Like any language, German has grown and evolved over many generations. From Old High German to Middle High German to Middle Low German and Standard German, it's changed a lot over time. You'd think those changes would be helpful in making the language more clear and concise, but that's not always the case. In fact, some German words were clearly designed with the opposite idea in mind.
if you fancy yourself a bit of a linguist, or just someone who likes the challenge of stumbling over a 10-syllable word, maybe you have what it takes to nail this quiz. If you're not a native speaker, then it's definitely going to be a challenge. How long can German words get? Some have reached over 40 letters long. That could be a whole sentence in some languages. Heck, even a paragraph. Figuring out what a word like that means is going to take some skill and maybe even a little luck. But if you think you have the skills to handle some of thesezungenbrechers and get to the bottom of this German kuddelmuddel then take the quiz and prove it!
What on Earth does Rechtsschutzversicherungsgesellschaften mean?
A delicate dish made with eggs and cheese
An insurance company that provides legal protection
Naturally, this is the plural of Rechtsschutzversicherungsgesellschaft, which is an insurance company providing legal protection. Clearly, this is a valuable word for everyday conversations.
If you're a doctor, you may have to know about Betäubungsmittelverschreibungsverordnung. What is it?
An operation or procedure that is voluntary
Facial reconstruction surgery
A method of treating an illness with exercise
Regulation for the prescription of narcotics
How this word came to be is anyone's guess, but betäubungsmittelverschreibungsverordnung refers to a regulation that deals with prescribing things like anesthetics or narcotics.
You're pretty new at your job if you're a Sozialversicherungsfachangestelltenauszubildender. What does it mean?
A social security assistant trainee
Sozialversicherungsfachangestelltenauszubildender refers to a trainee assistant social insurance or security broker. The word sounds much more exciting than the job.
Donaudampfschifffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft may not have ever referred to a real thing, even if the term is technically correct. What does it mean?
A small, omnivorous animal like a squirrel that lives in forests and is usually only seen at sunset.
Association for Subordinate Officials of the Main Maintenance Building of the Danube Steam Shipping Electrical Services
This word allegedly refers to the Association for Subordinate Officials of the Main Maintenance Building of the Danube Steam Shipping Electrical Services. It's only alleged because there's no proof such an association ever existed. This might just be an example of a word that "could" exist, even if what it refers to doesn't.
The process of donating food items to charity that do not have a long shelf life and must, therefore, be used right away
You've probably experienced Fremdschämen a lot. What is it?
Late night hunger
A wandering itch
Contagious yawns
Shame on someone else's behalf
Fremdschämen is a pretty useful word these days. Think of all the cringe-inducing videos you've seen online and the shame you felt on behalf of those people. That's fremdschämen at work.
No one ever wants to experience Verschlimmbessern, but it happens. What is it?
Rapid onset stomach discomfort after eating
Making things worse as you try to make them better
This term is fun in an awkward way because who hasn't experienced a time when they were trying to help out and then somehow made everything worse as a result?
No one should be proud to be a Schattenparker. What does it mean?
A person who follows too close
Someone who breaks dishes
Someone who parks in the shade
While the literal translation of this word is "shade parker," what it means is a wimp. A person who parks in the shade is weak and can't handle the real world. You don't want to be a schattenparker, even though it's usually a good idea to actually park in the shade.
Backpfeifengesicht is pretty aggressive. What does it mean?
A face in need of a slap
This isn't the most polite thing in the world but apparently, some people just feel like they need to slap other people in the face and then they made a word to express that.
You might need help to deal with a kuddelmuddel. What is it?
A large meal
A confusing mess
This word is fun to say, even if what it refers to is not super fun. The word derives its meaning from "dirty linen" and means a jumble, hodgepodge or mess.
Drachenfutter only comes up when you do something wrong. What does it mean?
Overcooked food
Damaged electronics
Dirty laundry
Dragon fodder
The literal translation is "dragon fodder" but what it actually refers to is a gift you give to your spouse or partner as a kind of apology. So you screwed up and got them this thing to try to make it better.
Sometimes Veröffentlichungsdatum is the kind of thing you need to know. What does it mean?
A recipe for vegetables
Publication date
The publication date of a book is the kind of information you usually gloss over, so maybe that's why it's such a big word in German. It's hard to miss.
One of the most popular German words that has found its way to English is Schadenfreude. What does it mean?
Eating with reckless abandon
Going shopping with friends
Avoiding the sun at all costs
Taking pleasure in someone else's pain
You're not technically supposed to take pleasure in someone else's pain, but every so often you see someone who you really don't like take a fall and you can't help but feel good about it.
Doppelgänger has become a very popular word in English. What does it mean?
Weather radar
A street gang
A twin or duplicate
A doppelgänger usually just means a twin or double of some kind though to be very technical, it should also be a supernatural or evil double. So if you see one, try to avoid it. Unless you actually have a twin.
Schreibtischtäter is an extremely dark term. What does it mean?
Desk murderer
The term "desk murderer" sounds a little silly at first glance, but it's quite a disturbing concept. It refers to bureaucrats and state employees who sat at a desk and sanctioned the murder of many people.
If you're arguing with someone, you may have to bust out a Totschlagargument. What is it?
A mutual understanding
An insult
A killer argument
A killer argument is an argument killer. If you're in a heated debated with someone, you can bust out a totschlagargument and immediately shut the whole conversation down. It doesn't even need to be related to the topic at hand, just something so devastating that the other person has no comeback.
You should see the doctor if you have Nasennebenhöhlenentzündung. What is it?
Sinusitis
You can almost see the relation between Nasennebenhöhlenentzündung and sinusitis with the beginning of the word "nasal" in there, but then it really takes a left turn.
Selbstverständlichkeit sounds a little philosophical. What does it mean?
Understanding of life and death
Self-evident truth or fact
It seems a little ironic that selbstverständlichkeit means something self-evident or an obvious fact when that meaning itself is far from obvious or self-evident.
What kind of person would you describe with the word Eigenbrötlerisch?
A recluse or loner
If you describe someone with the word eigenbrötlerisch, you're describing someone who definitely doesn't want a lot of company and spends a lot of time alone, like a recluse.
Feuchtfröhlich could be a word you use at a party. What does it mean?
Dinner guests
Merry and drunk
Feuchtfröhlich is a very unique and unusual term. It does mean merry, happy or jolly, but it's very much related to that feeling being caused by drinking alcohol.
Streicheleinheit is a word that might apply if you have a pet. What does it mean?
A pair of boots
A cupboard for food
Backyard
A measurement of petting
In general, streicheleinheit means to pet or caress, but the literal translation is a unit of petting, so it's somehow supposed to be a measurement of the petting you do. Definitely a thing a cat would pay attention to.
Eierschalensollbruchstellenverursache is a bit of a joke word, and yet you can buy one. What is it?
A tool to create the ideal breaking point in an egg's shell
If there's a point for an eierschalensollbruchstellenverursache, it's to help you crack an egg in such a way that the shell doesn't splinter everywhere. Do you need that? Well, that's up to you.