Posted on by Ulrike Rettig

Language Learning Fun - German

Skating Bunny Learning a language should always be fun - even if you need it for your job or for school. So, lighten up your approach and look out for ways to learn and chuckle!

Here's a nonsense poem (with unknown origin) that's built on opposites and oxymorons. German speaking school children love to recite it and delight their parents with such nonsense lines.

Memorize these rhymes and you'll easily add up to 25 new words to your German vocabulary!

DUNKEL WAR'S ...

Dunkel war's der Mond schien helle,
Als ein Wagen blitze-schnelle
Langsam um die Ecke fuhr.

Drinnen saßen stehend Leute
Schweigend ins Gespräch vertieft,
Als ein totgeschossner Hase
Auf der Sandbank Schlittschuh lief.

English Translation

[It was dark, the moon schone brightly,
When a car drove lightning fast
Slowly around the corner.

Inside, people were sitting standing up,
Remaining silent, in deep conversation.
As a shot-dead rabbit
Was skating on the sandbank.]