Learning German idioms is an excellent way to develop your vocabulary and be playful with a language that feels heavy with grammar rules. Whether you are attending a German class or teaching yourself, learning new idioms can help you feel like more of an insider in your adopted home country.
Learning idioms (Redewendungen) can be confusing. When you hear your German friends say “Es geht um die Wurst” (it's do or die) you might think, “Why are you talking about sausages at a time like this?!” And even once you’ve understood the nonsense saying literally, you might not be sure when to correctly apply it without looking like you’ve lost your marbles.
When you’re starting to learn the endless array of charming German idioms, dividing them up by theme can be a good idea. How many idioms can you find that mention hair? “Die Haare standen mir zu Berge” (My hair stood on end), for example. And how many can you collect that use the word “head”? “Er verliebte sich Hals über Kopf in sie” (He fell head over heels in love with her), might come in handy next time you’re debriefing friends and family on a new found romance.
Check out the video below to learn your first nine German idioms with the Easy German team!
Video: YouTube / EasyGerman