American Girl Living In Germany Post Things She Finds Unintentionally Funny And Here Are 42 Of The Best
Living abroad is amazing for so many reasons - it opens your heart and mind to new people and different cultures, languages, climate, food... the list goes on. The things that seem mundane at home, going to work or running errands, for example, take on a whole new meaning as you have to figure them out from a fresh and exciting perspective.
Getting used to local customs as a foreigner is not only a fun challenge, but it can also be a good laugh too. Misunderstandings and funny things are bound to occur as you try to get to grips with a complicated new language and way of doing things, and the best way to deal with them is to try not to take yourself too seriously!
American English teacher and blogger Jessie Meier knows this all too well. Her witty and erudite observations about life in Germany encompass things like the endless joy and beauty of the German language, some lighthearted complaining about slightly odd local habits and the German culture, and the funny everyday sightings and occurrences that living as an 'expat' can throw up sometimes.
Scroll down below to see what we mean for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments!
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"Nehmt Rücksicht!" is like, Take into consideration that you're not alone on this path (Best tanslation I can came up with xD)
Load More Replies...To add a little more meat on the bones for non-Europeans: many European countries have a lot of designated bike lanes. Cyclists will likely be going full speed ahead and if a pedestrian then steps into the bike lane without looking, a bad accident may happen.
Well, truth be told, we just say YOLO. Translated it would be man lebt nur einmal
Load More Replies...fyi ... there are no "german" mannequins.Every shop has its own and they vary greatly.
Nowhere does it say there are "german" mannequins. It says "the mannequins in Germany".
Load More Replies...Hah, I never noticed, but she is so right! Even the big pizza is "American Pizza". Now that she mentioned it I probably can never again unsee this. :)
As an American this really makes me angry...I'm going to get a donut now.
I think the likelihood that the peanuts are of American origin is 100%. That's why.
To me mate tastes like hot grass clippings that came out of a mower bag. I might be exaggerating.
Load More Replies...It reads as "La maté" (I killed her) in Spanish. That's one pun too far IMO
It's "mate", not "maté". The little thingy above the "e" makes a huge difference. "Mate" is a South American kind of tea, drank from a special container you can see in the drawing.
Load More Replies...It's a very popular childrens book from Wolf Erlbruch. He taught illustration at our university. Considering most of his stuff aims at kiddos, he was a very... let's say difficult person! :D
Considering the fact that he wrote a book about a grumpy mole who needed to know who pooped on his head, that doesn't really surprise me. Love the book and the illustrations though!
Load More Replies...This book is hilarious. I read it to my son (in Dutch) when he was younger and he found it absolutely hysterical.
This is a game? I have this book in Korean and I thought it was just a funny children's book
It teches children what poop is and how poop from different animals looks like
Load More Replies...It's actually very educational, because you learn all the poop shapes of your favorite animals. And the last image is hilarious.
That’s not correctly translated, though. The title doesn’t say anything about a hat. It’s “About the little mole, who wanted to know who had pooped on his head” (“hat” is “had” it German
Grew up with the Dutch translation of the book, gave the English translation to my niece for Christmas :)
Load More Replies...😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 I love your answer. I'm going to start using it when my vegan friends insist on telling me that tofu is edible.
Load More Replies...Please be kind to this poor confused Australian. What on earth sort of cheese comes in a bottle?????
In German, a long word is one that takes more than one line!
Load More Replies...Okay, this begs the question: What is it that makes the baked potato sexy?
You know that this message is provoking. You just created the first urinal air dryer.
When they put these in The Arndale Centre in Manchester, UK, they were so new that everyone just thought they were fancy bins and they kept getting completely stuffed up with used paper towels.
You stick your hands into it while moving them slowly up and down, positioned like the small icon indicates. The strong airflow quickly dries your hands. But it is also a good opportunity for hackers to steal your hand- and fingerprints because you move them in an ideal way to be scanned, like some research by the Chaos Computer Club revealed last year.
