The monkey's tooth and the singed pig
Textbooks give you rules and vocabulary – but not the real tools to understand (let alone talk to) Germans.
Try speaking with only “school German,” and you’ll quickly notice: something is missing.
That “something” is idioms, phrases, and figures of speech. They are the salt of every language:
colourful, humorous, and deeply cultural. Without them, conversations feel flat. With them,
you connect naturally.
Why textbooks alone won't work
A language's particular way
Idioms and sayings are the salt of every language. They reflect a culture’s humor, history, and way of thinking — and make speech far more colorful.
About those raining dogs ...
Understanding phrases like 'raining cats and dogs' or, in German, 'es regnet junge Hunde,' helps learners grasp how natives truly express themselves.
Hell-bat, tooth-monkey
Idioms also make you sound more natural. A German might say someone is 'driving like a bat out of hell' — or 'mit einem Affenzahn fahren.'
A pig singed
Some might say 'er fährt wie eine gesengte Sau' — just another vivid way to describe reckless driving. Learning these boosts fluency and fun!
Idioms are also a bridge into the soul of a language. Literal translations may confuse, but once understood, idioms often stick for life.
The proper usage
So don’t shy away from them — embrace them! They help learners not just speak a language, but truly live it.
I will be glad to teach you the proper (and appropriate) way to use the myriad, colorful and often downright hilarious German idioms effectively, making you sound more german immediately !
Laughing required !
Talking of 'hilarious': For me, it's of the utmost importance that a student feels he's in a secure and easy-going environment; so, while being committed is absolutely essential humour is not just relieving, but essential to learning (and remembering!) as well !
Contact me
E-Mail:
contact [at] wellreadgerman (dot) com
Business hours 10 am to 6 pm CET.
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