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.
Mit seinem Latein am Ende sein
(With one’s Latin at the end to be)
Yes, das Latein refers to the Latin language (bezieht sich auf die lateinische Sprache).
You know, the one that the old Romans spoke, like Cesar (wie Cesar).
Back in the days Latin was the language of science and knowledge, the language which “simple” people could not understand (die einfache Leute nicht verstehen konnten).
Knowing Latin meant to be knowledgeable (kenntnisreich zu sein).
So when someone reached his limits or his “end” with his Latin it meant that even a knowledgeable person didn’t know or had a solution (nicht wusste oder keine Lösung hatte).
So we use this expression when you’ve come as far as you can but you’ve reached your limit and you just don’t know the answer, don’t know the solution (du kennst nicht die Lösung):
- Ich bin mit meinem Latein am Ende!
meaning:
- I’m at my wit’s end!
Got it?
So here’s your action step:
Imagine your company has given you a new computer (einen neuen Computer).
And there you are, trying to configure and install everything (alles zu installieren).
But after a few hours, you notice that you just don’t know how to make it work (wie du es zum Funtionieren bringst).
You need some help (etwas Hilfe).
So you call your German-speaking colleague Peter and say to him (und sagst ihm):
- Peter, ich bin mit meinem Latein am Ende! (Peter, I’m at my wit’s end!)
- Kannst du mir helfen? (Can you help me?)
And this is what it sounds like:
Then, tell me in the comments below how he reacted :-)