German word of the day: Strotzen
Strotzen is a powerful word, capable of emphasising a wide range of emotions and situations you might encounter or experience in Austria.
The verb can be applied to both an abundance of a particular personality trait, such as energy or health, or to describe a large display of something - be it dirt or a fashion accessory.
If you’re a person with tireless energy, ready to bounce out of bed when the alarm goes off at 6 am, you could say that you vor Energie strotzen or that you're "bursting with energy".
By the same token, if you’re graced with great health, you could vor Gesundheit strotzen, or be "beaming with radiant health".
But strotzen can also have a negative connotation if you describe something full of mistakes or errors. A document could vor Fehlern strotzen - or be "packed full of mistakes".
Yet if you’re a writer and hear strotzen applied to your work, fear not: the term vor Information strotzen can also mean that something is full of useful details.
If you’re planning on playing in the mud - or have children who are - you might want to learn the phrase vor Dreck strotzen, which can mean that something is "caked with dirt" or is "thick with dirt".
If later in the day you wash off that dirt, and dress up elegantly for a fancy dinner party, you might hear the phrase von Juwelen strotzen - or "gleaming with jewellery".
Examples:
Sie strotz vor Gesundheit.
She is beaming with good health.
Er hat ein Geständnis abgelegt, aber es strotzte vor Fehlern.
He made a confession, but it was full of errors.
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The verb can be applied to both an abundance of a particular personality trait, such as energy or health, or to describe a large display of something - be it dirt or a fashion accessory.
If you’re a person with tireless energy, ready to bounce out of bed when the alarm goes off at 6 am, you could say that you vor Energie strotzen or that you're "bursting with energy".
By the same token, if you’re graced with great health, you could vor Gesundheit strotzen, or be "beaming with radiant health".
But strotzen can also have a negative connotation if you describe something full of mistakes or errors. A document could vor Fehlern strotzen - or be "packed full of mistakes".
Yet if you’re a writer and hear strotzen applied to your work, fear not: the term vor Information strotzen can also mean that something is full of useful details.
If you’re planning on playing in the mud - or have children who are - you might want to learn the phrase vor Dreck strotzen, which can mean that something is "caked with dirt" or is "thick with dirt".
If later in the day you wash off that dirt, and dress up elegantly for a fancy dinner party, you might hear the phrase von Juwelen strotzen - or "gleaming with jewellery".
Examples:
Sie strotz vor Gesundheit.
She is beaming with good health.
Er hat ein Geständnis abgelegt, aber es strotzte vor Fehlern.
He made a confession, but it was full of errors.
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