Load More Replies...agreed those grouse are everywhere these days stupid birds
Load More Replies...Oohh!!! Or in puff pastry from the oven. Will definitely try that!!
Load More Replies...Well the Dutch used to call them negro kisses. How's that for a little shock value (mind you, the shock comes from a weirdly different perspective).
In Belgium it's "negerinnentetten". That's even weirder...
Load More Replies...Lol these are yummy but it's the first time now that I realize the double meaning of the name
Is this chocolate? I need to know it in order to buy them!!! I tought they were coffee capsules and always missed them! Thanks. Could you describe a little, please?
It's a round wafer with mashmellow fluff on top and glazed with dark chocolate. Just Yummy!!
Load More Replies...But you do need a lot more education to be a busdriver then to be a blogger.
I things that's part of the point. It's much bigger challenge and harder to become a bus driver, alas, not everyone can do it
Load More Replies...In many parts of the world, bus driver is a highly respected position because of benefitting so many people.
THIS IS BERLIN! The most craziest City in Germany! They have lots of funny, sometimes offending, advertisements! It's well known in Germany that "Berliner sind bekloppt!" (Berlins are crazy!)
This is a (supposed to be funny but only pointless) wordplay. "Busserin" (or its male version "Busser") ist not an actual word. The bus driver in German is "Busfahrer" or "Busfahrerin" for a woman. I guess it means to sound cool. It doesn't.
I've got to say though that I've never seen a gorilla lawn ornament.
Load More Replies...haha, looks like the dog just farted and the gorilla is giving him the side eye.. XD
Koko is immortalized for someone’s lawn? And what did they do with her kitten Ball? This is odd.
I love the animals ready to eat with knifes, forks, napkins and everything LOL
But brunch is a widely used word in other languages, including German, too. Lunch is English and has a perfectly fine German translation (Mittagessen, literally afternoon meal).
Load More Replies...The real translation for Brunch in German is FRESSEN (FRühstück + MittagESSEN) and it's also the german word for eating (the way wild beast do...)
Der Hinweis ist für die Amerikaner gedacht. Die könnten darauf kommen.
In the UK, we have laws stating that if a cosmetic looks like or has the scent of food, it must be clearly stated on the packaging that it isn't edible, perhaps Germany has similar laws and this conditioner is apple scented or something?
Meine Mom hatte mal einen Badezusatz der nach Zimt und Vanille gerochen hat, wie aufm Weihnachtsmarkt... Hätte ich nicht die Seifenblasen auf der Flasche gesehen, hätte ich's getrunken, kein Scheiß!
Somebody evidently didn't get told to NOT drink conditioner and had to ruin it for everyone else. Sounds like a dumb a&$ America kid (mind you I'm American) And once more over it's now why I've Cream in the freeze area at the super markets have to now be locked up so the lids can't be taken off because these kids are licking the tops!
plus it's so obviously a wig...is this from that place that sells latex all-body women covers ?
This is about the weird look on that doll's face
Load More Replies...Maybe she's just tossing them all up in the air and then smiling as she walks off, not catching them but setting herself free.
well.. she has them in her grasp i suppose? she knows where their interests lie..? devotion..? mother's cult?
I don’t understand why this is funny. I am married with children and of course a large portion of my time, attention and efforts go to my husband. She is juggling all the people that need her. How is this not understandable?
I will never understand these novelty studio shots, like nobody believes that your baby is a fairy or that all of your kids can fit on your hand, Karen.
IDK, she has a bemused look on her face, like "Oh, no! My family shrank! What's a mother to do?"
Trend-Wasser, trendy water, is the name of the game for everyone buying bottled water when the tap water is quite possibly of better quality. There is no planet B.
Ja! Is the off-brand label that has equivalents to the more known products for almost everything.
I feel the need to add that the sign says : Will by gold fillings (also with teeth). Never seen that specification...
