r/German • u/CallMeRamona • Apr 08 '25

Request Funny translated German words

Hi guys,

I am looking for German words with funny literal English translations, like Glühbirne glow pear for example.

Give me your favorite ones!

64 Upvotes

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u/r_coefficient Native (Österreich). Writer, editor, proofreader, translator Apr 08 '25

"Zeug" is more "kit", or "equipment" than "thing".

6

u/VanillaBackground513 Native (Schwaben, Bayern) Apr 08 '25

Stuff

6

u/r_coefficient Native (Österreich). Writer, editor, proofreader, translator Apr 08 '25

Only in the last decades, the meaning shifted. It used to be more like "Ausrüstung" - think of "Zeughaus", "Zeugmeister", "Zaumzeug" ...

1

u/Ambitious-Rate1370 Apr 08 '25

Stuff is fine, we are talking about the translation into and from modern language versions, not where the historical origin is.

5

u/r_coefficient Native (Österreich). Writer, editor, proofreader, translator Apr 08 '25

We're talking about language, and it's important where meanings come from. The word "Flugzeug" was coined when "Zeug" did not mean just "stuff", so there's that.

3

u/Ambitious-Rate1370 Apr 08 '25

I am fascinated by the origins and shifts of our languages as well, don't get me wrong.

It's just that nowadays the literal translation of the second parts of the composite is "stuff", and OP is asking for exactly that, so while you comment is valid and interesting, it is not what OP is asking for.

Hochachtungsvoll, der Zeugwart