Without further ado, here are eight German words we wish we had in English: (It also has a certain strength to it, as Charles V’s horse quotation exemplifies.) German is a logical language that allows for a great deal of precision, which is why it’s one of the main languages of philosophy, science, engineering, and mathematics.

Many German words don’t have direct 1:1 translations in English – and in some cases, these words describe scenarios, emotions, concepts, and objects that would necessitate an entire sentence in English! Some of these words come together to form larger, more self-explanatory compound words, while others are a bit more subtle or indirect.Ĭharles V once famously said, “I speak Spanish to God, Italian to women, French to men, and German to my horse.” Since all languages are shaped by their respective cultures, and every culture is different, all languages give speakers the opportunity to express new ideas or sentiments that might be trickier to describe in another language.

German words in english and in german