by CRISTIAN

10 Common German Vocabulary Words With

Surprising Meanings
English has many words that are exactly the same in German.
For example: warm, blond, finger, etc.
And there are German words that sound like English and are, in fact, cognates.
For example: Bett (bed), Fisch (fish), leicht (light), etc.
German is easy, right?
WRONG.
Though trying to find the shared root between German and English words is a perfectly
good strategy for learning vocabulary, watch out!
In some cases this tactic might not only fail you, it might have you chuckling
inappropriately or, worse, put you in a sticky situation!
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10 Common German Vocabulary Words that Dont Mean Quite What Youd
Think
The following is a list of common German words that dont mean quitewhat you might
have expected
1. Rat (m.)
Perhaps one day one of your German friends will be in a pickle and he or she will ask you
for a Rat. Do not chuckle! This friend, who may be having a work- or relationship-related
problem, is not asking you for a vermin of the rodent variety! Rat, or advice, is one of
the most common words in the German language in the context of friendship. Since it
can also mean counsel or council, it is also useful when talking about government
agencies; hence, Europischer Rat (European Council).
Examples:
Maria sucht Rat bei ihren Freunden.
(Maria is seeking advice from her friends.)

Der Bundesrat ist ein Verfassungsorgan Deutschlands.

(The Federal Council is a constitutional body of Germany.)
2. Fahrt (f.)
Inevitably, when an English speaker travels to a German-speaking country, this word is a
source of much amusement. Found on signs near driveways, highways, and train
stations, this common German word has nothing to do with what happens after you eat
too much Mexican food! Fahrt, meaning trip, drive, journey, or ride, is a useful
word when youre trying to find out information about the train you need to take! Dont
stop to laugh or take a picture of the sign with you smartphone like most tourists! You
may miss your train!
Examples:
Gute Fahrt!
(Have a good trip!)
Die Fahrt dauert drei Tage.
(The journey takes three days.)
3. bald (adv.)
You are meeting a potential employer for lunch and he is running late. He texts you, Ill
be there bald. No, he did not leave his toupe at home! Bald, or soon, is another very
common word in German, as well as another potential source of giggles for English
speakers. Due to the nature of this adverb, it can also take on many related meanings
like shortly, before long, and in a hurry. Learn this important word as baldas
possible!
Examples:
Bis bald!
(See you soon!)
Antworte mir so bald wie mglich!
(Answer me as soon as possible!)
4. dick(adj.)
For the sake of keeping this blog post PG-rated, lets assume that this word is funny
because it is a common English nickname for Richard. Dick, or fat, is hopefully not a
word you will be calling people very often, especially if youre trying to make new
German friends! Nevertheless, it is useful for describing many everyday things.
Depending on the context in which it is used, it can also mean thick, plump, heavy,
and chubby.
Examples:
Ich mache Sport um nicht dick zu werden.
(I exercise in order to not get fat.)
Ich kann nichts hren, weil die Wand zu dick ist.
(I cant hear anything because the wall is too thick.)
5. hell (adj.)
If youre not familiar with this word, it might make you think of Dantes Inferno or, if
youre like me, just a really, really bad day. In fact, this word has quite the opposite
meaning in German. Hell, meaning bright, light, fair, or clear, is a versatile
adjective that can be used to describe many things: the weather, the amount light in a

room, someones face, a color, etc. Dont be surprised when a German speaker describes
the sky as hell!
Examples:
Es wird langsam hell.
(Day is dawning. Literally: It is slowly getting light.)
Der Knstlers Gemlde ist hellblau.
(The artists painting is light blue.)
6. womit (adv.)
This common German adverb has an unfortunate English false cognate. Nope, your
German teacher is not talking about puke! Womit means whereby, wherewith, with
which, or with what. Though using this word in spoken language can sound a bit
formal, it is very common to see it in written texts. You can be sure that Goethe or
Schiller are not referring to anybody hurling!
Examples:
Das Messer, womit ich schneide ist scharf.
(The knife with which I am cutting is sharp.)
Womit verdient er sein Brot?
(What does he do for a living? Literally: With what does he earn his bread?)
7. Schmuck (m.)
If you grew up in New York City like yours truly, or anywhere near a large Jewish
community, you have probably called somebody a schmuck or have yourself been called
one. A schmuck in American English is a pejorative of Yiddish origin meaning someone
who is stupid or foolish. If you call someone a Schmuck in German, however, you will
probably not get the reaction you were expecting. Schmuck in German can mean either
jewelry or jewel, probably the last thing you want to call someone that you actually
want to insult!
Examples:
Der Schmuck der Knigin ist unbezahlbar.
(The queens jewelry is priceless.)
Der gesamte Schmuck fiel ihren Erben zu.
(All the jewelry went to her heirs.)
8. Wiener (adj.)
Like Fahrt, Wiener is another classic German word that tends to make English speakers
chortle with elementary school glee. Wiener, or Viennese, is the demonym for the
people of one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Vienna (Wien)! It may also be
describe anything that comes from Vienna such as Wiener Schnitzel. If I were you, I
wouldnt point out what wiener is in English to your new Austrian friend. Im sure theyve
heard it a thousand times!
Examples:
Franz Schubert war Wiener.
(Franz Schubert was Viennese.)
Das Wiener Klima ist schn.
(The Viennese climate is beautiful.)
9.damit (adv. or conj.)
This is yet another German adverb with a humorous false cognate. Nope, your German
friend is not angry with you or expressing any sort of displeasure. Damit more often than

not means with it, with this, or thereby, but may also mean for this reason or
with that said. It is fairly common to encounter this adverb so start trying to forget
what it sounds like in English! Damn it, why doesnt the German language throw us a
bone?!
Examples:
Hr auf damit!
(Cut it out! Literally: Stop with it!)
Ich habe nichts damit zu tun!
(I have nothing to do with it!)
10. Fuchs (m.)
Surprisingly, this German word comes up often in a place like Berlin where these cute
little animals are common to see. Fuchs, or fox, is a good word to add to your
zoological vocabulary. If you want to use it, please remember that the German vowel u
is pronounced oo. German speakers are generally familiar with English swear words
and if you pronounce it wrong, they may think think youre saying something not so
pleasant!
Examples:
Der Fuchs ist s aber gefhrlich.
(The fox is cute but dangerous.)
Es gibt viele Rotfchse in Europa.
(There are many red foxes in Europe.)