These words often don’t have an English equivalent. Their language is also unique in that complex emotions and ideas can be represented in a single word. The general set of ideas, beliefs and feelings which is typical of a particular period in history.Įxample: 'The zeitgeist of the '60s was peace and love.Germans have a reputation for putting together two separate words to make one word. WanderlustĮxample: 'Every summer I get wanderlust and I have to go abroad.' Zeitgeist This noun is used to describe the happiness we feel in the unhappiness of others taking pleasure in the pain of others. It is also the name of a very successful Steven Spielberg film from 1982.

PoltergeistĪ poltergeist is a type of ghost that moves things and makes a noise. Kindergarten is often used instead of playschool, pre-school or day-care centre for a school for very young children. It is also acceptable to use the German word gesundheit.

When someone sneezes it is polite for us to say '(God) Bless you'. In mythology a doppelganger was a spirit that would appear as a sign that something bad was going to happen.Įxample: 'I saw a man who looks exactly like you in town yesterday. This words means someone who looks exactly like you they could be your twin. Here we take a look at some of the most common examples and what they mean: Doppelganger (doppelgänger) In recent years, however, many English words have been borrowed directly from German. Guten tag! English and German both descended from a West Germanic language, though their relationship has been obscured by the great influence of French words to English dating from the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

German words in english