30 November 2012: Behördendschungel

30 Nov: Behördendschungel from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Berlin, Germany

Word or Expression: Behördendschungel

Closest English Translation: red tape

Literal Translation: Bureaucratic jungle

29 November 2012: Das ist Allerhand!

29 Nov: Das ist Allerhand! from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Berlin, Germany

Word or Expression: Das ist Allerhand!

Closest English Translation: Yikes! OMG! No kidding!

Literal Translation: That is all hands!

Leo dict: The expression “allerhand!” or “das ist ja allerhand!” invariable means that the speaker is surprised, i.e. something happened that she didn’t expect. And this surprise may be about something pleasant or something bad.

Thanks to Eleana for playing along, even with jetlag!

28 November 2012: Hundeelend sein

28 Nov: Hundeelend sein from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Berlin, Germany

Word or Expression: Hundeelend sein

Closest English Translation: sick as a dog, sick as a parrot

Literal Translation: dog-poverty

27 November 2012: Iss deinen Teller leer, dann gibt es morgen gutes Wetter

27 Nov: Iss deinen Teller leer, dann gibt es morgen gutes Wetter from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Airplane ride NYC to Berlin

Word or Expression: Iss deinen Teller leer, dann gibt es morgen gutes Wetter

Closest English Translation: If you clean your plate, then tomorrow the sun will shine.

Literal Translation: Eat your plate empty, then tomorrow will be good weather.

26 November 2012: Volles Brett

26 Nov: Volles Brett from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Chinatown, New York, NY, Sheng Wang

Word or Expression: Volles Brett

Closest English Translation: Full on, full tilt

Literal Translation: Full board, tray, plank

German Synonym: mit Karacho: full tilt

Thank you to my friend, whose name is Bret. He was very very full after eating a wonderful meal at Sheng Wang!

25 November 2012: Ohrwurm

25 Nov: Ohrwurm from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: New York, NY

Word or Expression: der Ohrwurm

Closest English Translation: catchy song, tune, haunting melody

Literal Translation: ear worm

Used when you have a song in your head you just can’t get rid of.
Thanks to Elizabeth and the White Stripes. 🙂
My apologies for cutting the video off too early, you can barely see the worms.

24 November 2012: Überbretzel

24 Nov: Überbretzel from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: New York, NY

Word or Expression: die Überbretzel

Closest English Translation: To hit someone on the head with something

Literal Translation: Over pretzel

23 November 2012: Doppelt gemoppelt hält besser

23 Nov: Doppelt gemoppelt hält besser from kate hers on Vimeo.

Learning Category: Idiom, Saying

Location: Brooklyn, NY

Word or Expression: Doppelt gemoppelt hält besser

Closest English Translation: Better to be safe than sorry, check twice to be sure

Literal Translation: Double (the pug dog) holds better

Not exactly the right translation since ge-prefix refers to a past tense conjugation. Mops is the nickname for the popular pug dog in German. This is a play on words.

22 November 2012: Tacheles reden

22 Nov: Tacheles reden from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: New York, NY

Word or Expression: Tacheles reden

Closest English Translation: to talk turkey

Literal Translation: to speak plain, straight, candidly, blunt

Special thanks to Kaya, Shinae, Sahar, Pedram, and Wendy!

21 November 2012: Das ist kein Kunst!

21 Nov: Das ist kein Kunst! from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: New York, NY

Word or Expression: Das ist kein Kunst!

Closest English Translation: That’s a piece of cake! That’s like taking candy from a baby!

Literal Translation: That is not art!