German may be the most widely spoken language in the European Union, but let's be honest - it's just downright funny sometimes. We roasted French, so now it's time for the German language to have its turn.

People around the world learning how to speak German have long struggled with German's fearsome grammar, in which multiple funny words are stuck together to make more descriptive terms. This leads to things like long, aggressive store names and job titles, as well as migraines for tourists and expats in Germany. The spelling of these long German words is an even more sensitive subject.

#1

Have A Go At German Scrabble

Have A Go At German Scrabble

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Lucia De Santiago
Community Member
9 years ago

XD

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Since German is an ancestor to English, a lot of funny German words were passed down to us but changed in spelling over time. The original German forms of these words now have... Well, 'interesting' connotations. See for yourself below.

Oh, and just for the lols, here is the longest word in German - Donaudampfschifffahtselektrizitatenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengessellschaft. Standing proudly at 80 letters, this word translates to "Association for Subordinate Officials of the Head Office Management of the Danube Steamboat Electrical Services" and is an absolutely real concoction of letters. Try not to break your tongue with it!

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    #2

    Nobody Expected That From You, German Language

    Nobody Expected That From You, German Language

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    John L Kelly
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    I guess Greta isn't French after all.

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    However, according to Olly Richards, a polyglot and the founder of I Will Teach You A Language, German actually isn't too difficult to master.

    "One of the main reasons German isn’t all that hard to learn is that German and English originate from the same language families and share more similarities than you probably realize," Richards wrote. "Both German and English are Indo-European languages that stem from the Germanic family of languages. About 40% of German vocabulary is similar to English vocabulary, which is good news for native English speakers!"

    #3

    Mastering A Second Language

     Mastering A Second Language

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    John L Kelly
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    "Ein Schwaben Bräu bitte" makes everything work out fine.

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    Richards said that pronunciation is also more straightforward than you might think and grammar is relatively easy to pick up thanks to recognizable patterns. "If we examine the phrases 'what is that?' and 'was ist das?', the connections are obvious."

    Also, the polyglot thinks that it's is much easier to pronounce words phonetically in German than in English. "In English, letters often change sounds without any logical explanation. This isn’t the case in German."

    "Although some aspects of German may seem difficult, once you break the language down, it's not actually that hard."

    #4

    Simplicity Is The Key

    Simplicity Is The Key

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    Anna Brandigi
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    I'm getting some mixed signals here

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    #5

    There's A Word For Everything In German Language

    There's A Word For Everything In German Language

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    Anna Brandigi
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    They have words for pretty much everything

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    #6

    Germans vs. Foreigners

    Germans vs. Foreigners

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    Lilya
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Ha that's so me.

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    #7

    Unique German Words

    Unique German Words

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    Anna Brandigi
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    same

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    #8

    The Language Of Poets

    The Language Of Poets

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    Troux
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    These all have direct English equivalents: "I got tossed in the back of a car" "We came together after the movie" "I gave my bird what she needed last night"

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    #9

    Kinder Kids

    Kinder Kids

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    juice
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    heehee, because Kinder means children

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    #10

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

    linguisticconvoy Report

    Juana
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Why do the write the names of the languages and then throw in Mexico? For continuity they should have written Spanish. And a flag of Spain.

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    #11

    Hand Shoes Make Perfect Sense

    Hand Shoes Make Perfect Sense

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    Roman Hans
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    Here Germany makes much more sense. Why make up a new word when you can repurpose old ones? Gloves really are “hand shoes.”

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    #12

    Salad, Anyone?

    Salad, Anyone?

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    Monday
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    I need to sort out my cable salad....

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    #13

    As A Foreigner Who’s Learning German, So Accurate

    As A Foreigner Who’s Learning German, So Accurate

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    Daria Z
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    🤘😆

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    #14

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Volker Burmester
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Sechs is german for six and sound almost like sex. Vier means four in german and sounds like fear. And fünf is german for five.

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    #15

    When German Language Wasn't Scary But Cute

    When German Language Wasn't Scary But Cute

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    Mary Peace
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    The French say "How are you called?" when they want to know your name. I suppose it's like asking "How do I get your attention?" really.

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    Never miss a story that brings joy to the world. Add us on Google

    #16

    Naming Animals In German

    Naming Animals In German

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    Beatrice Alighieri
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    This is brilliant, I can't stop laughing XD

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    #17

    Best Photo From Trip To Berlin

    Best Photo From Trip To Berlin

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    Hans
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    Fat hard street. nothing to see here, move along folks.

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    #18

    When German Language Had Like A Gazillion Ways To Say "Why".

    When German Language Had Like A Gazillion Ways To Say "Why".

    _learn_german Report

    Hans
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    All of these have a different connotation and add to the richness of communication. You would also rather say "for which purpose do you use a rifle" than "why", if you seek to explore the intention.

