# Drink Great Wine!



## j12m

Hi there.

I need to find a translation of the imperative "Drink Great Wine!" to put on some T-shirts with this phrase in different languages.

For the German, would it be "Trink' großen Wein!" or "Trinkt große Weine!"? Also, why is "Wein" capitalised here?

Thanks.


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## Kajjo

_Trink großartigen Wein! <imperative singular>
Trinkt großartigen Wein! <imperative plural> 
_
+ "groß" does not work in German to mean "good", just "big".
+ "Wein" is capitalised because it is a noun. All German nouns are capitalised.

Instead of "großartig" you could use other adjectives like "super" or "toll" if it is supposed to sound more colloquially. "Großartig" ist neutral and maybe very slightly elevated.


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## elroy

I would use "Trinkt guten Wein!".


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## j12m

Thanks for your replies. Couldn't "groß" be acceptable as it is in the case of "Großes Gewächs" in the German wine classification system?

Thanks again!


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## Gernot Back

I would indeed speak of _große Weine _(in the sense of _namhafte/berühmte Weine_) rather than speaking of _großartige Weine_ or simply _gute Weine. _I think _groß _is the number one choice in this context.


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## Kajjo

Gernot Back said:


> I think _groß _is the number one choice in this context.


For me, absolutely not. This is not at all an equivalent for "great" in the simple English sentence. Do you really believe that this simple message implies "namhaft/berühmt"?


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## Dan2

j12m said:


> ... to put on some T-shirts





Kajjo said:


> Trink großartigen Wein! <imperative singular>
> Trinkt _großartigen Wein! <imperative plural>_





elroy said:


> I would use "Trinkt guten Wein!".


A language-independent comment:
I think advertising slogans, when in the imperative, tend to be in the imperative _singular_.


Kajjo said:


> Instead of "großartig" you could use other adjectives like "super" or "toll"


For someone who asks why "Wein" is capitalized, I think mention of the declined form of words like "toll" would be appropriate...


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## Kajjo

Dan2 said:


> For someone who asks why "Wein" is capitalized, I think mention of the declined form of words like "toll" would be appropriate...


Yes, your are right. I thought j12 would elaborate on the desired level and style.

Dan2, what is your feeling here. Is this "great" an equivalent of wine-associated vocabulary ("namhaft, berühmt, groß") or a simple "great" like "super"?


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## JClaudeK

j12m said:


> "Drink Great Wine!" to put on some T-shirts with this phrase in different languages


_My_ feeling is that this means
"Trinkt große Weine!_"_
French: "Buvez des grands vins !"


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## Kajjo

JClaudeK said:


> "Trinkt große Weine!_"_


OK, muss ich akzeptieren. Für mich klingt das absurd falsch. Wie ein Übersetzungsfehler.


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## Dan2

As you imply, Kajjo, "great" can be used both ways:

1. "Great American presidents, like Jefferson and Lincoln..."
and
2. "He's a great (super, real nice) guy."

Similarly for wines:
1. "It's known as one of the great wines of all times."
and
2. "This wine is great (super, wonderful)!"

Now, whether j12m means 1 or 2 is for him to tell us.  But given that this is to appear on a T-shirt (!), and thus is probably an advertising slogan, I find 2 much more likely ("Drink great wine... Vino X!")  (Why would someone wear a T-shirt telling people to drink the great (in the sense of famous, classic, traditionally well-regarded) wines??)

Analogy (billboard, for ex.):
Drive a great car... Ford! 
Drive the great cars! (meaning the classically admired automobiles)


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## j12m

Indeed, as Dan2 says, I am more going for meaning 2. to mean "great" in the sense of "very good" as judged by our wine company – not simply great as in widely considered to be among the greatest wines.

So if I do go for "Trink großen Wein!" is this the correct phrase or should it be "Trink große Weine!_".
_
Apologies for my ignorance of German!


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## Kajjo

Dan2 said:


> I find 2 much more likely ("Drink great wine... Vino X!") (Why would someone wear a T-shirt telling people to drink the great (in the sense of famous, classic, traditionally well-regarded) wines??)


Thanks. That was my thinking as well.


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## Kajjo

j12m said:


> So if I do go for "Trink großen Wein!" is this the correct phrase or should it be "Trink große Weine!_"._


WRONG!

Stay with my initial answer #2, that was correct.

"Groß" can only be used in the rare meaning of "great wines of all time". "Groß" on the T-Shirt would be wrong and sound like an error.


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## j12m

Kajjo said:


> WRONG!
> 
> Stay with my initial answer #2, that was correct.
> 
> "Groß" can only be used in the rare meaning of "great wines of all time". "Groß" on the T-Shirt would be wrong and sound like an error.


OK thanks, I will go with "_Trink großartigen Wein!"_


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## Kajjo

j12m said:


> OK thanks, I will go with "_Trink großartigen Wein!"_


 That fit's!


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## JClaudeK

Dan2 said:


> (Why would someone wear a T-shirt telling people to drink the great (in the sense of famous, classic, traditionally well-regarded) wines??)


In Frankreich, auf einer "foire aux vins", wie sie zur Zeit überall stattfinden (in jedem Supermarkt, ob groß oder klein), wo es auch "große Weine" zu  kaufen gibt, kann ich mir den "Sommelier"  gut mit so einem T-Shirt vorstellen.


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## Dan2

Yet more support for the WRF mantra: "More context, please"...


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## elroy

I think "großartigen Wein" has too many syllables for a snappy advertising slogan, hence my suggestion of "guten Wein."


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## Kajjo

elroy said:


> a snappy advertising slogan


It might be long for a slogan, but the term is great [sic] for wine. Also I think Germans slogans are quite often a bit longer than English.


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## Frieder

Why not kick out the adjective altogether and say „Trinkt Spitzenweine”?


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## Gernot Back

Frieder said:


> Why not kick out the adjective altogether and say „Trinkt Spitzenweine”?


_Spitzenweine _can be any wines that meet a good climate in a good year, while _great wines _are wines with a great name, a great tradition; wines famous for their vineyard and winery.


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## bearded

Frieder said:


> Why not kick out the adjective altogether and say „Trinkt Spitzenweine”?


Oder _Trinkt Qualitätswein!_


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## Gernot Back

bearded man said:


> Oder _Trinkt Qualitätswein!_


Ein bloßer Qualitätswein ist nicht gerade das, was man unter einem _großen Wein_ verstehen würde, insbesondere dann nicht, wenn es sich nur um eine Mischung aus bestimmten Anbaugebieten und nicht den Wein eines einzigen, ganz bestimmten Weinbergs handelt.


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## bearded

Gernot Back said:


> Wein eines einzigen, ganz bestimmten Weinbergs


Do you feel that _Große Weine _(your #5) is more specific?


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## Kajjo

Gernot Back said:


> _Spitzenweine _can be any wines that meet a good climate in a good year, while _great wines _are wines with a great name, a great tradition; wines famous for their vineyard and winery.


Indeed -- and taking #12 into account, the company means "Spitzenweine" -- very clearly.


Frieder said:


> Why not kick out the adjective altogether and say „Trinkt Spitzenweine”?


I like that idea. Fine word.


bearded man said:


> Do you feel that _Große Weine _(your #5) is more specific?


_Große Weine _is reserved for very special, famous wines well known to be outstanding. There is a reputation connected with it.

_Spitzenweine_ or _großartige Weine _are just very fine wines. This term fits an advertising slogan of a wine company.


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