Learn expressions to describe unchangeable situations
Now Playing: Lesson Audio
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.
| INTRODUCTION |
| Eric: Expressions to Describe that a Situation is Unchangeable |
| 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 17. In this lesson you'll learn expressions to describe a situation that can’t be changed. German people use these phrases to emphasize when something bad and irreversible has happened. |
| SLANG EXPRESSIONS |
| Eric: The expressions you’ll be learning in this lesson are: |
| Jennifer: Den Rubikon überschreiten. |
| Jennifer: Da beißt die Maus keinen Faden ab. |
| Jennifer: Hopfen und Malz verloren. |
| Jennifer: Das Ende vom Lied. |
| Eric: Jennifer, what's our first expression? |
| Jennifer: Den Rubikon überschreiten. |
| Eric: This literally means "cross the Rubicon." But when it's used as a slang expression, it means "to exceed moral boundaries." |
| Jennifer: [SLOW] Den Rubikon überschreiten. [NORMAL] Den Rubikon überschreiten. |
| Eric: Listeners, please repeat. |
| Jennifer: Den Rubikon überschreiten. |
| [pause - 5 sec.] |
| Eric: Use this slang expression when you make a decisive step that can't be taken back. Now let's hear an example sentence. |
| Jennifer: [NORMAL] Wer den Rubikon überschreiten will, dem muss Einhalt geboten werden. [SLOW] Wer den Rubikon überschreiten will, dem muss Einhalt geboten werden. |
| Eric: "Someone who wants to cross the Rubicon must be stopped." |
| Jennifer: [NORMAL] Wer den Rubikon überschreiten will, dem muss Einhalt geboten werden. |
| Eric: Okay, what's the next expression? |
| Jennifer: Da beißt die Maus keinen Faden ab. |
| Eric: This literally translates as "since the mouse bites from no thread." When it's used as a slang expression, it means "unchangeable." |
| Jennifer: [SLOW] Da beißt die Maus keinen Faden ab. [NORMAL] Da beißt die Maus keinen Faden ab. |
| Eric: Listeners, please repeat. |
| Jennifer: Da beißt die Maus keinen Faden ab. |
| [pause - 5 sec.] |
| Eric: Use this slang expression when something is unchangeable. Let's hear it in an example sentence. |
| Jennifer: [NORMAL] Die Wette steht, da beißt die Maus keinen Faden ab. [SLOW] Die Wette steht, da beißt die Maus keinen Faden ab. |
| Eric: "The bet stands, it can't be changed." |
| Jennifer: [NORMAL] Die Wette steht, da beißt die Maus keinen Faden ab. |
| Eric: Okay, what's our next expression? |
| Jennifer: Hopfen und Malz verloren. |
| Eric: Which literally means "hops and malt are lost." But when it's used as a slang expression, it means "all is lost, no hope for." |
| Jennifer: [SLOW] Hopfen und Malz verloren. [NORMAL] Hopfen und Malz verloren. |
| Eric: Listeners, please repeat. |
| Jennifer: Hopfen und Malz verloren. |
| [pause - 5 sec.] |
| Eric: Use this slang expression when you think someone can't be helped anymore. You already tried unsuccessfully to help him or her. Jennifer, can you give us an example? |
| Jennifer: [NORMAL] Bei dir ist Hopfen und Malz verloren. [SLOW] Bei dir ist Hopfen und Malz verloren. |
| Eric: "All hope is lost for you." |
| Jennifer: [NORMAL] Bei dir ist Hopfen und Malz verloren. |
| Eric: Okay, what's the last expression? |
| Jennifer: Das Ende vom Lied. |
| Eric: Literally meaning "the end of the song." But when it's used as a slang expression, it means "the end of the story, the upshot.." |
| Jennifer: [SLOW] Das Ende vom Lied. [NORMAL] Das Ende vom Lied. |
| Eric: Listeners, please repeat. |
| Jennifer: Das Ende vom Lied. |
| [pause - 5 sec.] |
| Eric: Use this slang expression when you think something will have an unpleasant ending. Let's hear it in a sentence. |
| Jennifer: [NORMAL] Anders kann man es nicht sagen: Das ist das Ende vom Lied. [SLOW] Anders kann man es nicht sagen: Das ist das Ende vom Lied. |
| Eric: "There is no better way to express it: It's the upshot." |
| Jennifer: [NORMAL] Anders kann man es nicht sagen: Das ist das Ende vom Lied. |
| 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 find something can’t be changed. Which slang do you use? |
| [pause - 5 sec.] |
| Jennifer: Da beißt die Maus keinen Faden ab. |
| Eric: "unchangeable" |
| Eric: You make a decisive step that can't be taken back. Which slang do you use? |
| [pause - 5 sec.] |
| Jennifer: Den Rubikon überschreiten. |
| Eric: "to exceed moral boundaries" |
| Eric: You think something will have an unpleasant ending. Which slang do you use? |
| [pause - 5 sec.] |
| Jennifer: Das Ende vom Lied. |
| Eric: "the end of the story, the upshot." |
| Eric: You’ve tried to help someone, failed, and now you think they can’t be helped at all. Which slang do you use? |
| [pause - 5 sec.] |
| Jennifer: Hopfen und Malz verloren. |
| Eric: "all is lost, no hope for" |
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