Useful Expressions & Phrases
Those who know these expressions will be rewarded with an approving smile from Austrians:
Everyday Expressions
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| "Des is leiwand!" | "That's super!" (Viennese) |
| "Na geh!" | "Oh come on!" / "Not really!" (Astonishment) |
| "Geh bitte!" | "Oh come on!" / "You can't be serious!" |
| "Passt scho!" | "It's okay" / "All right" |
| "Is ma wurscht" | "I don't care" |
| "Da schau her!" | "Look at that!" / "Amazing!" |
| "Mei, is des schön!" | "Oh, that's beautiful!" (genuine admiration) |
| "Fix!" | "Darn!" / "Dang!" (mild) |
| "Jo eh" | "Yeah, sure" / "Of course" (agreeing, slightly annoyed) |
| "Eh" | Universal word: "anyway," "of course," "naturally," intensifying |
| "A Wahnsinn!" | "Amazing!" / "Unbelievable!" (positive or negative) |
Idioms
- "Die Lage ist hoffnungslos, aber nicht ernst" — the epitome of Austrian humor. Typical calmness in the face of chaos
- "Da beißt die Maus keinen Faden ab" — there's no changing that
- "A jeder is seines Glückes Schmied" — everyone is responsible for their own happiness
- "Schau ma mal, dann seh ma schon" — let's wait and see (typically Austrian: don't make a decision if it can be postponed)
- "In Österreich muss man erst sterben, um berühmt zu werden — aber dann lebt man lang" — Proverb about the treatment of artists
- "Nur ned hudeln!" — "Don't rush!" (the call for calmness)
Swear Words (for knowledge, not imitation)
- Piefke — German (slightly derogatory, but sometimes also teasingly friendly)
- Trottel — Fool (in Austria, much more common and less offensive than in Germany)
- Depp — similar to Trottel, slightly stronger
- Wappler — Good-for-nothing, failure (Viennese, crude)
- Gfrast — annoying person, nuisance
