15 Beautiful German Words And Phrases We Need In English

One of the fun things about the German language is how you can build words by simply joining a number of words together, which sometimes means you can get a word that is almost a page long! Don’t panic, it’s just a word on a word, and the language is well-known for building new, hyper-specific words that express life more perfectly than any English word ever could.

Schnapssidee

‘Schnaps idea’: When alcohol does the talking, that idea you came up with while drunk – the one that sounded so good and clever at the time – really, really wasn’t.

Schadenfreude

Weltschmerz

‘World pain’: happens when we realise the world fails to live up to our expectations – the depression that follows comparing an ideal with an actual.

When the real world is just not as good as it is in your dreams

Torschlusspanik

‘Closing-gate panic’: the fear which creeps in with age that time is slipping away, taking any significant opportunities with it. It’s also the sense of urgency to achieve or do something before it’s too late.

Kummerspeck

‘Grief bacon’: the excess weight a person gains from emotional overeating. During a breakup or a stressful time, it is not uncommon for a person to put on a bit of kummerspeck.

Vergangenheitsbewältigung

‘Preserving the past’: the struggle to come to terms with the past. Since the 20th century, the term has come to describe key processes in the study of post-WWII German literature, society and culture.

Erklärungsnot

‘Explanation poverty’: a handy word for politicians, cheaters and children who forgot to do their homework. It’s the precise moment of getting caught in the act of some untruth or misdeed and trying to make up some sorry excuse.

Sauregurkenzeit

‘Pickle time’: the off-season, when nothing happens because everybody is on vacation. This refers to the typical German holiday period, which can last three to six weeks in July through August.

Erbsenzähler

‘Peas tally’: what anyone obsessed with details does (like counting their peas) – a control freak even by German standards.

Treppenwitz

‘Staircase joke’: the all too familiar concept of coming up with the perfect response or comeback, which would have given you the deepest sense of satisfaction – if only you’d thought of it at the moment, instead of 10 minutes after the conversation.

Innerer Schweinehund

‘Inner pig-dog’: the gremlin that lives inside most of us, the one who keeps us from getting up on time, going to the gym or finishing our work until the last minute. It’s basically the struggle to do what we need to when the inner pig-dog just wants a life of idleness.

Eselsbrücke

‘Donkey bridge’: a little trick to help memorise something, like a mnemonic device. Donkey bridges were shortcuts, bridges built across rivers to transport goods via donkey, just as mental cues are shortcuts to remember something.

Fernweh

‘Distance pain’: the feeling of wanting to be elsewhere; the infinite longing for some place that isn’t where you are now.

Frühjahrsmüdigkeit

Here’s one of those long (18 letters, to be exact), intimidating words. ‘Springtime lethargy’: the general sense of weariness ushered in the springtime, specifically mid-March through mid-April.

Fuchsteufelswild

‘Fox-devil wild’: Pure animal rage.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.