German is NOT the easiest language to learn by any means. Between perfecting the necessary inflection, wrapping your brain around grammatical genders and deciphering the dialects, you may be tempted to stop after ‘Danke’ and ‘Prost’.
But don’t despair – you actually know a lot more German than you think you do. Here are 17 easy German words that prove it:
Food and Drink
Muesli
(noun) a healthy cereal, fruit and nut medley
German spelling: Müsli
Lager
(noun) a light and aged beer
Pretzel
(noun) a delicious form of baked bread
German spelling: Brezel
Gummy bear
(noun) a bear-shaped and delicious fruity candy
German spelling: Gummibär
Pumpernickel
(noun) a dark and dense bread best served with spinach dip
Hamburger
(noun) arguably the most famous and delicious fast food option
Weiner
(noun) hot dog
Noodle
(noun) a singular form of pasta
German spelling: Nudel
Objects & Places
Delicatessen
(noun) a delicious meat and cheese shop
German spelling: Delikatessen
Karabiner
(noun) a utility clip used for climbing, keys etc.
Rucksack
(noun) backpack
Kindergarten
(noun) schooling before grade 1
Poltergeist
(noun) a ghost/ spirit
Terms
Uber
(prefix) over; better
German spelling: Über
Wanderlust
(noun) the desire to travel
Doppelganger
(noun) a lookalike, Katy Perry and Zooey Deschanel
German spelling: Doppelgänger
Angst
(noun) fear, anxiety and depression in one horrible emotional cocktail
See? You’re a German pro, and you didn’t even know it. Now, pack these words into your vocab bank and get to Germany ASAP.
