Oh! The Cologne dialect and the Cologne Basic Law always make us smile. The casual, likeable nature of the exclamations says a lot about the people of Cologne and their way of life. And there is a spark of wisdom in every saying. We present five Cologne exclamations and their meaning.
1. “Do bes noch nit lans Schmitz Backes”
Translated, it means: “You’re not past Schmitz Backes yet” and translates as “It’s still a long way to go”. The exclamation dates back to the Middle Ages, a time when there was a bakery on Severinstraße called Schmitz Backes. Criminals who were punished had to run the gauntlet, which ended at the level of the famous bakery.
2. “Lick me en de Täsch”
Means as much as: Lick me in the pocket. It refers to the back pocket, so the exclamation can be loosely translated as “Lick my ass”.
3. “Kinne Kopp wie d’r Nümaat han”
Translated 1:1, this exclamation means: “Not having a head like Neumarkt” and means not being able to remember all sorts of things. The Neumarkt in Cologne is a place that has experienced a lot and has a long history – one that is so extensive that nobody can remember it.
4. “Me kann och met nem Riefkooche Wind maache”
Translates as: You can also make wind with potato pancakes. The saying is often used against show-offs who make a big fuss about nothing.
5. “Anna, ming Droppe (ming Hätz es am kloppe)”
Translated, the exclamation means “Anna, (give me) my drops (my heart is pounding)”. It means that after a fright, you first need a drop of something to calm you down. Our guess is in the form of a cool Kölsch or high-proof schnapps.
Cover photo by liebe.deine.stadt
