英文讲解初级德语-What's that song?

Formal German

Lena Kennen Sie das Lied?

Michael Klar, Sie etwa nicht? Das ist das Lied “Männer” von Herbert

Grönemeyer. Es ist sehr alt.

Lena Ah. Mögen Sie Grönemeyer?

Michael Meine Eltern hören oft Grönemeyer. Ich höre lieber die Toten Hosen,

oder Subway to Sally. Was für Musik mögen Sie?

Lena Die Toten Hosen sind gut, aber Subway to Sally mag ich nicht so. Ich

höre oft die Ärzte.

 

English

Lena Do you know this song?

Michael Of course, don't you? It's the song “Männer” by Herbert Grönemeyer.

It's very old.

Lena Ah. Do you like Grönemeyer?

Michael My parents often listen to Grönemeyer. I rather listen to Die Toten

Hosen, or Subway to Sally. What kind of music do you like?

Lena Die Toten Hosen are good, but I don't like Subway to Sally that much. I

often listen to Die Ärzte.

 

Informal German

Lena Kennst du das Lied?

Michael Klar, du etwa nicht? Das ist das Lied “Männer” von Herbert

Grönemeyer. Es ist sehr alt.

Lena Ah. Magst du Grönemeyer?

Michael Meine Eltern hören oft Grönemeyer. Ich höre lieber die Toten Hosen,

oder Subway to Sally. Was für Musik magst du?

Lena Die Toten Hosen sind gut, aber Subway to Sally mag ich nicht so. Ich

höre oft die Ärzte.

 

Informal English

Lena Do you know this song?

Michael Of course, don't you? It's the song “Männer” by Herbert Grönemeyer.

It's very old.

Lena Ah. Do you like Grönemeyer?

Michael My parents often listen to Grönemeyer. I rather listen to Die Toten

Hosen, or Subway to Sally. What kind of music do you like?

Lena Die Toten Hosen are good, but I don't like Subway to Sally that much. Ioften listen to Die Ärzte.

 

Vocabulary Sample Sentences

Isst du lieber Steak oder Schnitzel? Do you prefer eating steak or schnitzel?

Ich mag dieses Lied. I like this song.

Klar komme ich mit! Of course I'm coming along!

Magst du etwa Tokio Hotel? Surely you don't like Tokio Hotel?

Sie war etwa 3 Jahre alt. She was approximately 3 years old.

Der Mann ist sehr alt. The man is very old.

Dieses Gebäude ist 100 Jahre alt. This building is 100 years old.

Sie war etwa 3 Jahre alt. She was approximately 3 years old.

Meine Eltern sind im Moment nicht da. My parents aren't there at the moment.

Hörst du mich überhaupt? Do you even hear me?

Was für ein Buch ist das? What kind of book is that?

Ich liebe deutsche Musik. I love German music.

Wieso ist das so? Why is that so?

 

　　Grammar Points

       Today's point of grammar is the verb m?gen (to like). It's forms are:

　　ich mag - I likedu magst - you like (informal)er mag - he likesSie m?gen - you like (formal)You'll notice that the forms have some similarity to the ones of müssen: ich muss/mag; dumusst/magst; er muss/mag; Sie müssen/m?genExamples:

　　Magst du Rammstein, Chuck? - Do you like Rammstein, Chuck?

　　Ja, ich mag Rammstein. - Yes, I like Rammstein.

　　Chuck mag Rammstein. - Chuck likes Rammstein.

　　Herr Müller, m?gen Sie Kraftwerk? - Mr Müller, do you like Kraftwerk?

 

　　Cultural Insight

Americans or Canadians looking at German charts often feel like time has been turned back aboutthree months. Just with some really strange and unknown stuff thrown in between. Kanye West, BonYovi, Britney Spears, Madonna, Kid Rock, The White Stripes, Amy Whinehouse and others arecurrently taking up the charts. Many Singles and most of the CDs have been published in the US aboutone or two months earlier. So you are going to hear many familiar songs being played in stores.

　　However: the constant success of English songs brought forth the idea of a "Deutschquote" a few yearsago. Politicians tried to force a certain percentage of German speaking music to be played on radio andmusic TV. It shouldn't really surprise that this didn't come through, but it pointed out seriousimbalance on the German music market.

　　There are a number of German bands, like the infamous Modern Talking or the winners of GermanIdol, who sing in English. Currently you can find a rather large number of German songs in the charts,because the European Soccer Championship led to the invention of a lot of songs that would cheer on the German team. But normally there are far less.

　　However, the whole talk about a "Deutschquote" raised the awareness about this whole fact. A numberof new German bands used this in order to gain popularity. Of course this wasn't soly due to thediscussion, but the fruit of a long development. Many really good German and German singing bandare only well-known in their particular area. Anyway we recommand checking out some of thefollowing bands:

　　No Angels => mostly popular with teenage girlsRammstein => hard / darkWir sind Helden => popular musicDie ?rzte => popular alternativeKraftwerk, Ich + Ich => the parent generationPUR => older and younger peopleSilbermond, Juli => melodic musicFreundeskreis => hiphopSido/ Bushido => rap, explicit languageXavier Naidoo => soul, Christian music