5 Things You Didn't Know About German Language
If you think that German is a powerful language with a lot of lengthy words, then you only know a little bit about it. Of course, there is more! For example, did you know that German is also one of the official languages in Switzerland? As a language of psychiatrists and engineering, it has a sense of being strict to it, yet German can be soft and expressive as well to reflect on emotional passages in the books or music. Ranking as the 11th most widely spoken language on Earth, it is also among the most popular choices when it comes to learning a foreign language.
- Number 1 in Europe. It is not widely known but there are 90 million native speakers all over the world. When it comes to Europe, it takes the honorary first place. Coming before French, Italian, Spanish, and even English, German speakers can be met in the parts of Northern Italy, as well as in French's Lorraine. However, there are many dialects, which would still force official institutions to use Standard German or Hochdeutsch. You can check German translation services here and learn about the requirements for official documents or localization. Both cases will require only certified translators. Remember that Austria may have some linguistic differences even in official documents.
- How about three genders? It may sound impossible, yet it is true. While we all are used to either male or female nouns, it is not so for German natives. A good example is “das Kind”, which stands for “a child”. The same goes for “das Lamm”, which is the word used when talking about a lamb. When you have to determine the gender, it is learned by the Grammar. You may be referring to a male child, yet the noun will remain neutral.
- The compound words. Now we are going to talk about long words. Just imagine saying “independence declarations”, which would end up with Unabhaengigkeitserklaerungen. If such long words make you feel frightened, there is no need to be surprised because even Mark Twain has complained about learning a language. What is not really known is that there are no long words but the compound parts where several words are connected.
- They speak the time differently. If a German person is telling you that it is already “halb vier”, which is half-past four, you would think that it is 4:30 pm. Now you have been tricked! In truth, Germans speak about time counting the minutes that relate to the hour that comes up. It makes "half four" an hour that is just before it becomes 4 pm. So, when they say "halb vier", it means 3:30 pm.
- English and German share about 60% of the same vocabulary. It is a great benefit both for Germans and English-speaking people who would like to learn a new language. As you try to learn German, there will be many familiar-sounding words and phrases that you know.