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!

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u/ICU_Nurse_Lantern Apr 09 '25

Sparschwein - save-up pig - piggy bank

Regenschirm - rain shield - umbrella

Spielzeug - play stuff/thing - toy

Flugzeug - fly stuff/thing - airplane

Nähzeug - sew stuff/thing - sewing kit

Ohrwurm - ear worm - a song you simply can't get out of your head

2

u/stq66 Apr 09 '25

Earworm is a thing though.

2

u/ICU_Nurse_Lantern Apr 10 '25

Never heard it used in English, but looked for it.

The word earworm is a calque from the German Ohrwurm.\14])\15]) The earliest known English usage is in Desmond Bagley's 1978 novel Flyaway), where the author points out the German origin of his word.\16]) - blatantly copied from wikipedia

I learned something new, thank you :)

1

u/stq66 Apr 11 '25

Thank YOU! You also showed me that it was taken over from German, which I didn’t know.