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List of German expressions in EnglishBelow is a list of German expressions used in English. Some are relatively common (such as hamburger or gestalt), but most are comparatively rare. In many cases, the German borrowing in English has assumed a substantially different meaning than its German forebear. Although the English language was originally based on an Anglo-Saxon variant of the German language similar to Dutch before the Norman Conquest of England by Norman-speaking peoples in 1066 (see Old English), many modern German words have been borrowed into modern English in more recent years. Typically English spellings of German loanwords suppress any umlauts (the accent over Ä, Ö, Ü, ä, ö and ü) of the original artifact. German words have been incorporated into English usage for various reasons. Common cultural items, especially foods, have spread to English-speaking nations and are often identified by their German names. The history of excellence among German-speaking nations in science, scholarship, and classical music has led to many German words being adopted by academics for use in English contexts. Discussion of German history and culture requires use of German words. Lastly, some German words are used simply to a fictional passage by implying that the thing being expressed is German, as in Frau or Reich, although sometimes the use of German terms has no German implication, as in doppelganger or angst. English and German are descended from the same common ancestor, called Proto-Germanic. Because of this, a number of English words are identical to their German counterparts either in spelling (Hand, Finger) or in pronunciation (Fish = Fisch). These words are excluded from this list. German terms commonly used in EnglishWords in this category will be recognized by most English speakers and are commonly used in English. A few, such as delicatessen and hinterland, are often used without awareness that they are originally German. It should be noted that some words in this list (hamburger, kindergarten) are more common than others (ersatz, wanderlust). Food and drink
Sports and recreation
Other aspects of everyday life
German terms commonly used in academic contexts in EnglishGerman terms frequently appear in several academic disciplines in English, notably in history, psychology, philosophy, music and the physical sciences. Non-specialists in a given field may or may not be familiar with a given German term. General academic language
ArchitectureEconomicsGeographyHistory(Some terms are listed in multiple categories, if they are important to each.) Das Dritte Reich (The Third Reich)See Glossary of the Weimar Republic and Glossary of the Third Reich. Other historical periods
Noble titles
General military terms
Military ranks
Linguistics
Literature
Mathematics and formal logic
Music
Philosophy
Physical sciences
Psychology
Sociology
Academic culture
German terms mostly used for literary effectThere are a few terms which are recognised by many English speakers but are usually only used to deliberately evoke a German context:
German terms rarely used in EnglishThis is the unsorted, original list. If a term is common in a particular academic discipline, and there is no more commonly used English equivalent, then please move it to the list above.
MusicFor terms used in music, see above. Meanings of German band names
See also: Krautrock: "Kraut (= cabbage) rock". A German-like English name for a varietey of German rock music. Classical Music Works
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