German Idioms (Barrons) [Paperback]

Henry Strutz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1996 | ISBN-10: 0812090101 | ISBN-13: 978-0812090109

For travelers and English-speaking readers of German, approximately 2000 idioms come with English translations plus each idiom's use in a model sentence presented in both languages.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

(back cover)
More than 2,000 German idioms are listed with their English language meanings in this updated edition. Each entry defines the idiom and presents an idiomatic phrase in both German and English model sentences. This pocket-size book makes a handy classroom supplement and a valuable traveler's companion. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Barron's Educational Series (January 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812090101
• ISBN-13: 978-0812090109
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,348,371 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars When I just can't find the words...., March 29, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: German Idioms (Barrons) (Paperback)

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.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Contains some nice bits, April 25, 2002

By 

Darth Vader (Boston) - See all my reviews

This review is from: German Idioms (Barrons) (Paperback)

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.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Idioms in one place, October 13, 2008

By 

Clement E. Goergen (Sioux City, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: German Idioms (Barrons) (Paperback)

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.