Wars, inflation, the climate emergency: There are many issues to worry about. "The crisis mode is a permanent state," said one German politician in a 2023 debate on how the COVID pandemic was managed. "Krisenmodus," or "crisis mode" was picked by the Association for the German Language as the political buzzword of the year.

"Zeitenwende," literally "times-turn," refers to a historic turning point: The term was used by Chancellor Olaf Scholz in a parliamentary address held in reaction to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. With its WWII history, Germany's postwar defense policy had been rather cautious, but in this geopolitical context, the country would need to significantly increase its military budget.

A plausible choice in times of an ongoing pandemic, "Wellenbrecher" (literally wave breaker) is a term that comes from coastal protection — it means breakwater. It also stands for all the measures that were taken to break the fourth COVID-19 wave that year, said the German Language Association, which has been selecting Germany's word of the year since 1977.

The COVID-19 pandemic was, of course, the leading topic of the year 2020, and that's why the German word of the year was none other than "Corona-Pandemie" (corona pandemic). The runner-up word selected by the jury was also related to the pandemic: "Lockdown."

Planned changes in German pension laws were set to put many workers at a disadvantage by retirement (Rente), so the bill was disparagingly dubbed "Respektrente." The term won over the expressions "Rollerchaos," referring to the chaos created by the sudden invasion of electric scooters in German cities, and "Fridays for Future," the English name for a worldwide school strike for climate movement.

The term "Heisszeit," or warm age — as opposed to an "ice age," which sounds quite similar in German, "Eiszeit" — was chosen as the Word of the Year in 2018, reflecting not only Germany's extreme summer that year, but climate change as as whole.

"Jamaica coalition" refers to the symbolic colors of three parties in German politics: black for the conservative CDU/CSU, yellow for the business-friendly FDP and green for the Green Party. In 2017, coalition talks went on for weeks, but then came to an abrupt halt. This was "Jamaika-Aus," or Jamaica Out.

During the United States presidential election campaign, and after Donald Trump's victory in the fall of 2016, the word "postfaktisch" or post-factual came into common usage to denote the spread of fake news. Even then-Chancellor Angela Merkel used it. The term comes into play when public opinion is formed by emotion and resentment rather than objective facts.

Refugees — undoubtedly, no other issue had a bigger impact in Germany in 2015, when the Syrian civil war brought nearly a million refugees into the country. Runner-up was "Je suis Charlie," for expressing solidarity with the victims of the terrorist attack against the French satirical journal Charlie Hebdo. No. 3 was "Grexit," which referred to the possible expulsion of Greece from the Eurozone.

The winning word in 2014 was "Lichtgrenze," or border of light, which referred to a light installation on the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. This was followed by "schwarze Null," or black zero, describing government efforts to avoid new debts. Another favorite was "Götzseidank," a mash-up of "Gott sei Dank" (thank God) and the legendary goal of soccer star Mario Götze in Brazil.

"I have jetlag and need sleeping pills." Depending on where you're coming from, jetlag can be fierce when you arrive in Germany. Fortunately, pharmacies can be found on nearly every corner here. (They're separate shops and are not located inside supermarkets or drug stores.) Just look for a sign with a big red "A" for "Apotheke."

"I'm spending the night in an Airbnb apartment in the hipster neighborhood." Keep this phrase especially handy for Berlin. While the house rental service has taken flak among locals for driving up rents in the capital, it's still a popular option for visitors. Looking for the hipster neighborhoods? Try Kreuzberg or the northern part of Neukölln.

"Is it worth visiting Neuschwanstein?" Sure, sometimes it's fun to play the tourist - and yes, the Bavarian castle is worth a trip during the less busy off-season. But when you're in Germany, be sure to spend some time away from the sights. Take a long walk on the Rhine River in Cologne, mingle with the locals in a corner kebab joint in Hamburg, or learn to surf in Munich's English Garden.

"I'd like a latte with soy milk." Yes, gourmet coffee drinks have arrived in Germany, too. For vegans, hipsters and lactose-intolerant coffee lovers, you're likely to find soy milk in many urban specialty coffee shops. While we would call it just a "latte," you'll usually find the steamy drink with the Italian word "macchiato" attached - meaning "stained" or "marked" by espresso streaks.

