For a country known for being reserved and not very interested in small talk, you might be surprised to learn that Germans actually have an enormous number of words to describe "chatting."
Perhaps less surprising is the fact that many of these words carry more than a hint of disapproval, as if chatting, waffling, or babbling were somehow frivolous or a waste of time.
What does Labern mean?
The German verb labern, pronounced like this, originally comes from Middle Low German labbern, which meant “to drink noisily or slurp like a dog.”
Over time the meaning shifted to spoken language, now describing the act of chatting. True to its origins, labern still carries connotations of rambling and making unnecessary noise.
It’s informal and colloquial – often used when someone is droning on without getting to the point.
Why do I need to know Labern?
If the foreigners in Germany don’t stand up for the pleasure, and importance, of shooting the breeze or taking the long way round before reaching a point, then who in the country will?
And there’s no better way of arguing for the basic social importance of chit-chat than by trying to reclaim words which appear to mock it.
German grammar tips: Talk about the past, present and future with just two tenses
So incorporate Labern into your German vocabulary with pride – and think about doing the same with all the many other words in German which share basically the same meaning, including:
plaudern (to shoot the breeze), schwatzen (to babble or gossip), and schwafeln (to waffle or blather).
Use it like this:
Was laberst du?
What are you talking about? (In the sense of “What on earth are you talking about?”)
Er labert den ganzen Abend.
He babbles on all evening.
READ ALSO: The secrets of small talk in Germany you need to know
Hör auf zu labern und komm zum Punkt!
Stop waffling and get to the point!
Bei der Party haben sie die ganze Zeit nur gelabert.
At the party, they just chatted the whole time.
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