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How to Say ‘But everyone washes their own mug.’ in German

Aber jeder spült seine Tasse selbst.

AH-ber yay-dur shpoolt ZY-neh TAH-seh zelpst

[AH-ber yay-dur shpoolt ZY-neh TAH-seh zelpst]

🇩🇪 In Germany: Shared office kitchens run on unwritten rules like this one. Leaving a dirty mug in the sink is a classic source of quiet annoyance, sometimes followed by a passive-aggressive note on the fridge.

Phrase Breakdown

Aber jeder spült

AH-ber yay-dur shpoolt

But everyone washes

'Aber' means 'but': 'AH-ber'. Remember 'J' = 'y' and 'sp' = 'shp': 'AH-ber YAY-der shpült'.

Example

Aber jeder spült ab.

But everyone does the dishes.

Words in this phrase

Aber

[AH-ber]

but

Connects contrasting ideas.

Example

Ich will, aber ich kann nicht.

I want to, but I can't.

jeder

[yay-dur]

everyone

Refers to each and every person or individual.

Example

Jeder war willkommen zur Party.

Everyone was welcome at the party.

spült

[shpoolt]

washes (dishes)

Form of 'abspülen', to wash the dishes; prefix 'ab' goes to the end.

Example

Papa spült heute ab.

Dad does the dishes today.

seine Tasse selbst.

ZY-neh TAH-seh zelpst

their own cup.

'Selbst' stresses that each person does it themselves. Start with a 'z' sound: 'ZAI-ne TA-sse zelpst'.

Example

Er spült seine Tasse selbst.

He washes his cup himself.

Words in this phrase

seine

[ZY-neh]

his, their (one's)

Possessive for 'er' or 'jeder'; feminine form before 'Tasse'.

Example

Er trinkt seine Milch.

He drinks his milk.

Tasse

[TAH-seh]

cup, mug

Feminine noun for a drinking cup.

Example

Eine Tasse Tee, bitte.

A cup of tea, please.

selbst

[zelpst]

yourself; by oneself

Emphasizes doing something personally.

Example

Ich habe es selbst gemacht.

I made it myself.

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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