JimmiGerman Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 (edited) Perhaps they are translating literally and thinking it's correct. On my first visit to Germany many years ago I was in a restaurant and asked, "Können Sie mir bitte sagen, wo das Badezimmer ist?" I learned very quickly that not all cultures call it a "bathroom" outside of a home. "Bathroom"... Would you really ask for the bathroom if you wanted to find the toilets in an American restaurant? What would you ask for? You wanna take the opportunity to have a bath for free before leaving the restaurant...? For me it sounds funny. On the other hand, maybe you only want to wash your hands or to comb your hair or simply want to have a look into the mirror - but bathroom is a strange word, anyway, even if we use it in German, too. Edited February 10, 2015 by JimmiGerman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarVortex Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 No, restaurants here have restrooms. But when you're groping for a word in a foreign language, you'll take anything that comes into your head. I've also heard Germans here ask where the "toilet" is, which is very jarring to Americans. It's a crude word that you avoid unless you are specifically referring to the porcelain throne. Vort 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmiGerman Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 (edited) No, restaurants here have restrooms. But when you're groping for a word in a foreign language, you'll take anything that comes into your head. I've also heard Germans here ask where the "toilet" is, which is very jarring to Americans. It's a crude word that you avoid unless you are specifically referring to the porcelain throne. And what would be the best way to ask for the toilets in the US? Bathroom? Restroom is more for the personnel, I guess? A guest is resting all the time, what would he need a restroom for? Edited February 10, 2015 by JimmiGerman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarVortex Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 "Restroom" in any public building, "bathroom" in a house where people live, and "lavatory" in an airplane. Other words are not so polite, as in the following Chevy Chase joke: Airline flight attendant: Would you like something to drink, sir?Passenger: Yes, a Diet Coke, please.Airline flight attendant: And would you like that in the can?Passenger: No, I'll drink it here in my seat. Back to OT: Is "Ich muss verschwinden" commonly used in German? One of my friends uses this expression all the time, but I've only heard her use it. Vort 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmiGerman Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 (edited) (...)Back to OT: Is "Ich muss verschwinden" commonly used in German? One of my friends uses this expression all the time, but I've only heard her use it. Yes, it's commonly used between friends and colleagues or workmates. Of course, there are variations: "ich muss (ma)l verschwinden", "ich muss (mal) kurz verschwinden", "lass mich mal kurz verschwinden" (let me leave for a moment) , "ich verschwinde mal kurz" etc. But don't say it to the waiter unless you have paid. (Just a joke) Edited February 10, 2015 by JimmiGerman PolarVortex 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vort Posted February 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 I think those German tourists asking that way for the toilets are ignorant and a bit silly. They wouldn't ask for the toilets that way in German, so why do they do it in English? Silly. No one here would ask "Wo ist denn das Wasserklosett hier, bitte?" Absolutely silly. If I must choose between embarrassing myself by asking for restroom facilities in an inelegant way vs. embarrass myself by suffering the consequences of NOT asking for said facilities, I know what my choice will be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmiGerman Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 (edited) Edited February 11, 2015 by JimmiGerman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarVortex Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 Well, I didn't hear "water closet" that often. Also, if you ask, "Where are the restrooms?" it does not mean that you are interested in visiting both. And it's okay to say "men's room" or "women's room" in place of "restroom" if you wish. Just be happy that German and English share the same alphabet. I heard about some elderly Japanese tourists who were visiting the U.S. None of them spoke a word of English, and none of them could even recognize letters from the Roman alphabet. Their tour guide taught them that the shorter word ("men") was the men's room, and the longer word ("ladies") was for the women's room. It worked fine, until they visited an upscale restaurant with doors labeled "gentlemen" and "ladies." Vort 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmiGerman Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 (edited) Well, I didn't hear "water closet" that often. Also, if you ask, "Where are the restrooms?" it does not mean that you are interested in visiting both. And it's okay to say "men's room" or "women's room" in place of "restroom" if you wish. Just be happy that German and English share the same alphabet. I heard about some elderly Japanese tourists who were visiting the U.S. None of them spoke a word of English, and none of them could even recognize letters from the Roman alphabet. Their tour guide taught them that the shorter word ("men") was the men's room, and the longer word ("ladies") was for the women's room. It worked fine, until they visited an upscale restaurant with doors labeled "gentlemen" and "ladies." Certainly an unbelievable disgrace for a Japanese. I'm sure they have apologized and bowed personally to each guest and the personell in the restaurant several times. Edited February 11, 2015 by JimmiGerman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classylady Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 Talking about Toiletten reminded me that when I bring someone to Germany with me, who has never been there before, I need to explain to them that the public facilities are not always free. They need a few coins to get in. It's always a surprise to them. I know that not all facilities require payment, but many of them do. So be prepared! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmiGerman Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 (edited) Edited February 11, 2015 by JimmiGerman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarVortex Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Talking about Toiletten reminded me that when I bring someone to Germany with me, who has never been there before, I need to explain to them that the public facilities are not always free. They need a few coins to get in. And what are these coins called? Verschwindengeld? Or do you just say Ich muss mal Münzpinkeln? I figure there must be a clever nickname for these because German humor is really top-notch. ("Why were there no bank robberies in the DDR [East Germany]? Because you had to wait 12 years for a getaway car.") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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