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02 March, 2005

Möchten Sie den Menü?

In conversation with German people, I tend to rely heavily on cognates.  That is, a word that sounds the same in English as it does in German.  For example, Bett is Bed, Katze is Cat, Pflanze is Plant, Bier is Beer, Haar is Hair, and so on.

Well sometimes a word comes up that bites you in the ass because it's a freaking lying cognate.

For instance, I went to Burger King the other day and tried to order food.  I asked for a "Nummer Sechs, bitte."  (No. 6, please).  And the man asked me if I wanted the "Menü." 

No, I thought, the menu is written right above your head, you twit.  So I said, "Nein, danke."

"No drink or fries?" he asks.

"Yes, a Fanta and Country Potatoes," I reply, wondering how I could possibly ask for the meal and not want the meal with it.

"So you want the Menü?"

"No!  Just the Burger, the potatoes and the Fanta."

Somewhat frustrated he rings up the order and tells me the price.  I look at the register and see that the price is the same as the Number 6 written on the MENU that's right above his head.

Well, turns out Menü, here, means Meal. 

So when he asked if I wanted the Meal, I said "No, I want everything that's in the Meal!"

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