Any German speakers out there? Help!

You're not wrong Lucky I've just bought a bunk bed from IKEA and it's got all the parts!!

In metric - I count three feet as just a bit short of a metre Alea but when it needs four to function then I call it wobbly.

What's that in metric Anya??

OK - all you have to do now is to get on the phone to Germany and tell them you want another foot! - and the best of luck! Unbelievable.

Go to IKEA next time!!!

Unglaublich ! Although possibly not going by personal experience ...

Das ist schrecklich Anya!

The replacement for my wandering chest of drawers eventually arrived today....with only three feet!!

Exactly Alea in fact almost anyone (except possibly her at No. 3) will take in anything for anybody - even stray school kids who have lost their keys and are temporarily homeless until their parents arrive.

So the statement that the recipient had declined delivery was totally untrue? I had extrapolated from the message that they had been unable to deliver the item.
Apologies, Anya's neighbours -BOTH SIDES!

No Alea lovely neighbours who take things in all the time and vice versa.

It's UPS's policy not to leave items with neighbours now. See my post of 14.03.21

Miserable neighbours who declined to take it in for you?

I think it actually refers to quality control / delivery control here Badenkate and in connection with Nummer, i.e. Kontrollnummer, is control number, not "check(ing) number".

'Kontroll' actually means 'check' in German, it's what is known as a 'false friend' - a word that looks like an English word but doesn't mean the same. It doesn't make too much difference here, but some can be quite embarrassing.: 'das Gift' is 'poison'; 'die Fabrik' is a factory; 'brav' is well-behaved.

Thanks Lillie - I might be asking for something a bit stronger if I meet that delivery driver

I can well imagine that Lillie ... Google Translate is the bane of my life. And don't even get me started on CAT tools like Trados and the like ... slow you down like anything and then clients ask for a price reduction, because they provided you with a TM (Translation Memory), which is usually worse than useless and slows you down even more .....

Oh well, calm down now, not good for the blood pressure ... back to work for me.

ASAP = baldmöglichst ..... in case you need it *Anya" !!!

Well at least I got to speak to a lovely Irish man (the firm is based in Ireland) and their customer service was excellent. They are going to reorder it and get it to us ASAP.

Ain't GN wonderful for problems like this

That's annoying Anya because it actually translates as "the addressee didn't want the product." If your name was the one on the parcel then strictly speaking you haven't personally declined it!!

Ha Ha, OlderNoWiser you can always spot those who've used Google Translate . My students are masters at trying to trick me!

Sorry I did not respond in 6 minutes .... I was busy translating lol

Some delivery companies use that phrase in english regularly and all it means is they couldn't be bothered to find your address.
We've had it several times (when we've been in and waiting.)

I didn't use a translate programme as I knew that there would be someone on GN who'd translate it ....and in fact Lillie responded in 6 minutes

It's apparently on its way back to Denmark It seems that UPS have changed their policy and will not leave items with neighbours any more!!!

Correct, Lillie, and the last line says "alternative control number", whatever that means ... I would not recommend Google Translate for the simple reason that if it was that good I (a professional freelance translator of German) would have been unemployed a long time ago

Lillie thank you for your translation. I'm on to the firm (on hold now) while they try to track it down. It came from Denmark via Germany!!

I wonder if they delivered it (or tried to deliver it) to the wrong person?

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