Vocabulary

Learn New Words FAST with this Lesson’s Vocab Review List

Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.

Or sign up using Facebook
By clicking Join Now, you agree to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and to receive our email communications, which you may opt out at any time.
Already a Member?

Lesson Transcript

INTRODUCTION
Eric: Expressions to Describe Focusing on 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 16. In this lesson you'll learn how to say that you’re staying focused on something.
Eric: German people often like to stay focused on one topic, and they’ll use these phrases to make the subject clear.
SLANG EXPRESSIONS
Eric: The expressions you will be learning in this lesson are:
Jennifer: Am Ball bleiben.
Jennifer: Auf Biegen und Brechen.
Jennifer: Etwas auf Vordermann bringen.
Jennifer: Mit Haut und Haaren.
Eric: Jennifer, what's our first expression?
Jennifer: Am Ball bleiben.
Eric: This literally means "to stay on the ball." It’s used in the same way as the English expression.
Jennifer: [SLOW] Am Ball bleiben. [NORMAL] Am Ball bleiben.
Eric: Listeners, please repeat.
Jennifer: Am Ball bleiben.
[pause - 5 sec.]
Eric: Use this slang expression when you want to mention that you’re staying focused on something. Now let's hear an example sentence.
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Wenn man etwas erreichen möchte, ist es wichtig immer am Ball zu bleiben. [SLOW] Wenn man etwas erreichen möchte, ist es wichtig immer am Ball zu bleiben.
Eric: "If you want to achieve something, it is very important to stay on the ball. "
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Wenn man etwas erreichen möchte, ist es wichtig immer am Ball zu bleiben.
Eric: Okay, what's the next expression?
Jennifer: Auf Biegen und Brechen.
Eric: Which literally means "by hook or by crook." When it's used as a slang expression, it means "by any means necessary."
Jennifer: [SLOW] Auf Biegen und Brechen. [NORMAL] Auf Biegen und Brechen.
Eric: Listeners, please repeat.
Jennifer: Auf Biegen und Brechen.
[pause - 5 sec.]
Eric: Use this slang expression when all possible options should be taken to accomplish a goal. Let's hear it used in a sentence.
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Ich muss das Projekt auf Biegen und Brechen zu Ende bringen. [SLOW] Ich muss das Projekt auf Biegen und Brechen zu Ende bringen.
Eric: "I have to finish the project by any means possible."
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Ich muss das Projekt auf Biegen und Brechen zu Ende bringen.
Eric: Okay, what's our next expression?
Jennifer: Etwas auf Vordermann bringen.
Eric: Literally, this means "to bring something to the person in front." But when it's used as a slang expression, it means "to bring something up to scratch."
Jennifer: [SLOW] Etwas auf Vordermann bringen. [NORMAL] Etwas auf Vordermann bringen.
Eric: Listeners, please repeat.
Jennifer: Etwas auf Vordermann bringen.
[pause - 5 sec.]
Eric: Use this slang expression when you want to fix something up, put it back into good condition, bring it up to the standard. Now let's hear an example sentence.
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Bevor ich das Handy verkaufe, muss ich es auf Vordermann bringen. [SLOW] Bevor ich das Handy verkaufe, muss ich es auf Vordermann bringen.
Eric: "Before I will sell my phone, I have to bring it up to scratch."
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Bevor ich das Handy verkaufe, muss ich es auf Vordermann bringen.
Eric: Okay, what's the last expression?
Jennifer: Mit Haut und Haaren.
Eric: Literally meaning "with skin and hair." As a slang expression, this means "put your heart and soul into something."
Jennifer: [SLOW] Mit Haut und Haaren. [NORMAL] Mit Haut und Haaren.
Eric: Listeners, please repeat.
Jennifer: Mit Haut und Haaren.
[pause - 5 sec.]
Eric: Use this slang expression when you want to express that you’re putting forward all your efforts towards something. Let's hear an example sentence.
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Ich bin mit Haut und Haaren dabei. [SLOW] Ich bin mit Haut und Haaren dabei.
Eric: "I'm giving it my all."
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Ich bin mit Haut und Haaren dabei.
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’re using all possible means to accomplish a goal. Which slang do you use?
[pause - 5 sec.]
Jennifer: Auf Biegen und Brechen.
Eric: "by any means necessary"
Eric: You want to mention that you’re staying focused on something. Which slang do you use?
[pause - 5 sec.]
Jennifer: Am Ball bleiben.
Eric: "to stay on the ball"
Eric: You want to express that you’re putting all your efforts towards something. Which slang do you use?
[pause - 5 sec.]
Jennifer: Mit Haut und Haaren.
Eric: "put your heart and soul into something"
Eric: You want to fix something up, and repair it so that it’s back in good condition. Which slang do you use?
[pause - 5 sec.]
Jennifer: Etwas auf Vordermann bringen.
Eric: "to bring something up to scratch"

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!

Comments

Hide