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Aussatz
maturitätsarbeit
May 18, 2019 19:42
4 yrs ago
1 viewer *
German term

sich ankündigen

Non-PRO German to English Other General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
As in: "Besuch hat sich angekündigt – Tante Inge will heute Nachmittag zum Kaffee kommen! Ich muss noch schnell einen Kuchen backen!"

I was sure to find "sich ankündigen" in some dictionary – but didn't find it. How would you say "Besuch hat sich angekündigt" in idiomatic English, please?

TVMIA!
Proposed translations (English)
4 +4 We are having guests!
5 +4 We've got company
4 is coming
3 +1 announced she's on her way
Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

PRO (1): Claudia Letizia

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Discussion

Anne Schulz (asker) May 20, 2019:
Thank you, everybody! I am impressed (overwhelmed, to be honest) with so much continuing thought and contributions which will all go into my phrases glossary. As usual, the choice of the "most useful" answer is a highly arbitrary thing, and I gladly award additional 'ideational' points to all contributors, Allen-Williams, Björn, Claudia, David, freekfluweel, Justin, and Ramey ;-)) <br />Based on Björn's "Company's coming" and Claudia's proposal to rearrange elements ('out of the box' which I had in my brain), I chose a solution which was close to what Ramey eventually worded so nicely. <br />Thanks again!
Birgit Gläser May 20, 2019:
@Ramey I started posting and then read you explanation sentence... You nailed it, the surprise is only a little tweak, so I just agreed... not to mention... I would never say Besuch hat sich angekündigt in a colloquial setting... I'd likely say Wir bekommen (kriegen) Besuch...
Mair A-W (PhD) May 20, 2019:
"... has invited herself" (as used by Ann) would sound to me (Brit) quite idiomatic for an aunt one is less than enthusiastic about ... "We're expecting company ... Tante Inge has invited herself over".
Ramey Rieger (X) May 19, 2019:
Hi Björn! Yes: Company's coming - Aunty Inge announced she's visiting/her arrival this afternoon! I have to bake a cake right away.
freekfluweel May 19, 2019:
We're getting invaded by Aunt Inge (again)..., so I'd better...
Björn Vrooman May 18, 2019:
Really? Besides the possibly d-box-derived use of company, you typically say we've got company once people show up; it's a popular phrase in movies:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WeveGotCompany

I think you'd better say company's coming, which, by the way, is even the title of a cookbook (very fitting example, don't you think?): https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/4-recipes-that...

Best
Björn Vrooman May 18, 2019:
To that I can agree Render ankündigen as call and you got your sentence:
"Anyway, she called and invited herself to my house today."
https://www.christianforums.com/threads/friend-disagrees-wit...

Best
Claudia Letizia May 18, 2019:
See note to my answer Anne, I replied in the form of a note to my answer. :)
And I agree with Bjorn on the fact that "company" is better than "guests".
Björn Vrooman May 18, 2019:
Hello Anne First off, I have to say, though, I agree with neither the suggestion made nor the explanation given. As you know yourself, it does not mean "A visit has announced itself/got announced"

Besuch, in this context, means Gast/Gäste; see item 2 in the Duden:
https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Besuch

It doesn't have a plural and neither does company when used in this sense, which is why I think it's a better choice.

Also:
"In everyday English, people usually talk about having friends/people over (for a meal, short visit etc) or having friends/people to stay rather than saying that they have guests"
https://www.ldoceonline.com/Performing-topic/guest

I'll have to think about your second question a bit or ask the other part of this household again (American).

Best
Anne Schulz (asker) May 18, 2019:
Claudia and Björn, thanks very much for your speedy response! I like the approach of changing the subject and using "We are having guests/company" – but would be even happier with some expression capturing an element of 'ambush' here.<br />
'Tante Inge' in this spot is a gushy, gossipy elderly lady unexpectedly calling up to invite herself for a cup of coffee, and the family is less than enthusiastic about her proposed visit. Is there a natural English phrase which would capture the act of self-announcement/self-invitation in a (forced) neutral way (as Mom is trying to use polite words when explaining the situation to her children)?
Björn Vrooman May 18, 2019:
My better half... ...suggested "We're having company over..." instead of guests (your aunt is only one, after all). Cf.:
https://www.pinterest.de/pin/110338259600447479
https://twitter.com/allyhills/status/794612747912691713

Best
Björn Vrooman May 18, 2019:
Hello Anne Though I don't like these bilingual databases, the Pons one could actually help with your question (Pons is one of the better bilingual dics out there).

Item No. 5:
"sie besucht uns nie, ohne sich vorher angekündigt zu haben
she never visits us without letting us know beforehand"
https://de.pons.com/übersetzung/deutsch-englisch/ankündigen

My usual search starts with a monolingual dictionary. Take the Duden:
"sich zum Abendessen ankündigen (wissen lassen, dass man zum Abendessen nach Hause kommt)"
https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/ankuendigen

ankündigen = wissen lassen = let one know

Same result =)

Basically, Aunt Inge let us know she'd be coming over for coffee this afternoon.

Best wishes

Proposed translations

+4
9 mins
Selected

We are having guests!

In English I would completely change the subject.
Sich ankündigen means to announce oneself, so literally the sentence is "A visit has announced itself/got announced".


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Note added at 1 hr (2019-05-18 20:43:51 GMT)
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In response to your discussion entry:
You could move the self-invitation element to the next sentence and write "We are having company! - Tante Inge invited herself over for coffee this afternoon"
Peer comment(s):
agree Susan Welsh
11 mins
agree philgoddard : Or visitors.
41 mins
agree AllegroTrans
1 hr
agree James Swan
14 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
+4
1 hr

We've got company

This is an idiomatic phrase which is probably best not to translate literally.
Peer comment(s):
agree AllegroTrans
6 mins
agree Kevin Fulton : Certainly works for North America
18 mins
agree Kirsten Bodart
10 hrs
agree Lydia Molea
11 hrs
neutral Birgit Gläser : we've got company would mean the guests have already arrived...
1 day 12 hrs
Something went wrong...
1 day 1 hr

is coming

Tante Inge will heute Nachmittag zum Kaffee kommen! Ich muss noch schnell einen Kuchen backen!"

Aunt(ie) Inge is coming for coffee this afternoon. I'd better get on it and bake a cake

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Note added at 1 day 1 hr (2019-05-19 21:19:40 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or: I'd better get going and bake a cake

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Note added at 1 day 6 hrs (2019-05-20 01:50:51 GMT)
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this is the way I would put it in a colloquial register

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Note added at 1 day 8 hrs (2019-05-20 04:33:16 GMT)
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no way you're going to choose this given the foregoing but just thought I woould put it in anyway

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Note added at 1 day 8 hrs (2019-05-20 04:34:47 GMT)
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been on this site for so many years it's water off a duck's back

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Note added at 1 day 8 hrs (2019-05-20 04:37:22 GMT)
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but that's a nice way of saying it

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Note added at 1 day 8 hrs (2019-05-20 04:39:46 GMT)
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kommt drauf an, wie du die Sache siehst
Something went wrong...
+1
1 day 12 hrs

announced she's on her way

Company's coming - Aunt Inge announced she'll be here for coffee this afternoon. Now I have to bake a cake!
Peer comment(s):
agree Birgit Gläser : I would use Surprise, aunt Inge announced.... Why should we stick with the German phrase... and the aunt announcing herself also carries the subtext of the inevitable, liklely unwelcome visit :D
1 hr
Yes, very nice! I'll add a note, or do you want to post it yourself?
Something went wrong...
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