There is an «upside« and a «downside« to everything.....«downside«here is the chilling reminder of the mountains of gold teeth yanked out by the Nazi guards and found by the Allied Forces upon entering the KZ camps.6 million Jews perished and the World cannot let that be forgotten.....the «upside« is that now the teeth are being paid for. Still,I think the sign should be removed...too insensitive and thoughtless
Maybe they’re looking to expand their market to odontoceti?
Load More Replies...The ultimate irony, when you must sell your teeth to afford your dentist bills.
Well F**k in this context doesn't need to be blurred out, since it's not used as a profanity. And it's pronounced f**k anyway.
BP like to wrap us up in cotton wool. None of us here can take seeing a swear word without bursting into tears.
Load More Replies...Baby, calm down, "Fucke" is just a name in a different country where they speak a different language and Fucke means nothing... "Fick" would be funny in Germany. I guess it would not in the US.
In the town where I am from lives the F**k Family - they have even a nice family grave only with their name on the gravestone :-)
There is a small town in Austria: F*****g. They have a beer brand: F*****g Hell. In German/Austrian nothing's wrong with this... 😂 (Because Americans were constantly stealing the entrance sign, the city was renamed Fugging. Same pronunciation in German)
Q. Why did the Germany baker call the police? A. Because his Christmas bread was stollen!
I can't get past that face... the other 2 the eyes are just kinda cute but THAT one creeps me out.
One of these things is not like the other.....I promise that you'll never find another like me
Argos and Wilko here in the UK has loads of these! I really wanted a clear plastic one with barbed wire or seashells and sand inside but I have to have a boring riser one for my disability.
In Michigan We have always had an enormous selection of seats. Most of the stores/shops ate closing because we can get everything we need from Amazon. Love the under the sea selections.
Mcennedy is name of whole "american" line of goods in Lidl supermarkets.
Load More Replies...This reminds me of "American" pizza in Europe. It's "American" because it has corn on it. Anything with corn is "American".
they just describing the taste of noodles - barbecue sauce taste...and yes, when is "american week" in Lidl shop, this is their brand - Mcennedy" :D
BoredpanDaman really? I don't even see an option. Is that an option only for iPhone users? Because when I try to watch videos here it usually says that.
I want to know more about that corn---the cob looks a little spindle. Can you get corn like that in Germany?
I immediately thought of dank in another context... I guess this business is fine while people ar high?
Note to self, when visiting America, do not call it American Sauce
Load More Replies...I honestly never thought that these would be called anything different in America but it's really obvious now I think about it!
How does washing your FACE make THAT gorgeous? And probably not a good idea to have anything labeled 'Cactus' near your teint...
Teint means glow = the glow you get when you wash your face and it feels oh-so-clean
... But even in America "bang" has other, more dominant, meanings than "f*****g", right?
I think it's the red text above the word BANG that she means
Load More Replies...We have exactly the same product here in the UK, complete with hilarious TV commercials starring "HI I'M BARRY SCOTT!!!"
Yes, you were. It's just a cleaning product that you can buy in Europe.
NC 17 is another expression for x rated... had to google it too, though.
Load More Replies...Seriously, Americans, look up the adverts for this from Britain. Barry Scott and his dirty penny is an absolute legend! Bang and the dirt is gone!
Nah, nothing wrong with this one Brilliant limescale and grime cleaner ;)
We have them in Spain too. The "motto" goes like that "Cillit Bang, and the dirt goes away with a BANG". Bad dad joke at best. But it works wonders so..
Looks more like Sadako than Toshio to me, though.... Yep, not fun at parties. ♥
I think they were talking about Kayako (let's watch Sadako vs Kayako and decide)
Load More Replies...Come to a german Metal Festival like Wacken or Summerbreeze and you will see thousands of cars with 666 on their numberplate. Nothing special.
Load More Replies...The other two say that grownups must hold hands with their children and that teenagers are only allowed in the company of grownups.
Load More Replies...It's only one letter wrong, a 't' is kinda like an upside down 'f' anyway and most people could extrapolate from the data already given.
