Erdbeerkuchen – Bilingual Lyrics German/English

• By: AnnenMayKantereit
• Album: Es ist Abend und wir sitzen bei mir

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a fantastic way to immerse yourself in the culture, and AnnenMayKantereit's 'Erdbeerkuchen' is a perfect song to start with for German learners. Its simple, repetitive lyrics about the joys of summer and strawberry cake make it easy to follow along and pick up new vocabulary. The song's charm lies in its celebration of everyday moments, a theme that is both universal and deeply rooted in German summertime culture. Plus, you'll learn two different ways to say 'to try'!

[English]

Summer sun, cake fork

Ice-cold lemonade

Sunglasses are a must

And filter coffee is a treat

And the strawberry cake

You gotta try it

The strawberry cake

You gotta try it

It won't be here for long

...

Summer, sunset

I'm toasting, 'cause I can

We're drinking Federweißer

Pour me some

Federweißer

Is, yeah, not even real wine

The strawberry cake

You gotta try it

The strawberry cake

You gotta try it

It won't be here for long

...

Strawberry cake

...

Yeah, the strawberry cake

You gotta try it

The strawberry cake

You gotta try it

I'll give, I'll give, I'll give, I'll give you the recipe

Recipes are underestimated

I once woke someone up with it

I hid another piece for you

Strawberry cake

...

[German]

Sommersonne, Kuchengabel

Eiskalte Limonade

Sonnenbrille ist ein Muss

Und Filterkaffee ein Genuss

Und der Erdbeerkuchen

Den musst du ma' versuchen

Der Erdbeerkuchen

Den musst du ma' probier'n

Der ist nicht mehr lange hier

Sommer, Sonn'nuntergang

Ich stoße an, weil ich das kann

Wir trinken Federweißer

Schenk mir gern ein

Federweißer

Ist, ja, gar kein echter Wein

Der Erdbeerkuchen

Den musst du ma' versuchen

Der Erdbeerkuchen

Den musst du ma' probier'n

Der ist nicht mehr lange hier

Erdbeerkuchen

Ja, der Erdbeerkuchen

Den musst du ma' probier'n

Der Erdbeerkuchen

Den musst du ma' probier'n

Ich geb, ich geb, ich geb, ich geb dir das Rezept

Rezepte werden unterschätzt

Ich hab ma' wen damit geweckt

Ich hab dir noch ein Stück versteckt

Erdbeerkuchen

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
Erdbeerkuchen /ˈeːɐ̯tbeːɐ̯ˌkuːxn̩/ A2	noun - strawberry cake
Sommer /ˈzɔmɐ/ A1	noun - summer
Genuss /ɡəˈnʊs/ B1	noun - enjoyment, pleasure, delight
Rezept /ʁɛˈt͡sɛpt/ B1	noun - recipe (for cooking) noun - prescription (medical)
Stück /ʃtʏk/ A1	noun - piece, slice, bit
Federweißer /ˈfeːdɐˌvaɪ̯sɐ/ B2	noun - partially fermented new wine, must (German speciality, available in autumn)
Wein /vaɪ̯n/ A2	noun - wine
Limonade /limoˈnaːdə/ A1	noun - lemonade (or fizzy drink in general)
Sonnenuntergang /ˈzɔnənˌʔʊntɐɡaŋ/ B1	noun - sunset
Muss /mʊs/ B1	noun - a must, a necessity, something obligatory
versuchen /fɛɐ̯ˈzuːxn̩/ A2	verb - to try, to attempt
probieren /pʁoˈbiːʁən/ A2	verb - to try, to taste (especially food or drink)
trinken /ˈtʁɪŋkn̩/ A1	verb - to drink
anstoßen /ˈanˌʃtoːsn̩/ B1	verb - to toast (with drinks), to clink glasses
unterschätzen /ˈʊntɐˌʃɛt͡sn̩/ B2	verb - to underestimate
verstecken /fɛɐ̯ˈʃtɛkn̩/ B1	verb - to hide, to conceal
geben /ˈɡeːbn̩/ A1	verb - to give
eiskalt /ˈaɪ̯sˌkalt/ B1	adjective - ice-cold, freezing cold

Key Grammar Structures

• Eiskalte Limonade

  ➔ Adjective Declension (Strong)

  ➔ The adjective "eiskalte" (ice-cold) modifies the feminine noun "Limonade" without a preceding article. In this nominative singular context, it takes the strong declension ending "-e".

• Den musst du ma' versuchen

  ➔ Modal Verb with Infinitive and Accusative Object

  ➔ The modal verb "musst" (must/have to) is followed by the infinitive "versuchen" (to try) at the end of the clause. "Den" is the accusative pronoun referring to "der Erdbeerkuchen".

• Der ist nicht mehr lange hier

  ➔ Negation and Adverbial Phrase

  ➔ "nicht" negates the statement. The phrase "nicht mehr lange" means "not for much longer" or "not here for long anymore", indicating a limited time frame.

• Ich stoße an, weil ich das kann

  ➔ Causal Subordinate Clause with "weil"

  ➔ "weil" (because) introduces a subordinate clause that explains the reason. In a "weil" clause, the conjugated verb ("kann") goes to the very end of the clause.

• Schenk mir gern ein

  ➔ Dative Object and Separable Verb

  ➔ "mir" is the dative object (to whom something is given). "einschenken" (to pour in) is a separable verb; its prefix "ein-" moves to the end of the clause in main sentences.

• Ich geb dir das Rezept

  ➔ Dative and Accusative Objects

  ➔ "dir" is the indirect dative object (to whom). "das Rezept" is the direct accusative object (what is given). In German, the dative object typically precedes the accusative object when both are nouns or when the dative is a pronoun and the accusative is a noun.

• Rezepte werden unterschätzt

  ➔ Processual Passive Voice (Vorgangspassiv)

  ➔ This sentence uses the processual passive voice, formed with the auxiliary verb "werden" + Participle II ("unterschätzt"). It emphasizes the action or the recipient of the action, rather than the doer. It means "recipes are being underestimated" or simply "recipes are underestimated."

• Ich hab ma' wen damit geweckt

  ➔ Present Perfect Tense and Pronominal Adverb

  ➔ The sentence is in the present perfect tense (haben + Participle II "geweckt"). "damit" is a pronominal adverb, replacing "mit + dative" (e.g., "mit etwas") and referring to a previously mentioned thing or situation. "ma'" is a colloquial short form of "mal".