Adabei, Muichdistl, speanzeln – the Bavarian dialect is full of treasures. We have selected the most beautiful words.
Regardless of whether you are an Urbayer or a Zugroaster (“Zugereister”) – our little lexicon of Bavarian dialect has a few delicacies ready for everyone.
Abfretten, Verb
Abfretten or obfretten comes from the gfrett . The gfrett is a hassle, nuisance, or a chore. If you have to struggle at work, then you struggle, struggle.
“In da Arbad i have to obfretten mi heid wieda.”
Paradeiser that
When the tomato came from South America, people in Austria and Bavaria probably fell in love with the fruit straight away. It was called the golden apple, love apple or also the apple of paradise. That was cut to Paradeiser over time. Incidentally, tomato is a modification of the Mexican native term “tomatl”.
“In the Swiss Wuaschtsalod there is a paradeiser.”
Snack that
We stay with the topic in the broadest sense and dedicate ourselves to the snack . The term should also be quite common or at least understandable nationwide. The Bavarian speaks of a snack, breakfast or dinner. The meal is definitely cold. Bread and matching toppings are served. A good sausage salad is also welcome.
“A good Brotzeid is a gscheids, honest food”
Adabei, the
An Adabei is a classic busybody. He (or she) always prefers to be the center of attention. And the worst thing about Adabei in Bavaria: You just can’t get rid of him. As the name suggests, it is everywhere.
“Is there Adabei aa wieda?”
Oachkatzlschwoaf, who
The absolute classic and the obligatory standard question in every Bavarian test. And that’s what the tongue twister means: the tail of a squirrel.
“Suck amoi ‘Oachkatzlschwoaf’!”
Boandlkramer, the
Film fans know Boandlkramer from the home strip “Brandner Kaspar”. Real Bavarians, of course, knew the term before. It is made up of Boandl , a term for bones or bones, and Kramer , a trader who moves from house to house. What is meant is the Grim Reaper. The Brandner Kaspar actually succeeded in persuading him to play cards.
“Kamma gegan Boandlkramer gwinna?”
Muichdistl, the
The Bavarian dialect gets lost in a plant customer faux pas. The goose thistle looks very similar to the dandelion in bloom. Both plants also form a dandelion. The dandelion is filled with white juice that is reminiscent of milk. This is how the name Milchdistel, or in Bavarian Muichdistl, came about .
“De Muichdistln bloom heia wieda narrisch schee.”
Einwarts, the
You don’t see any blooming dandelions in the inward. But the foliage is wonderfully colorful. Autumn is often very sunny, especially in Bavaria, when it is called golden autumn. Is there anything better than a warm Indian summer before winter comes?
“Ob mia des Joar wieda an goidanen Einwarts griang?”
Mug that
The small cup in the picture has little to do with a mug. Like the beer mugs, the mugs in Bavaria are also bigger. But of course not a whole liter fits into a mug like the measure. Without a fancy saucer and with a little more volume, the cup turns into a mug .
“A gloana kaffä is enough ma heid ned, I’ll take a mug.”
Kasbladl, das
Käsblatt or Kasbladl are disparaging terms in Bavaria for newspapers whose content does not seem particularly valuable to the reader. The term claims that there is nothing in the leaf but cheese.
“You are watching ned eansthoft des Kasbladl o ?!”
Speculation trip, that
The word speculate must be brought back to its origin here. Speculare in Latin means nothing more than observing. So with the speculation trip you can see things. Since eyeglass frames were often made of iron in the past, the terms were simply put together.
“If you don’t get anything, then put on hoid your speculation trip.”
Hodern, the
Probably everyone has had it in their hands at some point: a Hodern or a Hodan . After all, when cleaning, in the kitchen or around the house, it is an everyday object: the rag.
“You need the Hodan nimma nehma, he’s z ‘filthy.”
Obbrennt, adjective
When we were students, we were actually always: completely burned out . So broke, damn, poor. Is used in Bavarian rather for smaller financial worries, but can also mean real lack of funds or bankruptcy.
“Well, I have to go to Minga, I’m completely burned.”
Mushroom, the
There are sponge mushrooms and boletus. In Bavaria you can simply call all mushrooms mushrooms. In the worst case, terminological disputes arise, but with dandelions you don’t take it too seriously either. Every Bavarian will understand what is meant.
“You can’t eat the mushroom, because Mong is over there”
Fotznhobel, the
The man in the picture plays everything at the same time: guitar, drum and slicer . What sounds pretty crude is actually just a harmless harmonica. The cunt is the mouth in Bavarian – just the mouth. The harmonica is played in plane-like movements along the mouth. This is how the Fotznhobel was created .
“At the Logafeia he bakes out his Fotznhobel.”
Heimgarten, the
The Heimgarten is 1790 meters high and is located near Ohlstadt in the Bavarian Prealps. But the mountain has not leased its name. Musicians’ get-togethers in Bavaria are also called Heimgarten .
