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  3. Cinema, Film, TV, Drama

a tiny little problem

German translation: ein klitzekleines Problem

14:38 Sep 2, 2009
English to German translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Cinema, Film, TV, Drama / TV dialogue
English term or phrase: a tiny little problem
Greetings,

This is something that I have heard a number of times, but I am unable to decipher it exactly. As it's colloquial, perhaps even slang, I've never seen it written. I think the literal meaning must be something like "a tiny little problem".

Of course, sometimes the problem isn’t in reality a tiny little one at all, quite the reverse. But what I seem to have heard people saying is something like, “Es gibt ein kletzes kleines Problem” or something like that.

Very grateful for help with this.

All the best, and many thanks,

Simon
SeiTT
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:28
German translation:ein klitzekleines Problem
Explanation:
.
Selected response from:

Thilo Santl
Spain
Local time: 12:28
Grading comment
wonderful! thank you so much!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +16ein klitzekleines Problem
Thilo Santl
5ein klitzekleines Problem(chen)
Christina Bergmann
3ein kleines Problemchen
Rolf Keiser


  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +16
ein klitzekleines Problem


Explanation:
.

Thilo Santl
Spain
Local time: 12:28
Works in field
Native speaker of: German
Grading comment
wonderful! thank you so much!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Aniello Scognamiglio (X): ein klitzekleines Agree ;-)
2 mins
agree  Thomas Pfann: Yep, it's even in the 'Duden' - colloquial, but you do find it in written texts as well.
3 mins
agree  Anja C.
4 mins
agree  Susanne Schiewe
5 mins
agree  izy
6 mins
agree  Anne Cappel
6 mins
agree  Ulrike Kraemer
11 mins
agree  Andrea Kopf
11 mins
agree  Birgit Gläser: für Gedankenübertragung wohl zu offensichtlich, aber wo ich schon hier bin kann ich auch zustimmen :-)
15 mins
agree  inkweaver
19 mins
agree  ibz
34 mins
agree  Andreas3002: vollkommen einverstanden
39 mins
agree  Barbara Wiebking
1 hr
agree  Kay Barbara
3 hrs
agree  Knut J Olawsky
7 hrs
agree  Hans G. Liepert
8 hrs
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
ein kleines Problemchen


Explanation:
es geht auch anders herum

Rolf Keiser
Switzerland
Local time: 12:28
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Thomas Pfann: Hört sich aber überhaupt nicht nach "kletzes kleines Problem" an, oder? ;-)
3 mins
  -> die Erklärung von SeiTT ein bisschen ausholen, phantasieren - dann klappts vielleicht.
neutral  Ulrike Kraemer: Simon wollte eine Bestätigung für das, was er gehört zu haben glaubte (= klitzeklein)
9 mins
agree  Kerstin Ewelt: 100 % richtig
2 hrs
  -> Danke für Deine Einsicht, Kerstin.
disagree  Aniello Scognamiglio (X): eben nicht 100% richtig, ausgehend von der Frage des Askers; außerdem: "Problemchen" ist schon die Verniedlichung von Problem, somit ist dein Vorschlag ein sog. "weißer Schimmel". // Wenn die Frage von SeiTT nicht gewesen wäre...
3 hrs
  -> ein praktisches Beispiel für eine rational logische vs. eine intuitiv phantasievolle Auslegung
neutral  Hans G. Liepert: Sorry, Goldcoaster. da verrennst Du dich - es geht um das phonetische Problem(chen), das SeiTT hatte und das wird eben nur durch den Begriff 'klitzeklein' gelöst
8 hrs
  -> langsam glaube ich doch, auf dem falschen Dampfer zu sein.
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
ein klitzekleines Problem(chen)


Explanation:
In German it is indeed "ein klitzekleines Problem(chen)".
I have heard it with the "chen" and without, with is, as Aniello already said, redundant. Yet, this is German.

And just for the sake of explaining things: the problem is - most of the time - not so small, actually. It's just something awfully polite a clerk or receptionist would say to a client/customer/guest.

Christina Bergmann
Germany
Local time: 12:28
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: German

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Aniello Scognamiglio (X): it's only ein "klitzekleines Problem", not "klitzekleines Problemchen"!
7 hrs
  -> As I've said, people in Germany say both. The redundancy is a way of expressing covertness.
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