[German] Hello, welcome to a short video about German. Do you understand me?
Hello! Today we’re talking about German. German has a reputation for long words and
difficult grammar. But far from being prosaic, it’s actually a language for writers, thinkers,
hipsters and business people, and is spoken by around 200 million people worldwide.
German is renowned for its complex grammar and syntax rules, which can pose a challenge
– or a 'Herausforderung' – to any language learner. For some, learning German can even turn into
a full-blown love-hate relationship, or 'Hassliebe'. German is one of the most popular languages
taught in UK schools. Many people might remember a few phrases, but don’t delve deeper into
the complexities of the language. The two languages are still closely related
today. There are a lot of nouns that sound the same in English and German, such as 'friend'
(der Freund), 'coast' (die Küste) or 'hair' (das Haar).
And finally ... gendered articles – these are crucial for grasping the German language.
Without knowing their gender, you can’t decline nouns or adjectives properly in a sentence.
German nouns can also be very descriptive,
like 'Staubsauger', which means 'hoover', but literally translates as 'dust-sucker'. Or 'Schlafanzug',
which means 'sleeping suit', or just your pyjamas in English.
German is unique enough that its words have
been adopted into many other languages. Here are a few examples that have been borrowed
'Zeitgeist' – the defining spirit or mood
of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time
'Weltschmerz', which translates as world-weariness in the philosophical sense;
'Schadenfreude', meaning malicious enjoyment from the suffering of another;
and 'über-cool' – this one is a bit more obvious. It means 'very cool'.
If you decide to give German a try, it may seem complicated at first, but you will soon
discover that it is a beautiful language that’s not as prosaic as many people think. And since
it’s one of the top languages for international business, learning it might even pay off