Dear Internet friends,
My headache is much better, thanks.
Now I have a question for the German speakers in the house: how do you say the equivalent of “last call”?
I’m assuming there is an equivalent, and that they say it in bars. This is for a story that’s actually set in Vienna, so I would be extra-specially grateful to anyone who’s been in a bar in Vienna more recently than 1989 (!) and can remember what, if anything, is said to let people know they have only one more chance to get another drink before the bar closes.
Thanks in advance!
P.S. As long as I’m using the phrase multiple times, if you haven’t read the book Last Call, by the inimitable Tim Powers, do so.
nevikmoore
January 13, 2007 at 9:19 amMach schnell!
indulgent_el
January 13, 2007 at 10:11 amMy in-laws are Viennese, I’ll ask Husband to ask them if there’s a localism. I’m not sure that they would have closed a bar down post 1989, though.
anonymous
January 14, 2007 at 10:38 amHi, I stumbled across your page and read your inquiry. Incidentally I’m German, not Austrian, though (and this is about as much difference as Americans and English people).
So I try my best…it’s definitely not “mach schnell!”, that means “hurry up!”. In Germany we don’t have a common phrase for “last call” or “last order”, here bars close about 3am to 6am, so mostly it’s not needed. The occasional customer who wouldn’t leave before closing is individually told something like “Tut mir leid, aber wir schliessen gleich.” (Sorry, but we’ll close soon), “Tut mir leid, aber dies ist die letzte Bestellung.” (Sorry, but this has to be the last order).
Sometimes they just put the chairs on the tables (for cleaning the floor) while you’re still inside…this is the sign that you should pay and leave soon. :-)
I hope this is helpful.
Kind regards, Peter :-)
thisisnotanlj
January 14, 2007 at 6:40 pmPeter, thanks! That’s incredibly helpful, and the detail about putting the chairs on the tables (which I think is pretty universal) may actually be better than any words. :)