# Das macht den Braten nicht fett



## driFDer

I've recently purchased a book loaded with German slang words, and cultural idioms.  But my question to you native German speakers is, are they actually used anymore?  eg: "Das macht den Braten nicht Fett"  (english translation: "It makes no difference to me")  I am worried about the content in the book being rather outdated.  If you don't mind, I would like a few "up to date" , commonly used idioms. (Idioms I can use around my friends and such) Thanks everyone.

Auf Wiedersehen
-Justin


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## FloVi

It's a common expression. I use it by myself from time to time.


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## Henryk

> "Das macht den Braten nicht Fett"


I, in contrast, have never heard this idiom and wouldn't be able to figure out what it could mean if I take it literally.


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## cyanista

I've just asked a friend of mine about this expression. He laughed and said he could imagine his mother saying it. 

Flovi, when you say "by myself" it means you only do it when you are alone.


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## driFDer

Actually the closest translation we have in english is actually, "that doesn't make a difference" I was wrong on my earilier statement.  Maybe the idiom is more or less regional.  We have idioms here in the U.S. of course, but where I'm living, they change almost weekly around here.  One expression might be cool for a week, then quickly gets replaced by something else.  The only expression that has really stuck is the 
phrase(s) "this sucks" or "that sucks" or even "you suck!"  It all seemed to have started with the movie "Wayne's World."


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## FloVi

cyanista said:
			
		

> Flovi, when you say "by myself" it means you only do it when you are alone.



Thanks. It's one of these mistakes I can't get out of my head.


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## gaer

driFDer said:
			
		

> I've recently purchased a book loaded with German slang words, and cultural idioms. But my question to you native German speakers is, are they actually used anymore? eg: "Das macht den Braten nicht Fett" (english translation: "It makes no difference to me") I am worried about the content in the book being rather outdated. If you don't mind, I would like a few "up to date" , commonly used idioms. (Idioms I can use around my friends and such) Thanks everyone.
> 
> Auf Wiedersehen
> -Justin


Justin, I have a suggestion for you. Whenever you find a saying or idiom in a book, Google it to get an idea if it is commonly used. This is by NO means 100% accurate, and it is wise to ask the "natives" here in this forum if they use something or not, but something like this will give you an idea:

Results 11 - 17 of about 21 for "Das macht den Braten nicht Fett". 

If you only find 21 examples, it's not likely to be much used. And often a "hit" is repeated multiple times.

As you've already found out, one person uses this saying, another had never heard it. 

Regarding "that sucks": we try to stick to one topic in a thread, but now that you have mentioned that, I'd like to find out what might be used in Germany that has the same feel, because it IS very common, at least througout the US.

Don't be afraid to open many new threads, each discussing a different saying or idiom, because each one may become an interesting discussion and might lead to good points about both German and English. 

Gaer


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## FloVi

gaer said:
			
		

> Justin, I have a suggestion for you. Whenever you find a saying or idiom in a book, Google it to get an idea if it is commonly used.



Not in this case. It's one of these variable idioms.

"Dass dieses oder jenes passiert, macht den Braten nicht fett."
"Na, das macht den Braten auch nicht mehr fett."
...


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## gaer

FloVi said:
			
		

> Not in this case. It's one of these variable idioms.
> 
> "Dass dieses oder jenes passiert, macht den Braten nicht fett."
> "Na, das macht den Braten auch nicht mehr fett."
> ...


This helps:

Results 11 - 20 of about 568 for "macht den Braten". 

"Das macht den Braten auch nicht fetter!"
"macht den Braten auch nicht fett "
"macht den Braten _____fett"

This is precisely why I say that Googling is only useful if you check the results with people who know what they are talking about. 

Gaer


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## Kajjo

I use this idiom quite regularly and I wouldn't say that it is outdated or old-fashioned.

Kajjo


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## heidita

I am surprised that the younger members on this forum shouldn't know this idiom. Very surprised, as I think it is very common. It is so common that whenever I am in Germany I hear it.


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## gaer

Kajjo said:
			
		

> I use this idiom quite regularly and I wouldn't say that it is outdated or old-fashioned.
> 
> Kajjo


But if Henryk has not heard it, certainly that means something. If an idiom is very common in English, you won't find some people in a group who know it and some who do not. What is old-fashioned is relative. What I consider "a bit old-fashioned" and what those under the age of 21 consdider old-fashioned is quite different. 

Gaer


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## jester.

Also ich kenne die Redewendung und behaupte mal, dass diese im gesamten Sprachraum NRW verstanden und benutzt wird.


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## FloVi

gaer said:
			
		

> But if Henryk has not heard it, certainly that means something.



Maybe he knows the other version of this idiom with "Kohl" instead of "Braten".


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## Whodunit

j3st3r said:
			
		

> Also ich kenne die Redewendung und behaupte mal, dass diese im gesamten Sprachraum NRW verstanden und benutzt wird.


