There are some terms no dictionary or Deutschkurs will explain properly.
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Word of the Week: Marie [maˈʁiː]
A popular Viennese slang term for cash, similar to the English “bread” or “dough.”
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Word of the Week: Brillenschlange [ˈbʁɪlənˌʃlaŋə]
In Vienna, this the unflattering expression for someone who wears corrective lenses; the German equivalent of “four-eyes.”
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Word of the Week: Seelenklempner [ˈzeːlənˌklɛmpnɐ]
In Vienna, this the dialect term for a psychiatrist or psychotherapist, or any mental health professional, referencing the complexity of their work.
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Word of the Week: Fadesse [faˈdɛs]
The pandemic has contributed to our weight gain in many cases. Learn everything about that meaty cushion we carry around with us everyday!
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Word of the Week: Sitzfleisch [ˈzɪt͡sˌflaɪ̯ʃ]
The pandemic has contributed to our weight gain in many cases. Learn everything about that meaty cushion we carry around with us everyday!
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Word of the Week: Reparaturseidel [ʁepaʁaˈtuːɐ̯ːzaɪ̯dl̩]
Here's everything you need to know about fighting hangovers the Austrian way, just drink more. It's like extinguishing fire with fire!
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Word of the Week: Rauschkind [ʁaʊ̯ʃkɪnt]
What's a "Rauschkind"? Learn about the term's connection to alcohol with its side effects, and a medically dubious Austrian old wives’ tale,
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Word of the Week: tschechern [ˈt͡ʃɛçɐn]
What does "tschechern" mean? Learn about how the word derived from Yiddish, how it is connected to the thieves’ cant and alcoholism.
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Word of the Week: Spompanadln [ʃpɔmpaˈnaːdl̩n]
Surrounded by annoying people and their Spompanadln? If one is making your life needlessly complicated, just tell them with Viennese "charme".
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Word of the Week: Radler [ˈʁaːdlɐ]
What does Radler mean? Where does the word come from? What connects lemonade and a lack of beer to a German innkeeper and Austrian cycling?
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Word of the Week: wuzeln [ˈvuːt͡sl̩n]
Twisting, turning, rolling: "wuzeln" has to do a lot with kinetics. Find out what it means and for which activities you can use the term.
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Word of the Week: Holzpyjama [ˈhɔlt͡sˌpiˈd͡ʒaːma]
A typical Viennese euphemism related to death is "Holzpyjama". Learn about this humorous word used to describe “cashing in one’s chips.”
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Word of the Week: Schnitzelpracker [ˈʃnɪt͡sl̩pʁakɐ]
Here you can learn about the Viennese slang word for the infamous, culinary tool, used in the violent process of preparing Wiener Schnitzels.
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Word of the Week: Bummerl [ˈbʊmɐɺl]
Noun. A loss, originally in the central European card game, Schnapsen.
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Word of the Week: fremdschämen [ˈfʁɛmtˌʃeːmən]
What does fremdschämen mean? We explain the perfect word to include in spiteful expressions thowards people with a lack of self-awareness.
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Word of the Week: (sich) genieren [ʒeˈniːʁən]
What does genieren mean? Find out about how this term is tied to French language and how you can properly use it in context.
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Word of the Week: Schmähtandler [ʃmɛːˈtandlɐ]
What does Schmähtandler mean? This common Viennese dialect term is great for describing liars and tricksters.
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Word of the Week: pflanzen [ˈp͡flant͡sn̩]
What does pflanzen mean? Which use of the term does it find in Viennese slang? What does pflanzen have to do with describing being annoyed?
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Word of the Week: Chutzpe [ˈxʊt͡spə]
What does the word Chutzpe mean? How does the term apply to extrovert characteristics and behaviour, both positively and negatively?
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Word of the Week: Doppler [ˈdɔplɐ]
What does Doppler mean? What does Doppler have to do with Tafelwein or Landwein? Why has it been gradually phased out over the past decade?
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Word of the Week: Blechtrottel [blɛçˈtʁɔtl̩]
What does Blechtrottel mean? How is this combination of words linked to computers not working in a desired fashion and their clueless users?
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Word of the Week: Holler [ˈhɔlɐ]
What does Holler mean? How is this Viennese abbreviation for Hollunder linked to horse feathers, claptrap, poppycock, hogwash and tomfoolery?
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Word of the Week: Gscherter [ˈkʃeːɐ̯tɐ]
What does Gscherter mean? Find out about how this Viennese slang word is connected to sheared serfs, peasants, slaves and prisoners?
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Word of the Week: Watschen [ˈvaːt͡ʃn̩]
What does Watschen mean? How is this Viennese slang word connected with an infamous German anti-aircraft gun and the Italian word for cymbal?
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Word of the Week: Österreichische Lösung
What does Österreichische Lösung mean? Learn how the term fortwursteln and handing political problems over to one's successors are connected.
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Word of the Week: Masel [ˈmaːzl̩]
What does Masel mean? How is it used? Learn about how the Austrian dialect word for “luck” is tied to failing, birds and Yiddish language.
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Word of the Week: Haberer [ˈhaːbəʁɐ]
What does Haberer mean? How is it used in Austria? Learn about the importance of friends, networks and connections in Austrian society.
