Do you speak German? Yes, a little bit!

German is a fascinating language. It is full of complexities, and at the same time, it is a strong bond between distant countries that experience interculturality daily.

The DSM is a trilingual environment in which students, teachers, employees, and parents use German to communicate with one another depending on their knowledge of this language. For those who are just starting on this adventure, there  are a few curiosities that might grab your attention and that may make it easier for you to understand  the grammar and how to use the language.

One of these curiosities refers to German words that are also used in other countries. They are generally, slightly modified. At the top of the popularity contest: Schnitzel! It is a breaded pork steak that can be ordered in specialized restaurants around the world without the need of finding a substitute term. There are some words from the German vocabulary that can be used in Spanish and others that have already been widely incorporated into this language, some formally and others informally.

We might perhaps speak more German than we think. Let’s take a look at some examples:

• Berlina: a car with four doors. It is a metamorphosis from the German word Berline, which was a type of horse-drawn closed carriage with four wheels. The term comes from Berlin. This was the city in which these carriages were first produced.
• Bretzel: the word Pretzel is also used. It is a type of bread that is commonly shaped into a knot or a heart. Its name comes from the German word Brezel or Breze that comes from the Latin word bracellus, that means "small arm" because its shape resembles interlocked arms
• Brindis: a toast with wine or champagne. It comes from the German expression “ich bringe es dir”, which means "I offer it to you".
• Bundesliga: German Football League. It is a term that is widely used in sporting events.
• Delicatessen: English voice that comes from the German term: Delikatessen. It is used to refer to carefully prepared or presented exquisite dishes
• Hamburguesa: Travelers from Hamburg who migrated to the United States in the 20th Century brought something back: the minced meat croquettes recipe. They quickly became very popular because of their versatility.
• Kindergarten: German term that refers to a preschool or to an “establishment designed to take care of children in preschool age”, according to the Duden dictionary.
• Leitmotiv: German word for "central motif". In Spanish, this term is used to refer to a predominant and recurring theme in a piece of music. Just as the matter of concern that is repeated in a literary, academic or cinematographic piece .
• Zepelín: aircraft named in honor of count Ferdinand von Zeppelin (1838-1917). The German military and industrial man who invented this airship. It was one of the first to fly for an extended period of time, but it is no longer used.