"Can I pay to use your restrooms?" Only ask this question in cafes or shops, not at someone's home. It's common to pay for restrooms inside of restaurants and department stores, even if you're a customer. If you're out and about and have to go, it can be hard to find a public restroom. If it's very urgent, you may have to offer 50 cents for the favor at a cafe if you're not a guest there.

"Where can I find the coolest sneakers in town?" Sneakers are in - especially in capitals of cool like Berlin. To find a pair to take home, you can always try the Mall of Berlin or the Alexa mall on Alexanderplatz. But for a less mainstream selection, try Münzstrasse in the Mitte distrinct. And if you just want to people watch and admire the footwear, head to Oranienstrasse in Kreuzberg.

"How strict are the bouncers at the club?" If you want to enjoy Germany to the fullest, then indulge in some nightlife while you're here. Drinking beer and wine is legal at 16, though you have to be 18 to consume anything harder than that. So unless you're a minor, it shouldn't be a problem getting in - as long as you're wearing shoes and a shirt and your outfit suits the club's style.

"I'm looking for a good hangover breakfast." Breakfast after a night out includes the same thing the world over: plenty of grease. On weekends, many Germans like going out for brunch, and the classic brunch includes a few good hangover remedies, such as scrambled eggs and salami sandwiches. But if you want fried potatoes and sausage, you'll have to look for a British or American breakfast place.

"This train is delayed due to a defect in the overhead wiring." That's one of many possible reasons for a longer-than-expected train ride and certainly a common one. Compared to other countries, German trains are relatively punctual, but - despite the clichés - don't be surprised if you arrive later than planned.

"Mein suitcase is (not) overweight." Depending on how much you've indulged in German sausage and cakes (not to mention Latte Macchiatos), you might end up leaving Germany with a few extra kilos. But if you want to avoid extra airline fees, your suitcase should not. It might be best to stock up on digital photos as souvenirs, rather than cuckoo clocks.

This is what happens every year in October and March: Zeitumstellung, or time change. Many people hate it, but others see Zeitumstellung as a reminder that even if we are all bound by time, twice a year we act like we can change it. In Europe, it could all disappear in the future, following an EU vote on eliminating it. But let's wait and see... Negotiations on the topic have apparently stalled.

Many other German expressions integrate "Zeit," the word for time. A "Zeitschrift" — literally, time writing, is simply a magazine. Whether it includes political discourse or scantily clad women (now with nipples covered), theoretically a magazine should keep up with the times.

While Zeitgeist can also be used in English, its direct translation — time spirit — conjures up images of Charles Dickens' Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present. Referring to the philosophical idea that each era is characterized by particular ways of thinking, the concept of Zeitgeist dates back to 18th-century philosophers and is often associated with Johann Gottfried Herder.

Like time itself, food is elementary to the human existence. A "Mahlzeit" simply means "meal time," and can refer to breakfast, lunch or dinner. But it's also used to wish someone else the maximum amount of pleasure while eating. Next time you see a friend chomping down on a sandwich, you can say, "Mahlzeit!"

It's often referred to as the happiest day of your life. In German, it's also a "high time" — a "Hochzeit." Who isn't high on adrenaline and emotion on that day of all days, on which your credit card debt reaches an all-time high? And for some impatient mothers-in-law, it certainly may be "high time" for that son to finally get hitched.

It's "pickle time!" I'll have a BLT and some chips with that pickle, please... Actually the term "Sauregurkenzeit" originally, in the 18th century, referred to periods when little food was available. Now, it's used during the summer when everyone's on vacation, politics comes to a standstill, the streets are empty, and things get quiet. Pickle anyone?

While "Genosse" means "comrade" and has a communist after-taste, a "Zeitgenosse" is anyone who lives at the same time you do: a contemporary. Just think: You are a "Zeitgenosse" of Angela Merkel, Heidi Klum and Cristiano Ronaldo. Your co-worker may not cheer, though, if you tell him he's your "time comrade."

German often has a single word for a concept English needs a phrase to express. "Zeitgefühl" is your sense of time — something that suffers when you're concentrating on an important project, staring into the eyes of your sweetheart, or changing the clocks back for daylight savings. Your Zeitgefühl may say it's 8:00 am, but it's really only 7:00. So go back to sleep already!