Beyond Schadenfreude: 7 unique German words you can’t live without

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Schadenfreude, the pleasure derived from another person’s sorrow, is not the only thing that the German language aptly captures. There are plenty more like that one! These are 7 very poetic German phrases that you will regret not learning years ago.

Eselsbrücke

Everyone has experienced the situation where they try their hardest to recall something, but they are unable to do so. An entertaining translation of the term “donkey bridge” in German is “Eselsbrücke,” which refers to a memory-jogging mnemonic device. The origin of the phrase is equally endearing as its name: Donkeys are notoriously afraid of water and willfully refuse to cross even shallow regions, so people sometimes have to build little bridges across streams to allow them to pass. Similarly, we build mental bridges to get past obstacles related to memory. For example, German people employ the phrase Nie ohne Seife waschen (Never wash without soap) to help them recall the four cardinal directions: Norden (North), Osten (East), Süden (South), and Westen (West).

Fremdschämen

Have you ever been in a scenario when you felt uncomfortable seeing someone do or say something that made you cringe? This terrible feeling has a term for it among German speakers! Selbst schämen is the expression of shame about oneself, whereas sich fremdschämen is the expression of embarrassment on behalf of another person. Fremd Sprache means “foreign language,” and fremdschämen is equivalent to foreign (or secondhand) humiliation since the word fremd denotes “foreign,” “unfamiliar,” or “someone else’s.” Remember this unusual verb in German and find solace in the company of other German speakers the next time you find yourself witnessing a very embarrassing situation.

Protection

In nations where German is spoken, December 24 is the customary day for celebrating Christmas. This implies that you can open your gifts earlier than December 25th! Christmas Eve is when the Bescherung, or gift-giving, takes place. The phrase comes from the verb bescheren, which means to give or bestow. It is often used ironically; for example, if you say, “Here haben wir die Bescherung!” (This is where we have the Bescherung!), you are not talking about some amazing Christmas gifts. You had a wonderful Bescherung if, after years of desiring one, you received a dog for Christmas. However, it would be a schöne Bescherung indeed if your new dog subsequently snatches the Christmas supper and topples your tree in the process.

Zugzwang

Zugzwang originated in the chess world but is now widely used in daily German! It depicts a scenario in which the player whose turn it is would only become worse with whatever action that might be made: Although the player would prefer not to move, Zugzwang forces them to do so. Zugzwang, although it doesn’t always imply a bad outcome in non-chess German, describes a circumstance in which one is forced to make a choice or decision.

Kopfkino

Your Kopfkino can function as your own personal film festival if you have a vivid imagination. The phrase, which literally translates as “head cinema,” can refer to everything from nightmares to recollections. All of them share the quality of having the images you imagine in your head come to life as vividly as if you were seeing a motion picture. Now grab some popcorn and use your imagination to transport you to a movie theater! 🍿

Erklärungsnot

Consider that you have prepared a delectable chocolate cake for a friend’s birthday and let it to cool on the counter. A few hours later, you discover your roommate, face covered in chocolate, standing in front of the empty cake dish. Your roommate, who is in Erklärungsnot, would probably find it difficult to excuse or explain the situation at this unpleasant juncture. Erklärung just means “explanation,” and “distress” or “necessity” are indicated by the not at the end. Though Erklärungsnot are usually associated with politics, you or anybody else may also experience this feeling of being at a loss for words when called upon to describe certain situations. The lesson from this tale is to hide your chocolate cake!

Sturm-frei

Sturmfrei literally means “storm-free,” and its original meaning was that a stronghold or castle was too well-defended to be assaulted. Because your housemates aren’t there, being sturmfrei now entails having the place to yourself: your “castle” is safe! It’s used by someone enjoying a peaceful evening with their roommates or by parents taking advantage of a rare night free while their children are at a friend’s house. Let’s face it, though: The most typical situation is a teenager taking advantage of the situation and hosting a party where the parents are completely clueless 🎉 🙌