13 August 2012: etwas mopsen

13 August: etwas mopsen from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Berlin, Germany, in front of Was Männer Wollen

Word or Expression: etwas mopsen, der Mops=pug dog

Closest English Translation: to swipe something, to nab something

Literal Translation: to swipe something

I’ve been trying to videotape this little dog for several weeks. His owner was not so enthusiastic when I asked to take a photo, so I’m linking his store to the blog. Thanks grumpy guy – Muffel!

I said, “Du bist so hübsch, ich würde dich mopsen.” You’re so cute, I would swipe you.

12 August 2012: Rabeneltern

12 Aug: Rabeneltern from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Berlin, Germany, my home

Word or Expression: Rabeneltern

Closest English Translation: deadbeat parents

Literal Translation: Raven parents

11 August 2012: Spitzbube

11 Aug: Spitzbube from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Berlin, Germany, Ammamma

Word or Expression: der Spitzbube

Closest English Translation: small time crook, rascal, rogue, scamp

Literal Translation: pointed knave

Thanks to Stephanie and Wolf!

10 August 2012: Bammel vor etwas haben

I said this wrong. It should be “Ich habe Bammel vor etwas!”

Learning Category: idiom

Location: Berlin, Germany, courtyard of Node Center for Curatorial Studies

Word or Expression: Bammel vor etwas haben

Closest English Translation: to have the jitters

9 August 2012: Hofen und Malz sind verloren!

9 Aug: Hopfen und Malz sind verloren! from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Berlin, Germany, Neuköln

Word or Expression: Hopfen und Malz sind verloren!

Closest English Translation: A lost cause! All is hopeless!

Literal Translation: Hop and malt are lost (meaning, we cannot make beer).

Thanks to writer and curator An Paehuysen and painter Ali Mongo.

So the story is, at this particular Indian restaurant, they don’t serve alcohol. We were trying to reenact the moment when Ali Mongo asked for a beer and was told there was no alcohol. We wanted him to say, “Hopfen and Malz sind verloren,” since he was sad he couldn’t drink there.

8 August 2012: Geiler Feger

8 Aug: Geiler Feger from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Berlin, Germany, Autocenter

Word or Expression: Geiler Feger

Closest English Translation: hottie, sexy lady, most often used with women

Literal Translation: horny one, (Feger has no translation as far as I can tell).

Thanks Jonas!

7 August 2012: Jemandem fällt ein Stein von Herzen

7 Aug: Jemandem fällt ein Stein vom Herzen from kate hers on Vimeo.

Learning Category: idiom

Location: Berlin, Germany, my home

Word or Expression: Jemandem fällt ein Stein von Herzen

Closest English Translation: to take a load off one’s mind

Literal Translation: to have a stone fall from one’s heart

6 August 2012: Hupfdole, Hupfdohle

6 Aug: Hupfdole from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Berlin, Germany, Kreuzberg +39 Restaurant

Word or Expression: die Hupfdole or Hupfdohle

Closest English Translation: party girl, tease

Literal Translation: Hupfdohle was apparently in the 1950s used as a nickname for a stripper.

Special thanks to Artist Ming Wong, great actor/actress with so much experience in front of the camera!

5 August 2012: Totehose

5 Aug: Totehose from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Berlin, Germany, my home

Word or Expression: Totehose, Das ist so Totehose

Closest English Translation: That is so lame. It’s so dead (what someone says in a club with no people).

Literal Translation: dead pants
There is also a band in Germany called Totehose.

4 August 2012: Schwuchtel

4 Aug: Schwuchtel from kate hers on Vimeo.

Learning Category: insult

Location: Berlin, Germany,

Word or Expression: die Schwuchtel

Closest English Translation: faggot, fairy, fruitcake

Literal Translation: faggot

Thank you Walter C. from Exberliner for participating in this video!