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    #19

    When A Single Letter Made A Huge Difference

    When A Single Letter Made A Huge Difference

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    Hans
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    Effect, affect...you will find enough examples in English, too.

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    #20

    When German Language Wasn't As Cold And Ugly As They Always Say … But Beautiful And Emotional

    When German Language Wasn't As Cold And Ugly As They Always Say … But Beautiful And Emotional

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    ADHORTATOR
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    That is true

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    #21

    Makes Sense

    Makes Sense

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    Linus Nilsson
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    I laughed, until I realized that it's the same in my language

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    #22

    This Is Why I Love The German Language

    This Is Why I Love The German Language

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    Tomek Sztuk
    Community Member
    6 years ago (edited)

    Brilliant, although it's a purposefully complicated joke name :D Fahrradständer is a real German name for a bicycle stand, above says something in line of "climate protection enforcing device securing place" ;)

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    #23

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Lilya
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Person: That's amazing! Me: That's sausage to me. Person: No, the post I was talking about. Me: SAUSAGE

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    #24

    Have Some Class

    Have Some Class

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    JuJu
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    Nope. We use both. Usually depending on the vowel or Umlaut before the ss/ß.

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    #25

    When Even The Simpsons Had To Show The World How The German Language Is Trolling Everyone

    When Even The Simpsons Had To Show The World How The German Language Is Trolling Everyone

    ahahagerman Report

    Kateryna
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    "Die" is "the" relating to the feminine gender... so it sounds like they are indicating Bart is female

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    #26

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Johan Nobel
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Funny, most of these work for Dutch as well and no, Dutch != German

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    #27

    When Germany Showed The World What "Wordception" Means.

    When Germany Showed The World What "Wordception" Means.

    ahahagerman Report

    Hans
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    You may need context. Essen is a town in the Ruhr area. Essen means food. essen means to eat. "Wollen wir heute in Essen ein wenig Essen essen?" thus makes sense.

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    #28

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Silent Skeleton
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Yes

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    #29

    German Is A Beautiful Language.

    German Is A Beautiful Language.

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    Nadine Bamberger
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    I'd go with "Klugscheißer" (clever-pooper), don't know what that word above is supposed to mean.

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    #30

    When German Language Was Only For The Brave.

    When German Language Was Only For The Brave.

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    True Blue
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    Hahahahahahahaha lord it's true

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    #31

    Literal Translations

    Literal Translations

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    Anna Brandigi
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Well, they're not wrong

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    #32

    Tja

    Tja

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    Nadine Bamberger
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    well...

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    #33

    About Time!

    About Time!

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    Nadine Bamberger
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    When you least expect it

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    #34

    When German Language Was So Logical That It Confused You.

    When German Language Was So Logical That It Confused You.

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    Giorgio Prodoti
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    in Italian also more or less

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    #35

    Dear People Learning German...

    Dear People Learning German...

    AllHailTheDramaLlama Report

    Monday
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    Ah yes, I too find the weather very gay today.

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    #36

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Cat Meow
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Someone count the points please. I'm curious. (I really don't play Scrabble... XD)

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    #37

    German Language Jokes

    German Language Jokes

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    Vicky Zar
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    Wouldn't it be just Zusammengehörigkeit?

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    #38

    German Grammar Struggle

    German Grammar Struggle

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    VeryDarkMatter
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    try finnish and you will cry

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    #39

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Tiny Dynamine
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    For your information, German isn't shouted aggressively by Germans at all. We imply that from the second world war because of how the Gestapo were. If you say the above German word normally, it sounds quite nice.

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    #40

    1. When German Language Nailed It.

    1. When German Language Nailed It.

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    Nadine Bamberger
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    Never ever in my quite long life have I heard anybody use that word lol.

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    #41

    When Animals Sounded Way Cuter In German. Like Raccoon.

    When Animals Sounded Way Cuter In German. Like Raccoon.

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    Femme Finn
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    Whoa! Same in Finnish, pesukarhu. I guess it comes directly from German.

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    #42

    Everytime

    Everytime

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    Kateryna
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    All of which mean "the"

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    #43

    When German Language Showed That Germans Have A Strange Relationship To Their Tools. Or Their Mothers

    When German Language Showed That Germans Have A Strange Relationship To Their Tools. Or Their Mothers

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    DforDorothy
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    In Hungarian also...

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    #44

    German Language

    German Language

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    Nadine Bamberger
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    Emphasis on the first syllable- possible grave bodily harm court case coming your way, emphasize the last part and you're good.

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    #45

    German Is Such A Beautiful Language.

    German Is Such A Beautiful Language.

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    Reginald Joseph
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    Stab mixer=they aren't wrong

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    #46

    Everything!

    Everything!

