4

In Hessen, people often use the word "ger" at the end of sentences, as in **

"Danke ger!"
"Weißt du, ger!"

**

Definitely know it is an exclamatory expression. Is there any translation in English.

äüö
  • 10,236
  • 2
  • 30
  • 59
srina
  • 151
  • 2
  • 6

2 Answers2

13

If you are talking about the word "gell" or "gelle" or "gä/ge" (which I presume you do, because I've never heard of "ger" here in Hessen):

The word "gell" and its regionally differently pronounced equivalents do not heave a real meaning. It is used to emphasize/indicate a question or ask for confirmation, very much like "right?", "isn't/doesn't it?", "don't you?", "eh?" in English.

Examples:

Du wohnst auch hier, gell?
You live here, too, right?

Danke, gell?
Thanks! (I can't come up with a proper translation for this. Here, the "gell" is just appended to ask the other person to confirm they understood you thanked them)

Thorsten Dittmar
  • 15,912
  • 1
  • 25
  • 52
  • 1
    @Thorsen Dittmar: Your example "Danke, gell!" is actually not a question. Here "gell" just adds some kind of importance to what one has just said: You say "Danke!" if someone does something for you that was expected (e.g. the postman hands over a letter) . You say "Danke, gell!" if someone helped you in something that isn't naturally (e.g. the postman carries the 30kg parcel to the fifth floor, where his duty actually was done at the ground floor) . – mic Mar 27 '18 at 11:01
  • 1
    @mic Also one possible use. I also know it as a question, the answer being a polite "basst scho!". :-) – Thorsten Dittmar Mar 27 '18 at 13:02
  • 1
    Additionally to mics explanations: "Danke, gell!" may be used at a later stage to confirm an implicit thankfulness that wasn't expressed cleary or by words at all in the corresponding situation. "Danke, gell" is a more sincere and emphasizing way of saying "Danke!". – Nicolas Mar 27 '18 at 13:04
  • Es gibt übrigens auch die Variante gelt, was wohl das ursprüngliche Wort ist, siehe https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/gelt_ja_oder_wirklich – RHa May 26 '19 at 08:03
  • @ ThorstenDittmar could you be a bit more specific about which part of Hessen you are talking about? I have always heard 'ger' (nearly silent r, not hessisches r) around Lahnau, and would have bet 'gell' was only used in Schwaben. – bukwyrm May 27 '19 at 16:57
  • @bukwym In Hesse it is rather "gelle" than "gell" and I've heard it in many regions, for example around Marburg, Gießen, Schotten, etc. – Thorsten Dittmar May 28 '19 at 07:32
  • "Isch maan, de Oddo-Normalhesse is jo anfäersisch von Naduur aas friedferddisch ve'anlaacht, gell. Ei isch saach immäer, wenn alle Leutd so entspanntd un kuul druff wäre wie mir Hesse, dann wördd's ka Terroristde un annern Schweerve'breschäern uff de Weltd gebbe." (Source: Hessisch fäer Labbeduddel) – Frank from Frankfurt Aug 22 '20 at 17:08
2

Gä or ge or gell(e) is the same what you are hearing. I'm from Hessen. I say always gä but it sounds like ger. Maybe that confused you. Depends regional in Hessen: South Hessisch, Middle Hessisch, Nord Hessisch or Frankfurter Platt.

user unknown
  • 23,274
  • 4
  • 47
  • 97
Jan
  • 21
  • 1