German word of the day: Gebongt
Making dinner plans with a friend? Lending your work colleague a hand? Today’s word of the day will have you sorted (quite literally).
The German phrase “ist gebongt” is a useful way of showing something is decided or agreed upon in a wide variety of situations.
READ ALSO: 10 ways of speaking German you'll only ever pick up on the street
Whether you’ve been asked to fill up the petrol tank on your way home from work or to meet your friend in your local coffee shop, replying with “(ist) gebongt” is a quick way to signify the matter is settled and you agree to the plan.
Some common English equivalents for this widely-used colloquial phrase include “righto” , “sure” and “okey-dokey”.
The origins of the word are surprisingly logical, if not immediately obvious. The past participle “gebongt” comes from the verb “bongen”, which refers to the act of ringing something up on a register.
Similarly, the noun “Bon” (or “Kassenbon”) refers to a receipt you would receive at a till after buying something.
The notion of resolving a transaction in a shop is carried over into “gebongt”, but takes on the wider meaning of the settlement of all kinds of matters and queries.
Examples:
Treffen wir uns morgen früh im Café? Ist gebongt.
Shall we meet tomorrow morning in the café? Sure.
Kannst du bitte die Küche putzen, bevor ich nach Hause komme? - Gut, ist gebongt.
Can you please clean the kitchen before I get home? Ok, I will.
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The German phrase “ist gebongt” is a useful way of showing something is decided or agreed upon in a wide variety of situations.
READ ALSO: 10 ways of speaking German you'll only ever pick up on the street
Whether you’ve been asked to fill up the petrol tank on your way home from work or to meet your friend in your local coffee shop, replying with “(ist) gebongt” is a quick way to signify the matter is settled and you agree to the plan.
Some common English equivalents for this widely-used colloquial phrase include “righto” , “sure” and “okey-dokey”.
The origins of the word are surprisingly logical, if not immediately obvious. The past participle “gebongt” comes from the verb “bongen”, which refers to the act of ringing something up on a register.
Similarly, the noun “Bon” (or “Kassenbon”) refers to a receipt you would receive at a till after buying something.
The notion of resolving a transaction in a shop is carried over into “gebongt”, but takes on the wider meaning of the settlement of all kinds of matters and queries.
Examples:
Treffen wir uns morgen früh im Café? Ist gebongt.
Shall we meet tomorrow morning in the café? Sure.
Kannst du bitte die Küche putzen, bevor ich nach Hause komme? - Gut, ist gebongt.
Can you please clean the kitchen before I get home? Ok, I will.
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