Let’s have some fun with this weird German language!
In this series of posts, I’ll show you how to make your German speaking colleagues laugh, with ONE simple sentence.
Kohldampf haben
(Cabbage vapor to have)
der Kohl is the cabbage and der Dampf is the vapor.
But the expression “Kohldampf haben” has actually very little (sehr wenig) to do with having a cabbage that is vaporizing (mit einem Kohl, der gerade dampft).
The meaning is something totally different (etwas ganz anderes).
Let me explain.
Imagine you’ve worked the whole day (den ganzen Tag), more than 10 hours in a row without pausing for a minute (ohne eine Minute Pause zu machen).
Once you arrive at home, the only thought in your mind (der einzige Gedanke in deinem Kopf) is:
- I’m so hungry! I could eat a horse (Ich könnte ein Pferd essen)!
And that’s exactly what we mean.
When we say in German:
- Ich habe Kohldampf!
we mean:
- I’m famished!
- I’m starving!
- I’m ravenous!
Got it?!
So here’s your action step:
Imagine you’re working with your German-speaking colleague Andreas on an important project (an einem wichtigen Projekt).
The deadline for finishing and delivering the presentation to your boss is today at 20:00 (heute um 20 Uhr).
At 19.59 you finally finish and send the presentation to your boss (deinem Chef).
After an exhausting day (Nach einem anstrengenden Tag) and more than 10 hours of working without a pause (ohne Pause zu machen), look at Andreas and say to him (sag ihm):
- Lass uns etwas essen gehen. Ich habe voll Kohldampf! (Let’s go eat something. I’m totally starving!)
And this is what it sounds like:
Then, tell me in the comments below how he reacted :-)