The word that Klaus keeps saying is "lebenslanger Schicksalschatz" (would actually be two words in German) and does literally mean "lifelong treasure of destiny". However, this is not a standard phrase in German.
100 German Phrases to Know | German Class for Beginners
Do Germans say yes?
The most direct way of saying yes in German is ja, and it sounds like the English yeah! But that's just the beginning. If you want to be more polite, here are some words which you could add to it: Ja, bitte – Yes, please.
Yes, Backpfeifengesicht (pronounced roughly as bahk-FY-fuhn-guh-zikh-t) is an insult, though a colloquial and humorous one, describing a face that looks like it deserves a slap or punch, used for smug, annoying, or irritating faces. It's not a vulgar swear word but rather a cheeky term highlighting someone's unpleasant expression, combining Backe (cheek) and Pfeife (whistle/slap), meaning "a face that needs a slap".
A German would have ordered “three” with the index, middle finger, and thumb extended. Have a look at this short video where people around the world show how they count with their fingers.
Neither B1 nor B2 is fully "fluent," but B2 (Upper Intermediate) is considered near-fluent or confident, allowing spontaneous interaction, while B1 (Intermediate) is functional but less fluent, requiring more effort and vocabulary support; true fluency often begins at B2 and approaches mastery at C1/C2. B1 users can handle everyday situations but need simpler language, whereas B2 users can understand complex texts and argue points, making regular, strain-free interaction with native speakers possible.
Duolingo ownership is primarily held by its shareholders since its IPO. Co-founders Luis von Ahn and Severin Hacker are the largest individual shareholders. As of February 29, 2024, Luis von Ahn held 3.63 million shares. Severin Hacker held 3.61 million shares as of February 29, 2024.
That isn't to say that you don't often hear “Nein, danke” in Germany; just that it's not surprising to hear a simple “Nein”, too, and isn't perceived to be rude as it could be in Britain. In this article, we aim to provide a list of useful phrases that you could use to say no, in several different contexts.
Mittwoch is a literal word for “mid-week”. You've got to love how straightforward some of the German words are! Donnerstag means “day of thunder” and is named after Donar, the god of war in old Germanic mythology.
In Germany, counting begins with the thumb, so 'three' is thumb + index + middle finger. In the UK, people almost never use the thumb: they show 'three' with index + middle + ring finger instead. This tiny cultural detail was even used to create an iconic scene in a Hollywood movie… do you know which one?
The Third Reich was the Nazi name for Germany and its occupied territories from 1933 to 1945, signifying Nazi Germany as the successor to the Holy Roman Empire (First Reich) and the German Empire (Second Reich), with Reich meaning "realm" or "empire". This totalitarian dictatorship, led by Adolf Hitler, aimed to establish a "Thousand-Year Reich," but ended with Germany's defeat in World War II in May 1945.
