“Three cheese high.”
Most of my meals need to have this requirement, but this expression is only somewhat related to food: a Dreikäsehoch is what you call a small child who is only as tall as three wheels of cheese stacked on top of each other. All in all, I think using stacks of cheese as a form of measurement should come back.
“Dreikäsehoch”: A Child-Sized Word
The whimsical German term “Dreikäsehoch” is used to describe a small child, often one who is acting a bit cheeky. Let’s break it down piece by piece:
- Drei: This means “three”
- Käse: This translates to “cheese”
- Hoch: This translates to “high”
So, literally, “Dreikäsehoch” means “three-cheeses-high.”
Articles and Plurals:
- The article for “Dreikäsehoch” depends on the grammatical case being used in a sentence. In the nominative case (subject), it can be “der” (masculine), “die” (feminine), or “das” (neuter), depending on how the speaker refers to the child.
- The plural form of “Dreikäsehoch” can be either “die Dreikäsehochs” or simply “Dreikäsehoch.”
English Translation:
There’s no direct English equivalent of “Dreikäsehoch,” but some informal translations include “little tyke,” “shortie,” or “whippersnapper.”
Using “Dreikäsehoch” in a Sentence:
- “Schau dir mal diese beiden Dreikäsehochs da drüben an! Die streiten schon wieder.” (Look at those two little ones over there! They’re arguing again.)
- “Julian ist ja noch so ein Dreikäsehoch, der will überall mitreden.” (Julian is such a little tyke, he wants to have a say in everything.)
- Ach du meine Güte, dieser Dreikäsehoch will mir schon wieder erzählen, wie man den Haushalt führt! (gently exasperated – “Oh dear, this little one is trying to tell me how to run the house again!”)
- Psst, seid leise, die Dreikäsehochs schlafen! (whispering – “Be quiet, the little ones are sleeping!”)
- Schau dir mal die zwei Dreikäsehochs da drüben an, die im Park herumrennen! (Look at those two Dreikäsehochs running around the park!)
- Julian ist so ein Dreikäsehoch, der immer alles wissen will! (Julian is such a Dreikäsehoch, always wanting to know everything! )
- Vorsichtig, kleiner Dreikäsehoch, die Vase ist zerbrechlich! (Careful, little Dreikäsehoch, that vase is fragile! )
“Dreikäsehoch” adds a touch of humor and informality when describing a small child’s antics.