 
I have never used it and never heard it, nonetheless it is understandable. 

I should, by the way, point out that the spelling "Das macht den Braten nicht *F*ett" is very misleading, because we are not talking about "grease" (das Fett), but about the adjective "fat" (fett). 

I'd suggest "That doesn't change things" as a translation, although I don't think this is an idiomatic expression in English.


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## flame

Whodunit said:
			
		

> I should, by the way, point out that the spelling "Das macht den Braten nicht *F*ett" is very misleading, because we are not talking about "grease" (das Fett), but about the adjective "fat" (fett).
> 
> I'd suggest "That doesn't change things" as a translation, although I don't think this is an idiomatic expression in English.


I think Whodunit is correct about the spelling. It must be
"Das macht den Braten nicht *f*ett"​and the meaning is "This doesn't make it any better", or "This will not improve the situation".


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## Jana337

flame said:
			
		

> I think Whodunit is correct about the spelling. It must be"Das macht den Braten nicht *f*ett"​and the meaning is "This doesn't make it any better", or "This will not improve the situation".


Danke, endlich habe ich es verstanden! 

Jana


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## jester.

flame said:
			
		

> I think Whodunit is correct about the spelling. It must be"Das macht den Braten nicht *f*ett"​and the meaning is "This doesn't make it any better", or "This will not improve the situation".



I understand it quite differently:

An example in German

-Ich habe das Auto in die Werkstatt gebracht, um die Klimaanlage reparieren zu lassen und dann erfahre ich, dass auch die Bremsen defekt sind.
-Und? Ist die Reparatur jetzt nicht teurer?
-Naja, die Klimaanlage war schon teuer, also machen die Bremsen den Braten auch nicht mehr fett.

So, I have to say that, for me, the idiom means "This doesn't make it any worse."


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## driFDer

It is indeed "fett" NOT "Fett"  Sorry, little slip on the keyboard there.  But quite amazing how one letter can sometimes drastically change a meaning of someting.


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## gaer

driFDer said:
			
		

> It is indeed "fett" NOT "Fett" Sorry, little slip on the keyboard there. But quite amazing how one letter can sometimes drastically change a meaning of someting.


I didn't even notice the mistake! 

Gaer


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## flame

j3st3r said:
			
		

> I understand it quite differently:
> 
> An example in German
> 
> -Ich habe das Auto in die Werkstatt gebracht, um die Klimaanlage reparieren zu lassen und dann erfahre ich, dass auch die Bremsen defekt sind.
> -Und? Ist die Reparatur jetzt nicht teurer?
> -Naja, die Klimaanlage war schon teuer, also machen die Bremsen den Braten auch nicht mehr fett.
> 
> So, I have to say that, for me, the idiom means "This doesn't make it any worse."


 
Correct, that would be the meaning according to your example. I am however not 100% sure if I should question that the idiom is applied correctly in the given context. In this case I still could stick to my "doesn't improve" translation while widening the other to "make it any better/worse". I have often noticed that such phrases tend to be slightly diffuse.

By the way: people in Austria seem to live healthier than Germans, because here it is much more popular to refer to "Kraut" (cabbage) instead of "Braten", ".... aber das macht das Kraut jetzt auch nicht mehr fett!"


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## Kajjo

Das macht den Braten nicht fett!
= Das leistet keinen entscheidenden Beitrag.
= Das hat keinen erheblichen Einfluß.

Vielleicht in etwa:
= won't make any difference / won't make a big/significant difference

Maybe our English natives (like Elroy, Jana, ... *grin*) are now able to come up with an idiomatic phrase?

Kajjo


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## Jana337

Kajjo said:
			
		

> Maybe our English natives Jana darf auch are now able to come up with an idiomatic phrase?


Fine words butter no parsnips.  Not an extremely common one, I guess.

Jana


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## heidita

Das ist nicht dasselbe, Jana.

The full expression is _fine words butter no parsnips_ (or sometimes _soft words ..._ or _fair words ..._), meaning that words alone are useless, especially flattering phrases or fine promises, and you should judge people by what they do rather than by what they say.

_It won't make any difference. _

wäre auch mein Vorschlag.

*Flovi*, lustig Dein Satz mir Kraut. Hatte ich noch nicht gehört.


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## FloVi

heidita said:
			
		

> *Flovi*, lustig Dein Satz mir Kraut. Hatte ich noch nicht gehört.



Danke, aber von mir war der "Kohl", das "Kraut" kam von flame ;-)


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## elroy

Ganz einfach: _It won't make a big difference.  _


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## Kajjo

elroy said:
			
		

> Ganz einfach: _It won't make a big difference._



Ich glaube, daß dies die inhaltlich treffendste Übersetzung sein könnte.

Kajjo


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