German phrase
Kann man ~ wörtlich nehmen?
Meaning
Can ___ be taken literally?
When to use it
Checks if words are literal. Often clarifies whether someone is joking or speaking figuratively.
Example dialogue
Kann man seine Worte wörtlich nehmen?
Can his words be taken literally?
Nicht wirklich, er meint das oft ironisch.
Not really, he often means it ironically.