Enough

“How would you say that in German?” is a recurring topic of conversation, as we begin our stay in Leipzig. Lenore won an award for her proficiency in German in high school, so I am usually the one who starts us off. The the ensuing discussion easily can carry on for twenty minutes or the better part of an hour. Yesterday, we explored use of two terms frequently overheard in cafes: “genau,” meaning exactly, and “genug,” which means enough.

Then at the end of a long day, our last outing was a trip to a very large electronics store to find the gadget needed to plug our North American electronics into the European electrical system. Lenore left me scanning a wall full of USB-style plug adapters and power supplies while she broaden our search into other areas of the store. There was no question that we were in the right place. It was only a matter of finding the thing.

It was not long before Lenore returned triumphantly with the sought-after item in hand. She had simply asked a store employee for help. Of course, I wanted to know, “What did you ask him?”

“Sprechen Sie Englisch?” was her reply.