Vocabulary (Review)

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Lesson Transcript

INTRODUCTION
Eric: Expressions to Confront Someone
Eric: Hi everyone, and welcome back to GermanPod101.com. I'm Eric.
Jennifer: And I'm Jennifer!
Eric: This is Must-Know German Slang Words and Phrases, Season 1, Lesson 5. In this lesson you'll learn expressions about conflicts and confrontations. Be sure not to use these directly in front of the person you want to confront, as you might escalate the situation.
SLANG EXPRESSIONS
Eric: The expressions you will be learning in this lesson are:
Jennifer: Ein Brett vor dem Kopf haben
Jennifer: Bellende Hunde beißen nicht.
Jennifer: Auf die Pelle rücken.
Jennifer: Auf die Palme bringen.
Eric: Jennifer, what's our first expression?
Jennifer: Ein Brett vor dem Kopf haben
Eric: This literally means "to have a plank in front of someone's head." But when it's used as a slang expression, it means "to be a blockhead."
Jennifer: [SLOW] Ein Brett vor dem Kopf haben [NORMAL] Ein Brett vor dem Kopf haben
Eric: Listeners, please repeat.
Jennifer: Ein Brett vor dem Kopf haben
[pause - 5 sec.]
Eric: Use this slang expression when you see someone act stupid or do something idiotic. Let's hear an example sentence.
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Wieso kommst du nicht auf die Lösung? Hast du ein Brett vor dem Kopf? [SLOW] Wieso kommst du nicht auf die Lösung? Hast du ein Brett vor dem Kopf?
Eric: "Why don't you know the solution? Are you a blockhead?"
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Wieso kommst du nicht auf die Lösung? Hast du ein Brett vor dem Kopf?
Eric: Okay, what's the next expression?
Jennifer: Bellende Hunde beißen nicht.
Eric: Literally meaning "barking dogs don't bite." When it's used as a slang expression, it means "his bark is worse than his bite."
Jennifer: [SLOW] Bellende Hunde beißen nicht. [NORMAL] Bellende Hunde beißen nicht.
Eric: Listeners, please repeat.
Jennifer: Bellende Hunde beißen nicht.
[pause - 5 sec.]
Eric: Use this slang expression when someone threatens you, but you know that nothing worse than this will happen to you. He or she won't dare do anything, and they’re just giving empty threats. Now, let's hear an example sentence.
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Er hat mich zwar bedroht, aber ein Glück, dass bellende Hunde nicht beißen. [SLOW] Er hat mich zwar bedroht, aber ein Glück, dass bellende Hunde nicht beißen.
Eric: "He threatened me, but I know that his bark is worse than his bite."
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Er hat mich zwar bedroht, aber ein Glück, dass bellende Hunde nicht beißen.
Eric: Okay, what's our next expression?
Jennifer: Auf die Pelle rücken.
Eric: This literally means "to move the skin." When it's used as a slang expression, it means "to crowd somebody."
Jennifer: [SLOW] Auf die Pelle rücken. [NORMAL] Auf die Pelle rücken.
Eric: Listeners, please repeat.
Jennifer: Auf die Pelle rücken.
[pause - 5 sec.]
Eric: Use this slang expression when you think someone’s getting too close to you physically or if someone’s getting on your nerves. Let's hear an example sentence.
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Du rückst mir zu sehr auf die Pelle. [SLOW] Du rückst mir zu sehr auf die Pelle.
Eric: "You're invading my personal space."
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Du rückst mir zu sehr auf die Pelle.
Eric: Okay, what's the last expression?
Jennifer: Auf die Palme bringen.
Eric: Which literally means "to bring somebody to the palm tree." When it's used as a slang expression, it means "to drive someone up the wall."
Jennifer: [SLOW] Auf die Palme bringen. [NORMAL] Auf die Palme bringen.
Eric: Listeners, please repeat.
Jennifer: Auf die Palme bringen.
[pause - 5 sec.]
Eric: Use this slang expression when you really annoy someone or they annoy you. Now, let's hear an example sentence.
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Das hat ihn ganz schön auf die Palme gebracht. [SLOW] Das hat ihn ganz schön auf die Palme gebracht.
Eric: "This drove him crazy."
Jennifer: [NORMAL] Das hat ihn ganz schön auf die Palme gebracht.
QUIZ
Eric: Okay listeners, are you ready to be quizzed on the expressions you just learned? I’ll describe four situations, and you choose the right expression to use. Are you ready?
Eric: Someone threatens you, but you know that they are just empty threats. Which slang do you use?
[pause - 5 sec.]
Jennifer: Bellende Hunde beißen nicht.
Eric: "His bark is worse than his bite."
Eric: You see someone act stupid or do something idiotic. Which slang do you use?
[pause - 5 sec.]
Jennifer: Ein Brett vor dem Kopf haben
Eric: "to be a blockhead"
Eric: Someone annoys you. Which slang do you use?
[pause - 5 sec.]
Jennifer: Auf die Palme bringen.
Eric: "to drive someone up the wall"
Eric: You think someone’s getting too close to you physically or someone’s getting on your nerves. Which slang do you use?
[pause - 5 sec.]
Jennifer: Auf die Pelle rücken.
Eric: "to crowd somebody"

Outro
Eric: There you have it; you have mastered four German slang expressions! We have more vocab lists available at GermanPod101.com, so be sure to check them out. Thanks everyone, and see you next time!
Jennifer: Bis zum nächsten Mal!

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