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Lesson Transcript

INTRODUCTION
Eric: Expressions to Describe Feeling Suspicious About Something
Eric: Hi everyone, and welcome back to GermanPod101.com. I'm Eric.
Jennifer: And I'm Jennifer!
Eric: This is Must-Know German Slang Words and Phrases, Season 1, Lesson 13. In this lesson you'll learn expressions to describe feeling suspicious about something.
Eric: Germans use these phrases often when they suspect some kind of wrongdoing.
SLANG EXPRESSIONS
Eric: The expressions you’ll be learning in this lesson are:
Jennifer: Hier herrscht dicke Luft.
Jennifer: Unter einer Decke stecken.
Jennifer: Den Braten riechen.
Jennifer: Es ist etwas im Busch.
Eric: Jennifer, what's our first expression?
Jennifer: Hier herrscht dicke Luft.
Eric: This literally means "the air is thick." But when it's used as a slang expression, it means "the atmosphere is tense."
Jennifer: [SLOW] Hier herrscht dicke Luft. [NORMAL] Hier herrscht dicke Luft.
Eric: Listeners, please repeat.
Jennifer: Hier herrscht dicke Luft.
[pause - 5 sec.]
Eric: Use this slang expression when there’s a tense atmosphere around you. Let's hear it used in a sentence.
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Bei uns im Büro herrscht mal wieder dicke Luft. [SLOW] Bei uns im Büro herrscht mal wieder dicke Luft.
Eric: "The atmosphere in our office is quite tense again."
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Bei uns im Büro herrscht mal wieder dicke Luft.
Eric: Okay, what's the next expression?
Jennifer: Unter einer Decke stecken.
Eric: Which literally means "to be covered by a blanket." As a slang expression, it means "to be hand in glove with somebody, to be in cahoots."
Jennifer: [SLOW] Unter einer Decke stecken. [NORMAL] Unter einer Decke stecken.
Eric: Listeners, please repeat.
Jennifer: Unter einer Decke stecken.
[pause - 5 sec.]
Eric: Use this slang expression when you notice that somebody is conspiring with someone else. Let's hear an example sentence.
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Die beiden stecken doch unter einer Decke. [SLOW] Die beiden stecken doch unter einer Decke.
Eric: "These two must be in cahoots about something."
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Die beiden stecken doch unter einer Decke.
Eric: Okay, what's our next expression?
Jennifer: Den Braten riechen.
Eric: Literally, "to smell a roast." When it's used as a slang expression, it means "to smell a rat."
Jennifer: [SLOW] Den Braten riechen. [NORMAL] Den Braten riechen.
Eric: Listeners, please repeat.
Jennifer: Den Braten riechen.
[pause - 5 sec.]
Eric: Use this slang expression when you notice something suspicious. Now let's hear an example sentence.
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Der Dieb wollte mich reinlegen, aber ich habe den Braten gerochen. [SLOW] Der Dieb wollte mich reinlegen, aber ich habe den Braten gerochen.
Eric: "The thief wanted to trick me, but I smelled a rat. "
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Der Dieb wollte mich reinlegen, aber ich habe den Braten gerochen.
Eric: Okay, what's the last expression?
Jennifer: Es ist etwas im Busch.
Eric: This literally means "there is something in the bush." But when it's used as a slang expression, it means "there must be something going on."
Jennifer: [SLOW] Es ist etwas im Busch. [NORMAL] Es ist etwas im Busch.
Eric: Listeners, please repeat.
Jennifer: Es ist etwas im Busch.
[pause - 5 sec.]
Eric: Use this slang expression when you suspect that something wrong is going on. Now let's hear an example sentence.
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Das kannst du doch nicht einfach so behaupten. Da ist mit Sicherheit etwas im Busch. [SLOW] Das kannst du doch nicht einfach so behaupten. Da ist mit Sicherheit etwas im Busch.
Eric: "You can not just say that. There must be something going on."
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Das kannst du doch nicht einfach so behaupten. Da ist mit Sicherheit etwas im Busch.
QUIZ
Eric: Okay listeners, are you ready to be quizzed on the expressions you just learned? I’ll describe four situations, and you choose the right expression to use. Are you ready?
Eric: You notice that somebody is conspiring with someone. Which slang do you use?
[pause - 5 sec.]
Jennifer: Unter einer Decke stecken.
Eric: "to be hand in glove with somebody, to be in cahoots"
Eric: There’s a tense atmosphere around you. Which slang do you use?
[pause - 5 sec.]
Jennifer: Hier herrscht dicke Luft.
Eric: "the atmosphere is tense "
Eric: You suspect that there is something wrong going on. Which slang do you use?
[pause - 5 sec.]
Jennifer: Es ist etwas im Busch.
Eric: "There must be something going on"
Eric: You notice something suspicious. Which slang do you use?
[pause - 5 sec.]
Jennifer: Den Braten riechen.
Eric: "to smell a rat"

Outro

Eric: There you have it; you have mastered four German slang expressions! We have more vocab lists available at GermanPod101.com, so be sure to check them out. Thanks everyone, and see you next time!
Jennifer: Bis zum nächsten Mal!

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