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What They Didn't Teach You in German Class: Slang Phrases for the Cafe, Club, Bar, Bedroom, Ball Game and More
Packed with slang words, phrases and expressions not found in any textbook, this fun-to-read handbook teaches the casual, everyday language heard in the cafes, bars and streets of Germany. No one actually speaks the formal German taught in school, which makes this book a must have for anyone looking to chat with the locals without sounding like a robot. Published as an attractive, small trim hardcover, this handy phrasebook makes the perfect gift for travelers and students who want to fill the gap between the German they are learning in class and what is really spoken in Germany.
144 pages, Hardcover
Published August 8, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 28, 2022
I lived in Germany during the 70s & 80s, and this is a wonderful source for getting me up-to-date with some modern terminology and regional expressions. Highly recommend it!
June 29, 2025
A hilarious & fun read detailing German slang from a variety of regions across the country. This book does a good job of bridging education of mature content in the German language to cultural context. You're better off picking this one up if you already have some prior knowledge of the German language but I will definitely be taking this with me pocket dictionary style if/when I make the trip to Germany.
October 8, 2023
Best to be prepared and do not leave home without it.
I only had two years of German about 3 decades ago. But I was warned that some phrases do not translate too well, and it is that you might not be saying what you meant to say.
My German teacher was explaining why he was so late and changed the article on “Traffic” and got some strange looks. My favorite tale was when he was in Germany a woman pointed him out to her grandson and said that he spoke excellent 18th century German. This book should help prevent that.
There is also some time taken with pronouncing things in high German. I think of Kennedy, “I am a jelly doughnut.”
A good book as a companion is: “English Grammar for Students of German.”
You can wing it in English but without this book, you are in trouble with German.
I only had two years of German about 3 decades ago. But I was warned that some phrases do not translate too well, and it is that you might not be saying what you meant to say.
My German teacher was explaining why he was so late and changed the article on “Traffic” and got some strange looks. My favorite tale was when he was in Germany a woman pointed him out to her grandson and said that he spoke excellent 18th century German. This book should help prevent that.
There is also some time taken with pronouncing things in high German. I think of Kennedy, “I am a jelly doughnut.”
A good book as a companion is: “English Grammar for Students of German.”
You can wing it in English but without this book, you are in trouble with German.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews