You have made it. You´re in the tent and after squaring up your elbows your´re getting ready for the big debauchery. Only, even if you didn´t come to talk, a minimum of conversation may come in handy.

The two most important things in a beer tent are, you might have guessed, beer and, not so obvious, chicken.  The German or better Bavarian terms being, Maß as quantifier for one metric liter of beer and Hendl for chicken.

The pronouciation is easy for English speakers.  Maß is pronounced like the English mass the British way and Hendl like handle only like hen at the beginning.

But man doesn`t live by bread alone and a little interpersonal skills won´t do no harm. The second most important good at the Oktoberfest right after beer are said to be females, the Bavarian identifier being Madl, pronounced like meddle, only like master, again the British way, at the beginning.

Bavarian men, even of Schwarzeneggerian dimensions do not take offence in being called boy, the South German term for which being Bua, pronounced like boar. Well, the name says it all.