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    Nadine Bamberger
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    hip-gold

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    #47

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Bianca Gue
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    English is for the lazy people. :-P

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    #48

    When German Language Surprised You By Somehow Not Being Accurate Anymore

    When German Language Surprised You By Somehow Not Being Accurate Anymore

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    JuJu
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    But there is only one that can suck and blow! The famous Heinzelmann.

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    #49

    When German Words Looked Like They Have To Be Kidding You

    When German Words Looked Like They Have To Be Kidding You

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    Ray Martin
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    It's pronounced how it's spelt.

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    #50

    Learn German If You Der

    Learn German If You Der

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    Femme Finn
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    Well when you really think about the word "butterfly", is it a sexy word? Butter. Fly.

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    #51

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Beatrice Alighieri
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Gesundheit

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    #52

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Cat Meow
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Plenty or opportunities to use that one...

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    #53

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Sarah Schmidt
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    A few years ago I saw a video about how english sounds to non-english speakers. Is there a video like that about the german language? Do we really sound that bad? I really want to know!

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    #54

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    YsaPur
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    - Why? - Because sausage.

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    #55

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Dixon's Mama
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Love it!

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    #56

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    M. Schweitzer
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    So true - auch für uns!

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    #57

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Agnieszka Janiszewska
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    try polish....

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    #58

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Gunnar Schreck
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Correct translation is "Wissenschaft". This here would translate into "Natural Sciences"

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    #59

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Amanda Panda
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    As in the tree?

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    #60

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Little Menace
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    The Holzweg one is a favourite of mine because you can tell where it's from. In Germany [and probably other places], there are paths through the forest that lead nowhere apart from a big pile of felled wood, stored there by the woodcutters. So if you end up at a dead end staring at a pile of wood, you are on the wood-way. I.e the wrong path.

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    #61

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

    whrsml Report

    Anna Brandigi
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    start saying dicc instead of thicc

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    #62

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Brigitte
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Only the ballpoint pen is called Kugelschreiber. Every other pen is Stift.

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    #63

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Anna Brandigi
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    glove snowball thrower 😂

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    #64

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    ADHORTATOR
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Or "Da liegt der Hund begraben" The dog is buried there

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    #65

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

    itchyfeetcomic Report

    Tadeáš Bucha
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    in Slovakia as well :)

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    #66

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Francesca Bellan
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Weird! In Italian we also use smoking, mobbing and pullover in exactly the same way :-D

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    #67

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Amanda H.
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Give me your answer so otherwise (That's what it says..) I must always speak German and "give you fear"

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    #68

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Nela Rothenbach
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    I'm sorry but it's: Blütenblätter - without n. Yes, German plural froms are just as complicated as the rest of the language; -)

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    #69

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

    EasySkanking Report

    Jörg Zingler
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Thats the politically correct new name. The old one is: "Negerkuss". (negroes kiss)

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    #70

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

    itchyfeetcomic Report

    Radek Suski
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    True story

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    #71

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

    notxgonnaxhappenxdude Report

    Intensive Panda
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Those words make sense but are actually made up (as I tried to explain in the comment section on the bottom)

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    #72

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

    itchyfeetcomic Report

    Jörg Zingler
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Swiss tv programs are subtitled on German tv.

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    #73

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Quant
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    I honestly did not know I lived in the butt of Bjork ;P

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    #74

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Cat Meow
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Now I now what the inspiration to Pushing Daisies was... didn't take me like 10 years or so. Nope. XD

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    #75

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Taco Cat
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    He he he ha ha he he

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    #76

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Just a Purpler
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Does it really? I mean this sentence makes sense in "Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo", but none of us actually understand it the first time we hear it...

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    #77

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

    itchyfeetcomic Report

    TroubledPotato
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Ohhhhh. This is why German isn't a love language.

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    #78

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Clara Henriette
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    czech little match box

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    #79

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Lauren Kaufmann
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    y'all don't have ablative?

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    #80

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Fabian Erdmann
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    We have the same word "Nationalität" :P :D

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    #81

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Intensive Panda
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    because "Tafel" has several meanings and Google Translator somehow manages to pick not the right one. EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.

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    #82

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Hellysal
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Polish: Samolot (flies on its own) :D And for car: Samochód (walks on its own) c:

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    #83

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Anna Linnaeus
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    I'm a 70's baby and used to read German pop mag Bravo in the 80's and remember the articles on Back to the Future. Zurück zum Zukunft takes some serious tongue-wrapping.

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    #84

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Happy Ghost
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    ...Czech: Barva, Slovak: Farba

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    #85

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Joe Dad
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    I don't think it's funny at all. Hitler was no laughing matter. Moreover, he was born in Austria.

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    #86

    Funny German Language

    Funny German Language

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    Karina Bleul
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    just "Krawatte" Seide=Silk

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