“Ein Lama in Yokohama” translation and notes for people learning German

In this blog post, I will translate a song in the german language, with a translation into english and notes about some of the grammar. Some of the notes I make may be for people with advanced knowledge of the German language, for example, references to the Dative, Accusative, and Genetive cases. If you don’t understand those yet, don’t worry. . .it all comes with time. I think learning a language through music is one of the best ways to learn, so, fangen wir jetzt an, oder?

Texte und Übersetzung (Lyrics and Translation)
Ein Lama, ein Lama das fliegt nach Yokohama. (A llama, a llama, that flies to Yokohama)
Es freut sich schon auf Reis und Fisch (it’s already looking forward to rice and fish)
und sucht die Gabel auf dem Tisch. (and searches for the fork on the table) 1*
Ein Lama, ein Lama das fliegt nach Yokohama. (A llama, a llama, that flies to Yokohama)
Es freut sich schon auf Reis und Fisch (it’s already looking forward to rice and fish)
und sucht die Gabel auf dem Tisch. (and searches for the fork on the table)
Wo ist die Gabel? (Where is the fork?)

Hallo hallo du Lama in Yoko Yokohama (Hello, Hello you llama, in Yoko, yokohama)
schnapp dir einfach Reis und Fisch (just get yourself rice and fish) 2*
mit den Stäbchen auf dem Tisch. (with the chopsticks on the table) 3*, 4*
Steck alles in den Schnabel, (put everything in your mouth/beak)
es geht auch ohne Gabel. (it works without a fork as well) 5*
Nur Mut, nur Mut (only courage, only courage)
das klappt doch schon ganz gut. (It’s already working pretty good) 6*

Das Lama, das Lama, das schimpft in Yokohama. (The llama, the llama, the rants in Yokohama)
Der Magen knurrt und Reis und Fisch (The stomach growls and rice and fish. . .)
fallen runter auf den Tisch. (. . .falls down onto the table)
Das Lama, das Lama, das schimpft in Yokohama. (The llama, the llama, the rants in Yokohama)
Der Magen knurrt und Reis und Fisch (The stomach growls and rice and fish. . .)
fallen runter auf den Tisch. (. . .falls down onto the table)

Wo ist die Gabel? (Where is the fork?)

Hallo hallo du Lama in Yoko Yokohama (Hello, Hello you llama, in Yoko, yokohama)
schnapp dir einfach Reis und Fisch (just get yourself rice and fish)
mit den Stäbchen auf dem Tisch. (with the chopsticks on the table)
Steck alles in den Schnabel, (put everything in your mouth/beak)
es geht auch ohne Gabel. (it works without a fork as well)
Nur Mut, nur Mut (only courage, only courage)
das klappt doch schon ganz gut. (It’s working already pretty good)

Das Lama, das Lama, das lacht in Yokohama. (The llama, the llama, that laughs/smiles in Yokohama)
Es klappert wie ein Stäbchenstar. (It clacks like a chopstick-star)
Reis mit Fisch schmeckt, alles klar. (Rice and fish tastes good, all right) 7*

Alles klar, alles klar (all right, all right) 8*
du bist der größte Stäbchenstar. (you are the biggest chopstick-star) 9*
Alles klar, alles klar (all right, all right)
du bist der größte Stäbchenstar. (you are the biggest chopstick-star)

Bravo, du Lama in Yoko Yokohama. (Bravo, you llama in Yoko, Yokohama)
Endlich hast du zugeschnappt und es hat geklappt. (Finally you snapped to it, and it worked.)

Notizen (Notes)

*1. “. . .auf dem Tisch” Dative singular, masculine. “auf” here implies that the Stäbchen are on the table.
*2. “einfach” – The word “einfach” means “easy” or “simple” in German. But it also means “simply” and it often used as “just,” as in English’s “He just left (because he was mad.)” In German it would be “Er ist einfach gegangen. . .” In the context of this line, Schnappi is telling the llama to just scoop up some food with it’s chop sticks.
*3. “. .mit den Stäbchen. . .” – “mit” is always dative. Dative plural article = “den”
*4. “Die Stäbchen” literally means “the little sticks.” This word is the German expression for “chop sticks.”
*5 “es geht. . .” – the verb “gehen” means “to walk” or “to go,” but it is very often used for “it works.” For example: “This chair is a little uncomfortable, you sure you like it?” “Es geht.”
*6 “es klappt. . .” – “klappen” is most often used for “to work out”
*7 “Reis und Fisch schmekt,” ‘schmecken” is the German verb for “to taste,” but when simply used as “schmecken” it means “to taste good.” Many waiters will ask you after your meal “Geschmeckt?” or “Hat’s Geschmeckt?,” (the past particle of “schmecken”)
*8“alles klar” ‘Alles klar” literally means “all clear” or “everything clear,” but is also used to acknowledge that an idea or instruction has been understood. So, it is used here, as the llama has understood how to use the chopsticks.
9* big- groß
bigger- größer —don’t forget umlaut!
biggest- (am) größte(n) —don’t forget umlaut!!

Thanks for your time, I hope I helped you learn some German. :)