stell dir vor
The German phrase guess what is translated as stell dir vor.
In German, instead of asking someone to guess, speakers use a phrase meaning 'imagine' or 'picture this' to introduce news and create a dramatic effect.
Meaning: used to dramatize the unsurprising (phrase)
Which one should you use?
While English speakers use 'guess what' to introduce news, German speakers achieve the same dramatic effect by using stell dir vor, which literally means 'imagine [it]'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase stell dir vor is informal because it uses the 'du' (singular you) conjugation. If you are in a formal situation and addressing someone with 'Sie', you should use stellen Sie sich vor. Additionally, Weißt du was? is an informal way to say 'guess what'.
Did you know?
- While stell dir vor is used for news, Germans use rat mal when they actually want someone to guess a specific secret or number.
- The verb stellen literally means 'to place' or 'to set', meaning you are asking the listener to 'place' an image in their mind.
- Because vorstellen also means 'to introduce' (as in a person), the phrase stell dir vor can, in certain contexts, create a momentary ambiguity between 'imagine' and 'introduce'.
Examples in context
- Rate mal, wer heute Geburtstag hat!Guess who has a birthday today!
- Hast du gehört? Unser Lieblingsmusiker kommt in die Stadt!Guess what? Our favorite musician is coming to town!
- Stell dir vor, ich habe im Lotto gewonnen!Guess what, I won the lottery!
- Stell dir vor, der Bus hatte schon wieder Verspätung.Guess what, the bus was late again.
- Stell dir vor, er hat mich einfach ignoriert.Guess what, he just ignored me.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a common daily annoyance.
- JuliaStell dir vor, mein Kaffee war heute eiskalt.Guess what, my coffee was ice cold today.
- LukasDas ist ja typisch für dieses Café.That is so typical for this cafe.
- JuliaUnd stell dir vor, es war auch noch teuer!And guess what, it was also expensive!
- LukasDas ist wirklich ärgerlich, Julia.That is really annoying, Julia.