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Word of the Week: Knödel
What does Knödel mean? How is it used in Austria? It’s another word for dumplings which Austrians love, and it is a slang word for money.
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Word of the Week: Wurscht
What does wurscht mean? How is it used in Austria? If you want to communicate your indifference to people in Viennese,"wurscht" is your word.
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Word of the Week: anbraten
What does anbraten mean? How is it used in Austria? Are you new to Vienna and interrested in the dating scene? Here's some local lingo.
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Word of the Week: Glumpert [ˈɡlʊmpɐt]
Junk, crap; broken, useless, things. Orig. from Gelumpe (rags). Note that Glumpert generally does not refer to actual garbage – after all, trash is simply the detritus of something useful that has served its purpose.
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Word of the Week: sekkieren [sɛɡiːɐ̯n̩]
To bother, pester or annoy someone. So the implication is that you are desiccating someone, making them itchy and irritable like dry skin with literally “withering” remarks.
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Word of the Week: sudern [ˈzuːdɐn]
To complain, bitch, moan or grumble. And someone who frequently engages in such pessimistic ramblings is called a Suderant. Origin most likely from sieden (to simmer), the implication being that instead of an outburst, anger simmers steadily beneath the surface, never boiling over.
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Word of the Week: deppert [ˈdɛpɐt]
Verb. To march arduously, to slog, plod or trudge; can also mean to limp and, by extension, to strut (comparable to “pimp walk”).
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Word of the Week: Hatschen [ˈhaːʧn̩]
Verb. To march arduously, to slog, plod or trudge; can also mean to limp and, by extension, to strut (comparable to “pimp walk”).
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Word of the Week: Pragmatisierung [pʀaɡmatiˈziːʀʊŋ]
A practice commonly associated with Austrian government employees denoting that a civil servant is legally unfireable.
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Word of the Week: Proporz [pʀoˈpɔʁʦ]
The proportional division of public offices along party lines.
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Word of the Week: Nervenkitzel [ˈnɛʁfn̩ˌkɪtsl̩]
Lit. “nerve tickle”; an informal German expression denoting the thrill and rush of adrenaline-inducing activities.
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Word of the Week: Blad [blaːt]
Adjective. Fat, overweight, obese. Orig. from gebläht (bloated).
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Word of the Week: Leiwand [ˈlaɪ̯vant]
Awesome, cool, excellent. Sometimes emphasized as urleiwand or voi leiwand (totally awesome).
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Word of the Week: E-Card Urlaub [iːkɑːd ˈuːɐ̯ˌlaʊ̯p]
Lit. “e-card vacation;” colloquial Viennese slang for going on (paid) sick leave.
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Word of the Week: Pfuschen [ˈpfʊʃn̩]
Verb. 1. To do a slipshod, haphazard, unprofessional or poor-quality job.
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Word of the Week: Aufpudln [ˈaʊ ̯ fˌpuːdl n]
Verb. To get worked up; to make a mountain out of a molehill.
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Word of the Week: transdanubien [tʀansˈdaˈnubiən]̯
Noun. Lit. Transdanubia, a popular nickname for the two Viennese districts beyond the Danube.
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Word of the Week: Bassena [ba’se:na]
Noun. Orig. either French basin or Italian bacino, both meaning basin.
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Word of the Week: Karambolage [kaʀamboˈlaːʒə]
Noun. A car crash, particularly multivehicle pileups.
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Word of the Week: Fetzen [ˈfɛt͡sn̩]
Noun. In use since at least the 14th century, this highly versatile word has multiple meanings.
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Word of the Week: Schlawiner [ʃlaˈviːnɐ]
Noun. A loveable rogue; someone who is untrustworthy, but charming.
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Word of the Week: Schiach [ʃiːɐ̯ç]
adjective. Ugly, unattractive, aesthetically displeasing.
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Word of the Week: Wappler [ˈvaplɐ]
Noun. An incapable, clumsy and generally incompetent person.
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Word of the Week: Servus [ˈseɐ̯vus]
Greeting. Often contracted in conversation as Servas!, Sers! or Seas! Also used to say goodbye.
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Word of the Week: i-tüpferl-Reiter [i:-dYpfəl-raɪtʰə]
Noun.Lit. “i-dot-rider;” A pedantic person; a stickler; someone who insists on dotting all “i’s” and crossing all “t’s.”
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Word of the Week: Gründerzeit [ˈɡʁʏndɐˌt͡saɪ̯t]
Noun. Lit. Founder’s Era. A time during the second half of the 19th century where Austria (Austria-Hungary after 1867) became industrialized and under went unprecedented modernization and growth.
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Word of the Week: Jause [‘jaʊ̯zə]
Noun. A snack, or a (usually cold) meal served in between the standard breakfast, lunch and dinner, although coffee and cake also qualifies. Orig...
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Word of the Week: Bagage [baˈɡaːʃ]
Noun. Riffraff, reprobates, a group of people you generally hold a low opinion of. A loanword from French that made it into the Viennese ...
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Word of the Week: Blitzgneisser
Noun. A very smart person. Lit. a "lightning comprehender," someone who gets things in a flash. A compound word consisting of...
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Word of the Week: Bürgerschreck
Noun. Lit. "Terrorizer of the Bourgeoisie;" A person who deliberately tries to shock and offend the conservative middle classes with prov...