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German word of the day: Die Quasselstrippe

The Local Germany
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German word of the day: Die Quasselstrippe
Photo: Annie Spratt/Unsplash/Nicolas Raymond

Today’s German word of the day is one that really tests your patience.

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Everyone probably has that one friend that likes talking. And I don’t mean just talking, but talking. A lot. Chances are high that this friend has the nickname Quasselstrippe.

Quasselstrippe literally translates to “jabber string,” but the actual English equivalent is “chatterbox” or “babbermouth.”

The noun Quasselstrippe is a combination of the words quasseln and Strippe. Quasseln comes from the Low German word quassen, which means “to jabber”. Therefore it not used positively, but usually if a person is actually talking a lot about nothing.

Photo: Getty Images

Strippe is a word, which describes a piece of string or the cable of a telephone. It also has its origins in the Low German, where the word strupfe described a leather sling.

Calling a person a Quasselstrippe comes from the use of that word for the telephone. Back in the days, when phones were still attached to their station via cable, these phones were called Quasselstrippe – A device on a string which talked to you.

Over the years, the original notion died away up to the point where Quasselstrippe started to be used either derogatory or to tease someone in a loving manner.

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Examples:

Ich kann mich nicht mit ihr unterhalten – sie ist so eine Quasselstrippe.

I cant talk to her – she’s such a chatterbox.

Hey du Quasselstrippe, amch mal einen Punkt.

It's hard to get in a word edgewise because he talks so much.

Es ist schwer, zu Wort zu kommen, weil er so eine Quasselstrippe ist.

It’s hard to get a say, because he talks so much.

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