This German Word Can START A FIGHT!

[00:00:00]Germans love to react in one word responses.

[00:00:05]But what if they drop a reply that doesn't even sound like a real word?

[00:00:10]What does it mean if a German goes?

[00:00:20]That sounds like somebody trying to say a word and then swallowing a fly or a very very very bad beatboxer during practice.

[00:00:33]Yo, but in truth, it's just the way that Germans slur the pronunciation of a common model particle. No, no, no. Don't go. I know I said a difficult word, but you don't have to know what a model particle is to understand this video. I promise I'm going to make it fun. Okay?

[00:00:49]what we actually mean to say but are too lazy to do so is aen.

[00:00:57]If you look for a direct translation in English, the closest equivalent is usually just. But because German loves to make things complicated, it's not just just. See what I did there? It can bend time, change dimensions, and simultaneously start and end arguments. Oh, I can do that, too. Especially during that time of the month. In short, that word is a whole mood. The first function of aen is in a time context. There are many words that signal time in German. Gestan, yesterday, later, yet now. But usually they politely choose between past, present, and future. Even on the other hand, lives in a quantum realm. It can mean that an event happened in the past or is about to happen in the future depending on the context. Let's look at the following example.

[00:01:54]Did I just add that bit so I could eat a cookie on camera? Yes. Yes, I did. One like, one cookie for me. Don't disappoint me.

[00:02:04]Means I've just eaten a cookie. Here, even acts like just now or a moment ago.

[00:02:11]You can add to create a sense of immediate urgency.

[00:02:21]Or you can add to turn it into just now.

[00:02:27]I only just mopped the floor. You just did that. You don't want or need to do it again. But if you say this instead.

[00:02:35]Okay.

[00:02:45]Okay.

[00:02:52]Hang in there. I'll just quickly stop by. Suddenly describes something that somebody will do the next moment or right away. And notice how it's a prediction of an upcoming event. Now that word is a time traveler. By adding mal in front or behind it, it gets a sense of casual routine.

[00:03:13]Or you can use it to ask for a favor.

[00:03:22]Um from time to space because in physical terms can can also be a regular adjective meaning smooth, flat or level like in perfectly horizontal.

[00:03:39]I think the floor isn't quite level.

[00:03:41]Wow.

[00:03:44]The wood is completely smooth. The opposite of even is by the way.

[00:03:55]And there are many compound words you can build with even. If something is at ground level, it's if you want to smooth out a bumpy rough surface, the verb is and a vast flat piece of land is a plane or a plateau. It also means the layer. Just remember is anything flat.

[00:04:18]>> So like your jokes.

[00:04:20]>> Moving on to how Germans use even in a conversational way because here is where it gets a bit confusing. Well, you're probably already confused, but hear me out. We'll do this together, okay? Let's enter the savage territory of German discussion culture hand in hand. Germans don't like to waste breath. Why use a whole sentence to say, "I completely agree with your well formulated opinion when you can just throw one single word at somebody.

[00:04:50]This is what you see here is a mid-con conversation mic drop.

[00:05:00]It means thank you. Exactly. Told you so. That's what I've been saying the whole time. There's a relief and acknowledgement to it. And maybe a slight hint of you're stating the obvious. So, can we finally move on? But what if you don't agree and want to crush somebody's train of thoughts instantly? Well, you just flip it into the negative. Even the beauty of it, it doesn't just mean no. It says no. And you should have known better if you were paying attention. You didn't just get it wrong. You got it completely upside down. And your mental sloppiness insults me. I love it when the German language does that. So much loaded subtext, so much drama, and all you actually hear is sticking with the drama theme even can also add a beautiful layer of passive aggressiveness to a statement.

[00:05:53]Feel the defiance. How snappy that sounds.

[00:06:01]You can literally hear the ego cracking.

[00:06:04]Wait, why am I so shenful for today?

[00:06:07]It's like fine, have it your way. It's the linguistic equivalent of eh, you're ugly anyway. Following a rejection on Tinder is the exact same energy. Just combine with an action as a consequence that should ideally serve as a threat. Fine, then I'll just leave. If that's what you want. By the way, if you're hearing a weird noise, that's the wind. There's a storm outside, but I cannot close the window because otherwise I will melt.

[00:06:33]You can add whatever you want to this amazing structure. Okay, fine. Then I'll just leave you alone.

[00:06:40]Okay, fine. Then I'll just punch you in your face. And I would fine then I'll just buy a really ugly hamster now and name it after you.

[00:06:52]Nothing is impossible as long as you add that snappy aen right in the middle. And there's another thing that Germans love to do. Act unnecessarily unimpressed. If they're trying the best piece of cake they've ever had in their lives, their compliment will probably not reflect that emotionally. They maybe say, "Not bad."

[00:07:16]One can eat that. They're not trying to be mean. It's just a habit. It's more a sign of politeness and an odd, cozy humor than of actual rudeness. This reserved, playfully indifferent demeanor can also be found when Germans are asked how they feel.

[00:07:35]How's it going? Well, it just has to, right? Or they might just sigh and say, It is even.

[00:07:45]Well, it's just how it is. That's the most German reaction to when life gives you lemons.

[00:07:54]Just accept your misery.

[00:08:00]As you may have noticed, that sentence uses even once again. Here it also serves as just, but delivered with a slight shrug.

[00:08:10]Lastly, two honorable mentions and they both mean also but can be used as a polite likewise as well.

[00:08:32]It sounds a tiny bit oldfashioned though the younger more common conversational choice would be is an easy word learn in German.

[00:08:42]But hopefully this lesson made it a little bit simpler to understand. Any more questions?

[00:08:48]No.

[00:08:50]Until next time. Bye.

[00:08:55]Why?

[00:08:56]Why?

[00:08:58]Why?