Learn more German with Aaron and this song by German jazz singer Max Raabe: Du passt auf mich auf (you look out for me). Aufpassen! Look out! Is a must-learn German verb and it's got a separable prefix "AUF", therefore ich pass(e) auf = I am looking out —but you may ask for whom or rather - Who are you looking out for? Again, the preposition AUF is used: Ich pass(e) auf dich auf. I am looking out for you. It's a lovely discovery and a verb that's perhaps a bit counter-intuitive for English speakers who tend to think of "auf" as meaning - "UP, UPON, or ON" and here's it's translated with the prepositions OUT and FOR.
Conjunction: doch - a magical word that contradicts what was previously said. I "do" - emphasizes that in some English sentences "yet, but", it (DOES) happen(s). Yet as in "however". Partly synonymous with German "aber", but has it's own usages. adverbials: noch - can mean / yet, already, still, even / in English, depending on context noch mehr - (even) more - yet more / more still nach vorne (out in front) hinterher (after) substantives / nouns, noun phrases: im Gulli (in the gully), das Konto (bank) account, die Polizei - police die Laune (mood), das Leben (life) adjectives: leer (empty) / schlechte (bad) / brav (good) verbs: In spoken German and in poetry, the final "-e" common in the first person singular "ich" form of a verb in present indicative is often cut off, thus: ich lüge = I lie (tell a lie) / lüg(') ich is simply an inverted word order (since the verb must occupy the 2nd position in the sentence) and loses the final -e for no reason other than it is colloquial or sounds good with the rhyme. Note this pattern throughout the text. landen = to end up / to land kriegen = to get / obtain (transitive, regular) übertreiben = to exaggerate (non-separable; intransitive, irregular) schaffen = to accomplish / to get done (transitive, regular).
0 Comments
|
Aaron BurnsI'm an entrepreneurial linguist and musician, a European in a former life, and an indefatigable conversationalist (like June). I'm available for hire as coach, teacher, writer, editor, analyst, consultant, marketeer, content specialist, translator, interpreter, MC, facilitator or performer. This blog is a portfolio of my interest and abilities in various languages of which I have extensive knowledge. I am also a student of several other languages that I am less intimately familiar with and they all bring me great joy. I currently hold degrees in Language and Literature as well as in Vocal Music Performance, both fields in which poetics and interpretation are no strangers. Archives
December 2023
Categories
All
|