5 German words that will change the way you see time

People all over the world trade in an hour of their lives thanks to the practice of daylight savings. From weddings to pickles, here are some interesting German words that are - surprisingly - dedicated to time.
 In North America, clocks are set forward one hour in the night from March 12 to March 13. In Europe, on the other hand, the sleep loss won't occur until two weeks later on March 27.
Some countries, like Syria and Mexico, set other dates, while countries in the southern hemisphere inversely lose an hour in October and gain it back in April. Many regions of the world - including most of Africa and Asia - don't observe daylight saving time at all.

Here are 5 german words that will mAke you change your mind:

Zeitumstellung:This is what happens in March and October: Zeitumstellung, or time change. Even if it feels horrible to give up an hour of sleep, keep in mind you'll get it back in the fall. Zeitumstellung at least gives a feeling of power - even if we are all bound by time, twice a year we act like we can change it. 

Zeitschrift:Many other German expressions integrate "Zeit," the word for time. A "Zeitschrift" - literally, time writing, is simply a magazine. Whether it includes political discourse or scantily clad women (now with nipples covered), theoretically a magazine should keep up with the times. 

Zeitgeist:While Zeitgeist can also be used in English, its direct translation - time spirit - conjures up images of Charles Dickens' Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present. Referring to the philosophical idea that each era is characterized by particular ways of thinking, the concept of Zeitgeist dates back to 18th-century philosophers and is often associated with Johann Gottfried Herder.

Mahlzeit:Like time itself, food is elementary to the human existence. A "Mahlzeit" simply means "meal time," and can refer to breakfast, lunch or dinner. But it's also used to wish someone else the maximum amount of pleasure while eating. Next time you see a friend chomping down on a sandwich, you can say, "Mahlzeit!"

Hochzeit:It's often referred to as the happiest day of your life. In German, it's also a "high time" - a "Hochzeit." Who isn't high on adrenaline and emotion on that day of all days, on which your credit card debt reaches an all-time high? And for some impatient mother-in-laws, it certainly may be "high time" for that son to finally get hitched.

Written by Adolf Abelard