Reason to improve your German skills #1 – Not mistaking a clothing store (Passion for Fashion) for a sex shop.

So, you think you want to keep on learning German? Well then you’ve progressed a lot further than many expats living in Germany (I won’t tell you how much…or how little German I’ve studied the past few weeks…) Yes, it takes courage, determination, much intelligence, and some very very patient and slow speaking Germans to keep you going, but don’t give up. One day…..maybe thirty years from now, you will be able to order your meal using the right articles. Anything is possible.

For those reading my fun words and expressions posts for the first time you can check out the first lesson German – 15 fun words and expressions, and you can expect more throughout the year. This post is the new and improved version with my very own phonetic guides on how to actually say these things out loud (with a Canadian accent of course.)

1. Bist du bereit? [bist doo buh-right] – Are you ready?

2. Du bist dran. [doo bist dran] – It’s your turn.

3. Hände weg! [hen-duh vague] Hands off! (very handy to know this one after everyone is drunk after a big soccer game)

4. Gute Besserung! [goo-tuh bess-a-rung] – Feel better soon!

5. Ich habe mich verlaufen. [ish hab-uh mish fair-louf-en] – I’m lost. (sadly, I must use this one A LOT.)

6. Können Sie mir bitte helfen?/Hilfe! Hilfe! [kun-nen zee mear bit-uh hell-fen/ hill-fuh] – Can you help me please?/Help! Help! (Sadly I forgot these ones when I got locked in a bathroom right at a restaurant after I arrive…don’t worry, I got out!)

7. Ich möchte gern Haare Schneiden und Colorieren. [ish mush-tuh gairn ha-ruh shneye-den oond coll-lore-rear-ren]- I’d like a hair cut and colour. (I actually walked into a salon with this written down on a piece of paper.)

8. Was bedeutet das? [vass buh-doit-tet dass] – What does that mean? (and believe me, you will use this one a lot!)

9. Das schafst du. [dass shaffst doo]- To pull something off/you pulled something off (very much slang)

10. Das klingt gut!/Das sieht gut aus! [dass clingt goot/dass zeet goot ouse] – That sounds good!/That looks good/nice!

11. Du siehst müde aus. [doo zeest moo-duh ouse] – You look tired. (probably best to use this one as carefully as you would in English.)

If you don’t learn number 13 you will have an album full of half face photos of yourself like this! (in Bergedorf)

12. Das ist der Hammer! [dass isst dare ham-muh] – That’s da bomb! (But the difference here is that people actually still say the equivalent of ‘da bomb’. If you are using that still back home you really must stop. Okay so I used it once recently but I was very, very tired.)

13. Können Sie bitte ein Foto von mir machen? [kun-nen zee bit-uh eyn fo-toe mak-en fawn meer] – Could you please take a photo of me (If you travel solo a lot like me this one really comes in handy!)

14. Das ist lieb von dir! (inf) [dass isst leebt fawn dear] – That is lovely of you (to do that)!

15. Das ist gut so. [dass isst goot zoh]- I like it.