Let’s have some fun with this weird German language!
In this series of posts, I’ll show you how to make your German speaking colleagues laugh with ONE simple sentence.
Ach du grüne Neune!
(Oh you green nine!)
Actually we say Neun for the number 9 (für die Zahl neun).
But here in this phrase, we say Neune, meaning the same (was gleichbedeutend ist).
But what does “Ach du grüne Neune” actually mean?
Imagine going to a cool bar after work (nach der Arbeit) with your colleagues and grabbing some cocktails.
And then suddenly someone from above throws a bucket full of water over the head of one of your colleagues (über den Kopf einer deiner Kollegen).
You’re totally surprised, astonished and irritated. (Of course, you’re also happy that you’ve not been the target (dass du nicht das Ziel warst) :-)
What would you think or even say?
- Oh my God!
- My goodness!
- Good grief!
Or in German:
- Ach du grüne Neune!
Got it?!
So here’s your action step:
Imagine your German-speaking colleague Horst comes to you and tells you about a bet he lost the day before at the company’s Christmas Party (auf der Weihnachtsfeier der Firma).
Look at him astonished and say out loud:
- Ach du grüne Neune! Was ist dir passiert?! (My goodness! What happened to you?!)
And this is what it sounds like:
Then, tell me in the comments below how he reacted.