Oh, ich vermisse grade gar nichts
I’m not missing anything right now – "Vermisse gar nichts" by Madeline Juno
This pared down, acoustic version of “Vermisse gar nichts” by singer/songwriter Madeline Juno (featuring fellow German pop singer Wilhelmine) encapsulates coziness and feels like a warm hug in song-form – which correlates pretty well to a song describing feelings of calm contentment after having found the right person.
In fact, the song presents us with the exact opposite of the infamous FOMO, or “fear of missing out” – with her loved one in the picture, the singer feels she has all she needs and doesn’t fear missing out on anything. Even a night in watching television and falling asleep on the couch is exciting.
“Vermisse gar nichts” gives us two ways to describe missing (or not missing) something in German, described below (with a third added in for good measure). And if you’re in the mood for something slightly more upbeat, check out the original version of the song!
Oh, ich vermisse grade gar nichts
Oh, I’m not missing anything right now
Hab’ das so lang nicht mehr erlebt
I haven’t experienced that in so long
Dass mir nichts fehlt
That I’m not missing anything
Nein, ich vermisse grade gar nichts
No, I’m not missing anything right now
Hab’ fast verlernt, wie das geht
I almost forgot, what that was like
Fast verlernt, wie das geht
Almost forgot, what that was like
Weil sonst immer irgendwas ist
Because there is always something else
Dass mir den Kopf zerbricht
That keeps my mind racing
Oh, ich vermisse grade gar nichts
Oh, I’m not missing anything right now
Ich vermisse nichts, seit du da bist
I’m not missing anything since you’ve been here
Seit du da bist
Since you’ve been here
Though this song is technically about not missing anything, it gives us a good opportunity to review how to describe missing something or someone in German. The song gives us two relevant examples, and I’m going to throw in a third at no extra charge.
A first way to describe missing something or someone is to use the verb vermissen (to miss).
Ich vermisse meine Familie in den USA.
I miss my family in the USA.Wir haben euch heute vermisst.
We missed you all today.Ich vermisse grade gar nichts.
I’m not missing anything right now.
A somewhat more poetic take on the sentiment uses the verb fehlen (to be missing) to say that the person, place, or thing you are missing is actually “missing from you”:
Meine Familie fehlt mir, wenn ich in Deutschland bin.
I miss my family when I am in Germany.Mexikanisches Essen fehlt mir auch.
I also miss Mexican food.(Ich) habe das so lang nicht mehr erlebt, dass mir nichts fehlt.
I haven’t experienced that in so long, that I’m not missing anything.
And although English uses the same word “miss” to describe both missing a person and missing something like a bus, event, or opportunity, German uses a different word for the second scenario: verpassen.
Ich habe den Bus leider verpasst.
I unfortunately missed the bus.Wir sind zu spät angekommen und haben den Flohmarkt verpasst.
We arrived too late and missed the flea market.
Here are a few additional words and phrases from “Vermisse gar nichts” to add to your vocabulary list:
fühlen – to feel
aufhören – to stop
ansehen – to look
heimgehen – to go home
merken – to notice
die Zeit vergeht – the time flies
schauen – to look / glance
die Folge – the episode
auswendig – by heart / from memory
egal – the same / it doesn’t matter
pennen – to sleep (colloquial)
vermissen – to miss
grade – currently / right now (short for “gerade”)
gar nichts – nothing at all
erleben – to experience
verlernen – to unlearn / forget
etwas, dass mir den Kopf zerbricht – something that keeps my mind racing
seit – since
Ich hänge an deine Lippen – I hang onto your words
bewegen – to move
festhalten – to hold onto
aufwärmen – to warm up