Sometimes, Only Sometimes, Is the German Word Shorter Than the English Equivalent

“Soll ich’s wirklich machen oder lass ich’s lieber sein?  Jein.”

from Jein by Fettes Brot

The English language has left its mark on the world in the last 100 years. It is the most common language, with the majority of speakers knowing English as their second language. And while this allows us to communicate internationally, there are words in other languages that just do not exist in English. One of those is the German word Jein.

Jein is a word creation that expresses in a way, both yes and no. Well, the Germans just don’t have to decide between yes and no as a response. They can also say Jein.

Jein can be applied in a situation where you agree to what has being said, but you disagree about one aspect that has been mentioned, or you want to restrict your affirmation.

Jein also expresses indecision, indicating that the speaker is somewhere between a yes and a no, simultaneously agreeing and disagreeing, or consenting and rejecting an idea or proposal.

So, Jein could be translated as "Yes, but..."

However, the word but negates or cancels everything that goes before it. And it is generally accepted as a signal that the really important part of the sentence is coming up. When you use it, most people listening to you will give more attention and more weight to what you say after you say but.

In that aspect, the German Jein provides an equal balance between yes and no.

Here a few examples of when to use the word Jein:

·       Do you like the film? Yeah, it's technically excellent, but the plot leaves much to be desired.

·       Have you ever been to Bremen? Sort of. I've been there, but I was just driving through. I didn't actually see the city. 

·       Fancy a trip to the Black Forest? Perhaps, a trip would be nice, but I'd rather go abroad.

·       Are you ready for your driving test? Yeah, I'm a good driver, but I get nervous under pressure!

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The Local de - German word of the day: Jein

 Photo by Anne Gosewehr