Idiomatic German Trivia Quiz

Answer: Guten Nachmittag

If you greet someone in the afternoon, use 'Guten Tag'. All these greetings are in the accusative and in writing, the nouns all have initial capital letters. However, if 'Abend' is qualified by an adverb it generally starts with a small letter, as in 'Bis heute abend' - 'See you this evening'.

The same applies if 'Abend' is used with a day of the week, for example, 'Montag abend'. These rules also apply to 'der Morgen'.

Answer: Wie komm' ich hier zum Rathaus?

Alternatively, you could ask 'Wie komm' ich am besten zum Rathaus?' - which is also perfectly idiomatic. The non-idiomatic versions would be understood.

Answer: Wismar - hin und zurück, bitte

'Eine Rundfahrt' (pl -en) is a tour, so you might go on 'eine Stadtrundfahrt' - 'a sightseeing tour [of a city]', for example. The incorrect versions are all likely to cause at least some problems, if only delays in comprehension.

Answer: eine Tasse Kaffee

In such cases in German the two nouns are in apposition and there is no visible or audible 'linkage' comparable to English 'of'. Die Tasse (pl. -n) - cup; der Kaffee (no pl.) - coffee. Cf. 'ein Glas Wasser' - 'a glas of water'; 'eine Flasche Wein' - 'a bottle of wine'.

Note also 'die Stadt London' ('City of London') where 'Stadt' and 'London' are similarly in apposition and there is nothing corresponding to 'of'.

Answer: ein Einzelzimmer

'Das Einzelzimmer' (pl. - ). Note also 'das Doppelzimmer' (pl. - ) - 'double-room'.

Answer: Wie heißt das auf Englisch?

In writing, 'auf englisch' and 'auf Englisch' are both used. As for 'Kannitverstan', it's jocular (usually in a negative sense) and is best translated as 'Me no understand': it's just *the* thing to say if you want to clown in a German-speaking country!

Answer: Wann fährt der nächste Zug nach Koblenz?

'Wenn' means 'if, whenever'. The word for 'when' (as a question, direct or indirect) is 'wann'. In spoken German it's commonplace to use the present tense with a future sense with verbs of motion. Note: fahren - fährt - ist gefahren - to go, travel (by vehicle).

Answer: Ich bin gleich wieder da

An equally acceptable alternative is 'Ich komm' gleich wieder'.

Answer: Ich habe mich verlaufen

There are a number of German verbs of the type 'sich (acc.) ver-' which mean doing something wrongly, for example: 'sich verrechnen - to miscalculate', 'sich versprechen - '1. to make a slip of the tongue, 2. to mispronounce' and 'sich verfahren' - 'to take a wrong turning (when driving)'.

'Sich (acc.) auskennen' means '1. to know one's way around, 2. be conversant with, well versed in'.

Answer: Ich muss morgen früh um neun Uhr aufstehen

Note that 'morgen morgen' is a complete no-no. The standard expression for 'tomorrow morning' is 'morgen früh'. This is used even with a specified time that isn't particularly early. If you wish to stress 'early' it's best to detach the word 'früh' from 'morgen' and stress it, for example as follows: 'Morgen muss ich ganz früh aufstehen.'