What does “das Bauchkribbeln” mean in German?

Jubiläumsfahrt auf der Holzachterbahn Colossos im Heide Park

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B2 German listening practice · German · Picked for people who know more

💡 Did you know?
das Bauchkribbeln
Feelings & sensations
The fluttery, nervous-excited feeling in your stomach — like butterflies.

A man who rode this wooden roller coaster as a teenager says the ride still feels the same: “Das ist letztlich das Bauchkribbeln, was immer noch dasselbe ist.” Bauchkribbeln is that fluttery feeling in your stomach right before a big drop — part fear, part thrill. “Bauch” is belly and “kribbeln” means to tingle. Germans use it for any moment that excites and scares you at once.

Spoken in the clip: “Das ist letztlich das Bauchkribbeln, was immer noch dasselbe ist.” — “In the end it’s the belly-tingle, which is still the same.” It often points to a happy kind of nervous, not pure dread: - “Vor dem ersten Date hatte ich richtig Bauchkribbeln.” — “Before the first date I really had butterflies.” - “Bei der Landung spürt man so ein leichtes Bauchkribbeln.” — “On landing you feel a little flutter in your stomach.” - “Neuer Job, neue Stadt — das Bauchkribbeln gehört dazu.” — “New job, new city — the nervous excitement is part of it.” Close to English “butterflies in your stomach,” but the German word names the physical tingle itself, with no animal image. The “kribbeln” part is the same word you’d use for a foot that has gone to sleep.

How common are the words?

How common are the words in this B2 German listening practice video?

90%
of words are in the top 2,000 most common German words
Most of the words in this video are common German words.

How common in written German

85.2%
Top 1,000
90%
Top 2,000
95.7%
Top 5,000

How common in spoken German

89.6%
Top 1,000
95.5%
Top 2,000
100%
Top 5,000
👄 Words for talking
This video uses words people often say in German.

Harder words in this video

These words are harder than B2. Here is what they mean.

kolossos
2×
Not in top 5,000
(fragment)
kolossus
2×
Not in top 5,000
colossus, giant
aneinanderlegen
1×
Not in top 5,000
to pile up; stack together
bauchkribbeln
1×
Not in top 5,000
stomach tingling
bolzen
1×
Not in top 5,000
bolts or pegs

Source: wordfreq 3.1.1 (general) · SUBTLEX-DE 2011 (spoken). These numbers are close, not perfect.

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