Ever had a colleague preparing for something challenging?
A tough client presentation.
A difficult negotiation.
A demanding business trip.
You want to encourage them.
You want to show support.
But you don’t just want to say “Good luck.”
In German, there’s a very charming way to say it.
Halt die Ohren steif (Literally: Hold the ears stiff)
Do you have a dog (einen Hund)?
Imagine your dog lying on the floor, tired and half asleep (halb schlafend).
Suddenly, it hears something (etwas).
In one second, it becomes completely alert (völlig aufmerksam).
Its ears rise. They get stiff (steif). Focused. Ready.
In English, there is a very similar expression with a stiff lip.
Get the idea?
So when we say in German to a friend:
Halt die Ohren steif!
We’re not talking about their ears.
We’re encouraging them to stay strong.
Keep your chin up!Keep a stiff upper lip!Hang in there!
Got it?!
So here’s your action step:
Imagine your German-speaking colleague Karl-Helmut is about to leave for a challenging business trip (eineanspruchsvolle Geschäftsreise).
He has important meetings.
Tight deadlines.
High expectations.
Before you say goodbye to him, give him a hug (umarm ihn) and tell him:
Pass auf dich auf und halt die Ohren steif! (Take care of yourself and keep your chin up!)
And this is what it sounds like:
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