German Idioms

Since German is a very idiomatic language, such a book as "German Idioms" is an extremely useful tool. It makes it much easier to find any idiomatic use of a particular word along with examples.

Arranged alphabetically by relevant word, this book contains some interesting idioms. Some of the idioms have a historical or cultural basis, but this isn't explained, so the curious student would have to follow up in a heavier and more expensive reference work--for example the big "Wahrig" German-to-German unilingual dictionary. For example, "German Idioms" lists "nach Adam Riese" 'according to Adam Riese' as an idiom meaning "exactly" (i.e., as when you're confident you've added a column of figures correctly), but doesn't say who A.R. was; the big Wahrig does this, however briefly. The same goes for "nullachtfuenfzehn" (meaning "no great shakes," Wahrig explains it comes from the standard dimensions of an ordinary German apartment). However, "Lieschen Mueller" is in the idioms book but not in Wahrig. So, I'd say the idioms book is good as a scholarly provocation but not as a scholarly fulfillment; but for that reason alone it's good value for the money and should be amusing for the advanced student of German.

I am a high school German teacher. In Henry Strutz's German Idioms I found a wonderful reference book that has provided me as well as my students with the appropriate expressions in German in many subject areas. The 2000 idioms cover a wide range of subjects including the expression that Germans hold their thubms for luck: "den Daumen druecken"- while we cross our fingers. If you are looking for a book that will help you grasp a general knowledge of German, this is not the book for you. The reader with a basic knowledge of German will be able to use the English and German indexes in the back to look up key words to find idioms on specific topics. Sometimes its difficult to know what keyword to look up in order to find an idiom on a specific subject. This is a better book for those who are interested in finding the English equivalents of German idioms, not the other way around. There are many funny idioms that have made learning new vocabulary for my students as well as myself much more enjoyable. The book is definately worth the money.