“Are you bringing your Fotznhobel to the home garden?”
Kracherl, that
The Kracherl is a soda. Or actually there is a soda in the Kracherl. The term is based on the earlier spherical closure bottles. They were sealed with a glass ball that the carbonic acid had driven into the bottle under a rubber. To open it, the glass ball had to be broken. The Kracherl comes from the typical crash of the bursting ball.
“So, Feiaomd! Now it’s time for a cracker. “
Fisimatents that
What are the children doing again for fisimatents? The exact origin of the word is not certain, but it means something like “nonsense”, “faxing” or “nonsense”.
“Your name is like Fisimatenten in your head.”
Zwiderwurzn, the
If men from old Bavaria divorce their wives in a bad way, they may refer to their former better half as “Zwiderwurzn”. “Zwider” comes from the word “contradicting” and “Wurzn” is the root of a tree or a plant, which stands for people. “Zwiderwurzn” describes an unpleasant, grumpy or even aggressive person.
“Your neighbor is a neat Zwiderwurzn”
Gusset, the
Regardless of whether it is in euros or D-Mark. The gusset remains the gusset. In Bavaria there is also the “Zwickelbier”, an unfiltered, naturally cloudy beer, but in this case the Zwickel denotes a two euro coin or a two-mark piece.
“Son of Hosd du an Zwickl?”
Frying that
The word is out of date and is sometimes used for animals. The thick paws of a bear are called, for example, “brats”. Applied to humans, the “brats” simply refer to large or misshapen hands.
“Wash your patties there amoi!”
Gspusi, that
The word probably comes from Italian and can have several meanings. On the one hand it describes a common love relationship, but it can also be used for a secret relationship or a love affair.
“Mei, is this the new Gspusi in the end?”
Diridari, das
The Bavarians probably also adopted the word “Diridari” from Italy and reinvented it for themselves. If an employer wanted to see more money from their boss, they might have said “dari denari”, which means “give money”. In old Bavaria this later became “Diridari”, which means nothing other than “money”.
„Mach da nix draus: Diridari hamma gnua.”
One-note guy that
A sweet word that is easy to understand in the right context. The Einmerkerl is nothing more than a synonym for the blunt High German “bookmark”. Basically a “memo” that you put in the book.
“Hosd du a Einmerkerl fia mei Buach?”
Fankerl, the
It is not known exactly where the word comes from. However, if there is a hell, you will probably meet the “Fankerl” there. That’s the Bavarian devil.
“Dei Bua is a gloana Fankerl.”
Spezl, the
The word “Spezl” is very common in Bavaria, but difficult to translate in the original sense. A special is a friend, but somehow more and less than that. A special can only be a friend from the old days, but with whom you are very familiar. Specialists know who the special is. By the way, for unknown reasons, women are not referred to as specials. Maybe that will change one day.
“I am going to my business.”
Yellow Ruabn that
You can also tap into the “Yellow Ruabn”. This means carrots, carrots or carrots.
“Yellow Ruabn san gsund, notice it.”
Wimmerl, that
There is hardly anything worse before a first date or an important meeting with people you adore. Suddenly a big pimple appears on the face overnight, which laughs at the other person in greeting. If something like this happens to you in Bavaria, you complain about the “Wimmerl” on your face.
“You hosd a clean whimper on da Nosn.”
Gspinnert, Adjective
Artists can be crazy, people who are terrified of something can be crazy, football fans are crazy when it comes to their club. The word basically means “crazy” or “foolish”, but it can also be used for “eccentric” and “unusual”.
“If you gsuffa hosd, you’re clean.”
rushes, adjective
If you have to go to a meeting quickly or have an important appointment that you are about to miss, you have to hurry and get from A to B in a hectic manner. This is how the word ruschert is to be translated.
“Ned is so rustling; watch out amoi now! “
hudeln, Adjective
If you have stress at work, you can get into what is known as huddling. You want to have the mountain of work done quickly in order to get back to work and work quickly but carelessly.
“Because Jürgen hod is gagging again in the office.”
scratched, adjective
Anyone who no longer has a solution to their problem is lost or at the end. In Bavaria this is expressed in the following ways, among other things:
“Zefix, I’m scratched.”
Ruach, the
Almost everyone knows a Ruach. A person who always insists on the last cent owed. Who doesn’t want to throw a round, but always takes and who always pays attention to the price. In Bavaria, Swabians are also referred to as this, but a Ruach is basically a miser or a greedy person.
“Da Ruach wui wieda koan ausgem.”
Schepperl, that
They are used when playing with children, at carnival or just to make music. The Schepperl – or the High German rattle.
“D ‘children schbuin with their Schepperln.”
to shred, to Verb
The word “shred” can have two meanings. On the one hand, it can be used for “running fast” – someone is rushing down a street. On the other hand, there is the more common variant: scraps in the sense of arguing, beating and quarreling. Two people shred each other.
