English is famously full of loanwords from other languages. Some words are taken up in such a seamless way that they fit into English as if they had always been there. German has been a big contributor, lending words for everything from specific feelings to precise technical terms. Here\u2019s a list of 11 words that may surprise you, as they are actually of German origin. Let\u2019s see how they migrated from the heart of Europe into everyday usage in English.<\/p>\n\n
Origin: German<\/span> This 19th-century term was coined by German educator Friedrich Fr\u00f6bel to describe his new kind of educational space for children to study and play in. English retained its German structure and spirit without bothering to translate it.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n Origin: German<\/span> This beautiful word describes an urge to travel and see new places. \u201cWanderlust\u201d can be used to define this deep-seated urge to explore new places. Adopted by English speakers in the early 20th century, this is still the perfect term for that irresistible itch to travel.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n Origin: German<\/span> The word \u201cDoppelg\u00e4nger\u201d refers to a lookalike or nonbiological double of a living being. It is also that freaky concept in folklore. This word has retained its exact German spelling and pronunciation and has become a staple in describing uncanny resemblance.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n Origin: German<\/span> This singular term describes the pleasure taken from another person\u2019s misfortune. A complex, somewhat guilty pleasure of a word, which English adopted because it had no precise equivalent.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n Origin: German<\/span> When someone sneezes, many in the English-speaking world say \u201cBless you!\u201d In many places, it\u2019s common to hear \u201cGesundheit,\u201d borrowed directly from German. Wishing someone \u201chealth\u201d after a sneeze just feels appropriate\u2014and who doesn\u2019t want a little extra health?<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n Origin: German<\/span> A \u201cPoltergeist\u201d is a type of spirit that makes noise and causes disturbance. This term has its roots in German folklore but gained popularity in English for horror novels and films. That one word alone manages to evoke something chillingly mysterious.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n Origin: German<\/span> \u201cKitsch\u201d designates objects or works of art that are usually tasteless, mushy, or obtrusively gaudy. Originated in a German attempt at naming lowbrow art, it entered English describing something that is appealingly tacky or laughably retro.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n Origin: German<\/span> While it may not be common in everyday English, \u201cFahrvergn\u00fcgen\u201d gained popularity through Volkswagen\u2019s 1990s ad campaign in the United States. It highlighted the pleasure of driving\u2014a concept that doesn\u2019t translate as easily in a single English word, but made sense as an idea people instantly related to.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n Origin: German<\/span> This little versatile word found a big place in English. Though it originally means \u201cover\u201d or \u201csuper,\u201d it\u2019s become a common prefix in English to indicate that something is ultimate or the best, such as \u201c\u00fcber-cool\u201d or \u201c\u00fcber-confident.\u201d It is famously associated with the ride-sharing company Uber nowadays.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n Origin: German<\/span> In German, \u201cFest\u201d means a festival or a party, as in Oktoberfest. Themed events, such as \u201cmusic fest\u201d or \u201cfood fest,\u201d have borrowed the term in English. This celebratory term found a natural home in English, especially among festival enthusiasts.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n Origin: German<\/span> This term refers to the spirit or mood that typifies any age in history. The word \u201cZeitgeist\u201d has been in English since the 19th century to describe the essence of a cultural moment or the mass mind of an era. It\u2019s one of those precise words that adds variety to English without a real equivalent.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n These 11 words remind us that languages constantly borrow and blend to meet the ever-changing needs of expression. Each of these German words entered English for a reason: they captured something missing in English. We hit \u201cwanderlust,\u201d wish people \u201cGesundheit,\u201d or laugh at a little \u201cSchadenfreude\u201d; these are words loaned from another language to enrich our vocabulary with precision and flair.<\/p>\n So next time you hear one of these Germanisms, it is not only an English word but a small piece of German culture, carried over to help us express things uniquely through shared language.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" English is famously full of loanwords from other languages. Some words are taken up in such a seamless way that they fit into English as if they had always been there. German has been a big contributor, lending words for everything from specific feelings to precise technical terms. Here\u2019s a list of 11 words that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":561,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-560","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-german"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/560","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=560"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/560\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":562,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/560\/revisions\/562"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/561"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=560"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=560"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bunpo.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=560"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n Literal Translation: \u201cChildren\u2019s garden\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 2. Wanderlust<\/h2>\n
\n Literal Translation: \u201cDesire to wander\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 3. Doppelg\u00e4nger<\/h2>\n
\n Literal Translation: \u201cDouble-goer\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 4. Schadenfreude<\/h2>\n
\n Literal Translation: \u201cHarm-joy\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 5. Gesundheit<\/h2>\n
\n Literal Translation: \u201cHealth\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 6. Poltergeist<\/h2>\n
\n Literal Translation: \u201cNoisy ghost\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 7. Kitsch<\/h2>\n
\n Literal Translation: (roughly) \u201cCheap or tasteless art\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 8. Fahrvergn\u00fcgen<\/h2>\n
\n Literal Translation: \u201cDriving pleasure\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 9. \u00dcber<\/h2>\n
\n Literal Translation: \u201cOver\u201d or \u201cabove\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 10. Fest<\/h2>\n
\n Literal Translation: \u201cFestival\u201d or \u201ccelebration\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 11. Zeitgeist<\/h2>\n
\n Literal Translation: \u201cTime-spirit\u201d or \u201cspirit of the age\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n