a positive sense in order to emphasize or intensify, as in “terribly good” or “awfully nice”. Youth slang is more concerned with being intense in order to push the language beyond its limits. Youth slang makes use of a whole series intensifiers, such as galaktisch-, giga-, hyper-, maxi-, mega-, ober-, super-, turbo-, ultra-, and more.
German slang to break the ice: German slang is as volatile as slang in any other language and does have a limited life expectancy. This means that when you use the latest popular German slang phrases and terms you’re demonstrating that you’re “with it”. This makes a great impression when meeting Germans for the first time.
German slang for Al Bundy: Are you the Al Bundy type who likes to sit in front of the telly on the sofa with his hands in his pants? Then you’re going to have to get to grips with German slang expressions because they’re all over the media. As an important part of everyday language, German slang is on TV, in German magazines, in advertising, on German billboards and – in your face!
German slang for regional: While a lot of German slang phrases are understood all across Germany, there are also a lot of German regional slang expressions. This German slang podcast focuses on the most popular and useful German slang terms. Also, although there is much similarity between the slang spoken in different German speaking countries, there are also differences between the German slang spoken in Germany, Swiss German slang and Austrian German slang. Switzerland and Austria have many of their own slang phrases, terms and expressions – just like the English slang in Great Britain differs from the English in America. So use slang to your advantage to develop a real connection to the local German speaking people.