They're missing the "kids must hold adults hand" "adults must accompany kids" guess they want the kids to die
Load More Replies...If you start falling call upon the toots to fly back on the path. Or at least break your fall.
Load More Replies...The grammar is humerus but let's take a second to appreciate the punctuation.
Honoré de Balzac is a Frech writer. As far as I know, this chain of coffee shops was named after him
He was somewhat infamous for drinking an obscene amount of coffee (think 40-50 cups a day) so it makes sense to name a chain of coffee shops after him.
Load More Replies...Balzac was known for his impressive consumption of coffee, somedays he drank up to 60 cups...
You are truly ignorant and petty for poking fun at another culture and language. Grow up!
It's a joke dude, chill out. Just like one of the posts up there labeled something as big by using the American flag. It isn't something to get your panties in a wad about.
Load More Replies...That is exactly the sad proof, that Americans have no clue about the world outside the great USA.
I really don't get it why this should be a bad company name? How about some education instead? Never heard about the french writer Balzac?
Some kids play firefighter because they are big fans, some play family because they repeat their experienced family life, some play nurse or doctor because themselves or a kindergarden fellow is sick, there's nothing wrong with giving your kids (non-functional childproof) doctor toys.
I think she's chuckling because it says "I'm doctor" instead of "Doctor" or "I'm a doctor".
In German we say "Lassen Sie mich durch, ich bin Arzt!" Literally translated "Let you me through, I'm Doctor!" So... what was your point again?!
Remember the toy/game called 'operation' A plastic man with it's insides showing and the game was to remove it's organs without a mistake? Yuck!
And looks like the Germans don't want them.. Tag says Designer outlets
Load More Replies...Wonder how many languages Jessie speaks? And let me just add there is no such thing as an American dictionary, so that doesn’t count.....
I'm a non-German living in Germany. Some of these were mildly amusing, most are just flat. And some so stupid, only an American would find them hilarious. Like the one with Balzac Coffee, which is named after a French writer, however Jessy finds it funny probably because it sound like "ballsack". That's just plain ignorant. Sorry Jessy
Possibly because I am not American or German i didn't see anything very funny here.
I am German and can't find anything funny... Must be funny then only for Americans...
Load More Replies...The worst part is she seems really to believe she's witty or funny... The most bowring blog about living in a foreign country ever.
And some English words sound NSFW in other languages... If I ever go to Italy, I'll have to change my last name.
Load More Replies...This is probably one of the shittest lists I've ever read on here.
To be fair, every country sticks a US flag on large portion food items
Hmm, my funny bone must be switched off today. Normally i love a good chuckle at mis-translations and whatnot, but these just kind of seem dumb and almost ignorant although I know that’s not the intent.
Not even a little bit funny. "Oh, other languages have different words!" was the summary version. Yawn.
Most of these are just language ignorant. Winder how good (or bad) her German is.
I'm a non-German living in Germany. Some of these were mildly amusing, most are just flat. And some so stupid, only an American would find them hilarious. Like the one with Balzac Coffee, which is named after a French writer, however Jessy finds it funny probably because it sound like "ballsack". That's just plain ignorant. Sorry Jessy
Possibly because I am not American or German i didn't see anything very funny here.
I am German and can't find anything funny... Must be funny then only for Americans...
Load More Replies...The worst part is she seems really to believe she's witty or funny... The most bowring blog about living in a foreign country ever.
And some English words sound NSFW in other languages... If I ever go to Italy, I'll have to change my last name.
Load More Replies...This is probably one of the shittest lists I've ever read on here.
To be fair, every country sticks a US flag on large portion food items
Hmm, my funny bone must be switched off today. Normally i love a good chuckle at mis-translations and whatnot, but these just kind of seem dumb and almost ignorant although I know that’s not the intent.
Not even a little bit funny. "Oh, other languages have different words!" was the summary version. Yawn.
Most of these are just language ignorant. Winder how good (or bad) her German is.
