Donkey bridge!
Yes if you break it, it sounds like that. 'Esel' means donkey and 'Brücke' for bridge.
A 'bridge' for donkey. In fact, for you, when you are trying hard to remember something but unable to get it, a small 'bridge' can help you fill the gap and you get your word or sentence complete. You remember the missing word.
Let's get an example:
When did Christopher Columbus Discover America? - Well, it was 1492. But how to remeber the year?
Easy. You make a donkey bridge (Eselsbrücke).
Acht vor 1500 (fünfzehnhundert) Kolumbus wird bewundert.
So 1500 – 8 = 1492. Right, Mr. Columbus discovered America in 1492.
So you see, how 'Eselsbrücke' helps you to memorize things. That's why it's also called as 'memory hook'.
In English, it will mean: Eight to 1500 (fifteen hundred) Columbus is admired or saluted.
Now, another example is from the periodic table. You know, the first column contains alkali metals. These are Hydrogen, Lithium, Sodium, Potassium, Rubidium, Caesium and Francium.
So how to remember them easily?
Make a donkey bridge.
Hallo, lieber Nachbar, komm rüber. Cäsar friert.
If you translate it into English, it means: Hello dear neighbor, come over. Caesar freezes.
But look at the bold alphabets: you have the metals. So you build your donkey bridge to remember things easily.
Got it?
Eine Eselsbrücke ist nicht für den Esel, sondern für dich, um sich etwas besser merken zu können - A donkey bridge is not for the donkey, but for you, so that you can remember something better.
Verb:
merken – to memorize something, to notice something (past & past participle: merkte, gemerkt)
My very special thanks to my neighbour Mr. Rene Sommer for the corrections. By the way, German word 'Sommer' means Summer.
So you see, Summer is my neighbour
