Watching Dark to improve your German? Use this information to help you while watching this Netflix series. Learn vocabulary and the history behind the series. Improve your German by following our strategies for learning with TV shows. Enjoy!
Dark is a great series, but can be challenging for learning German because there is a lot of technical vocabulary related to time travel and did you say, alternate universes? But, there is also a lot of great everyday vocabulary as well. Additionally, the episodes are pretty long and complex. I recommend watching it with our German TV Club if available. If not, use this blog post to help you or find an exchange partner or tutor to help you.
Pertinent Vocabulary
Here are some helpful vocabulary words to learn in order to discuss the popular Netflix series, Dark.
Das AKW (Atomkraftwerk) - nuclear power plant
Der Höhle - cave
Verschwinden - to disappear
Das Opfer - victim
Der Hinweis - clue/hint
der Stromausfall - power outage
verstrahlen - to give off radiation
durchsuchen - to look through/search
der Verdächtigter/die Verdächtigte - suspect
auslöschen - to eradicate/erase
in sich zusammenfallen - (13:06) - to collapse in on itself
die Herkunft/die Entstehung/die Ursprung - origin
der Auslöser - catalyst/trigger
eigenartig=merkwürdig - strange
unausweichlich - inevitable
das Schlupfloch - loophole
“In der Lauf der Dinge eingreifen” – to interfere in the course of things
“Der Zweck rechtfertigt nicht alle Mittel” – the end doesn’t justify the means
“Der Unterschied zwischen Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft ist nur eine Illusion, wenn auch eine hartnäckige” – The difference between Past, Present and Future is only an illusion, albeit a stubborn one. – Albert Einstein
Practice writing your own sentences with these words. When you hear one of these words in the show, repeat the sentence aloud and write it down to help you remember it.
Idiomatic Expressions
There are a few idiomatic expressions used in this series.
Season 1
Willst du jetzt Wurzeln schlagen? - "Do you want to take roots?" - "Are you going to be here forever?"
Hier sagen sich Fuchs und Hase gute Nacht – Here the fox and the rabbit wish each other good night - refers to the fact that Winden is so peaceful i.e. nothing ever happens there, that even the fox and the rabbit wish each other good night.
Ihr beide habt euch kaputtgelacht – lit. You both laughed yourselves broken i.e. you were both laughing hysterically
das Versuchskaninchen lit. „experimental rabbit“- guinea pig; subject in experiment
Season 2
fressen wie ein Scheunendrescher - (coll.) to eat like a horse
Ihr habt sie doch nicht mehr alle - (coll.) You are all crazy
Cultural Research (and other helpful info)
Dive deeper into the cultural background and history of this Netflix series. Would you like to visit Winden?
Winden im Elztal is a town in the district of Emmendingen in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. However, the first nuclear power plant built in Germany was located in Karlstein am Main.
Das Atomgesetz – nuclear law (1960)
“Eine Reise durch die Zeit” - “A Journey Through Time” by H.G. Tannhaus
Nietzsches ewige Wiederkunft des Gleichen - (13:05) - Nietzsche’s Concept of Eternal Return: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternal_return
All three remaining nuclear power plants in Germany are scheduled to go offline permanently by midnight on 31 December 2022 (Easy German Podcast 4 Jan. 2022).
Toast Hawaii (42:08) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toast_Hawaii
Das Gottespartikel – The „God Particle” - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Higgs_boson
Bootstrap Paradox (22:38) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causal_loop
Das LKA (Landeskriminalamt) (06:05) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landeskriminalamt
Saint Christopher - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Christopher
Credits go to Etai and Gabriela for finding and translating this vocabulary and other information for our Episode Guides. Thank you both!
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Additional Learning Methods
Improve your German at beginner, intermediate or advanced level by following the suggestions in our blog post:
Currently, German TV Club is scheduled to take place in August and September 2022 to discuss season 3 of Dark. Check out the schedule or see if a club is ready to book now on our booking page. Hope to see you soon!