“Da Sepp and da Bäda go around again.”
Red cabbage that
“Red cabbage remains red cabbage and a wedding dress remains a wedding dress”. What is usually the “red cabbage” in the rest of Germany is the red cabbage in Bavaria. Although it is the same vegetable, the herb in Bavaria is actually blue-violet and is sometimes prepared differently.
“As grandma’s red cabbage is oiwe no des best.”
to spread, to Verb
Violence, of course, is never a solution. However, if a man cheats on his wife and tries to explain it to her, it is very possible that his ex-lover will give him one. So spreading on means nothing else than punching someone.
“Heidi wants to get on with Peter now.”
Bilettl, that
Anyone who uses public transport in Bavaria and is asked for a Bilettl should either get off as quickly as possible and run away or show their ticket. The latter is the legal variant and will make the ticket inspector happy. The word comes from French.
“Zeings ma as Bilettl, bittscheen.”
Zuherzieher, that
Another nice word that could also be used as an alternative to the original word in High German. One draws the advisor here when one has to look into the distance. The attendant is simply the binoculars.
“Take a look at the Toi oba with the amoi.”
Stylus that
The stylus is also a more common word. You wear the stylus on your hands and use it mostly to grab something or to grab something. In this case the nimble fingers become pens.
“Take your handle off.”
to spean, to Verb
Many relationships started with harmless speculation – and maybe ended with it. In any case, two people often sit in a bar with their drinks and thus get closer. In High German one would say flirt or anbandeln.
“Peter and Heidi are spitting in the bar.”
Gottesacker, the
An old term that is hardly used today. Gottesacker is the old name for a cemetery.
“You’re drifting me into a churchyard.”
Ramasuri, das
The desk of stressed employees, the children’s room of teenagers and the main train station * on Friday afternoons. There is a lot of confusion everywhere – or as they say in Bavaria: Ramasuri.
„Wos is des fia a Ramasuri?”
Dumpling cemetery, the
The dumpling or Gnedl is clearly a Bavarian cultural asset. Hundreds of recipes for Bavarian bread dumplings are circulating on the Internet and certainly also in private cookbooks, inherited from Omi. The Bavarians cannot ignore the dumpling, at some point it is always served. And then it ends up in numerous versions in the stomach – in the dumpling cemetery. A little historical treat at the end: The favorite dumpling of Bavaria King Ludwig II was probably the pike dumpling, at least that’s how it is passed down.
“Ah go past, you and the Gnedlfriedhof are already working on it!”
Gospel book, that
The Gospel book is in famous hands, at least in Munich. The official coat of arms of the state capital Munich *, the Münchner Kindl, carries a red booklet in his left hand. This little book is, depending on the story, a city law book or a gospel book – the Münchner Kindl is a monk figure. The Bavarian Gospel book is, surprise, nothing more than a Bible.
“Biblical stories in the Gospel book.”
Gutti, das
A gutti, a guadl, a guatl – these are all popular educational methods in Bavaria. If you were good, if the agreements were kept, you earned a gutti. In Bavarian parlance, a “guti” means a small reward, usually a piece of candy, a piece of candy. Even for the grandchildren’s bad days, grandparents usually have a gutti ready.
“Go here, kriagst a gutti from grandpa!”
Toasted that
While Germany is often referred to as the land of the potato (s), Bavaria could also be seen as the state of the fried potato (s). In Bavaria, people like the pan. Not only Semmegnedl but also plenty of potatoes (“Erdäpfe”) are fried there. Then roasted potatoes come out, the fried potatoes.
“Let’s go, I’m hungry! Heid’s the greatest! “
Halsen, Verb
The word jibe can also be found in sailing. There it describes a maneuver to change the course in which the stern of the vessel, i.e. the rear part, is turned into the wind and the sail is then guided on the other side of the ship. This meaning can also be transferred to the Bavarian verb halsen. You are the ship yourself, the sails are your arms, the wind the Gspusi, the stern can theoretically remain the stern. If all of this is too nautical for you, just remember the phrase “to fall around someone’s neck.” Jibe means to hug.
“I dad di grod foolishly like hoisting!”
Stanitzl, das
The word Stanitzl probably comes from Italian, where there is the word scarnuzzo, which means the inside of an animal’s fur. In Bavaria, however, the Stanitzl has relatively little to do with animals. A Stanitzl is a triangular cone, mostly made of paper, in which small groceries such as gutti, chestnuts, peanuts, but also fruit and vegetables (tomatoes!) Are handed out.
“Bass only on the Zeigl in the Stanitzl.”
Secrete, verb
In Italian, seccare means something like to dry out or wither. But even there it is used colloquially to signal that the special is getting on your nerves. This word is also known in Austria. In Bavaria a person who particularly pests, annoys and sucks people is often called a people-segger.
“Ge, Mary and Joseph, a Ruah is! Hearts to die for! “
