Lingo bingo

Day 92 of 100, Hamburg, Germany

The one plus about reading Danish at a 5 year old’s level is the ability also, to read signs in German. I can intelligently guess my way around German airports and train stations, diner menus and supermarkets.

For example:

Potato is kartoffel in both Danish and German. Ditto soup / suppe.

Anything related to the flesh of swine is svine (Danish) and schwein (German).

Passport control = pas kontrol

Exit = afgang (DK), ausgang (DE)

Hi = Hej = Hallo

And so on.

My knowledge of either language is not even basic, but it’s a workable system that gets me by without having to rely on Google Translate for everything.

Until, of course, I start thinking I don’t have to rely on Google Translate at all, or ask the German speaker of us when I’m in a rush and confused. Then I walk out of the shop with odd things that aren’t the moisturizer and facial wash I went in to get.