Even More German Loan Words You Should Know

If you’ve read this blog for any amount of time, you know that loan words are one of our favorite topics! German has given a lot of loan words to English, which we covered here and here. However, these blogs were written all the way back in 2016 (can you believe it?), and there are so many more German loan words to learn! If you’ve ever been curious about what other German loan words there are in English, then look no further. You’ve come to the right place.

Here are some more German loan words that you should absolutely know! You’ll hear them all the time in English, and we have the wonderful German language to thank for them. Who knew that you could learn English vocabulary through another language?

Without further ado, here are more German loan words that you should know if you’re studying English.

Biergarten

One of my favorite things to do in the summer, whether (if) I’m in Germany or the U.S., is to sit in a biergarten and enjoy the nice weather. A biergarten is an open air (outside) bar where you can get beer, of course, as well as other drinks. Some have food as well! A biergarten is a wonderful place to meet friends for a drink, sit outside, and watch the world go by. Do you have a biergarten near you?

For example:

• We go on a lot of walks in the park during the summer. There’s a biergarten there, too, so sometimes when we’re finished with our walk, we’ll stop there to enjoy an ice cold beer.
• I wanted to take you to the biergarten while you were visiting, but it rained the whole time! We’ll have to save it for your next visit.

Noodle

Did you know that the word noodle comes from the German Nudel? I certainly (definitely, of course) didn’t! Noodles are another word for pasta, and are usually long, thin strands of pasta. Many cultures have noodles – from the Japanese ramen to Italian spaghetti. I will eat any kind of noodles. They’re one of my favorite foods. In fact (additionally), I spent lockdown learning how to make a few different Asian noodle dishes, like ramen and Taiwanese beef noodle soup. What are your favorite types of noodles?

For example:

• Her kids are at that age where they seem to only eat buttered noodles. Hopefully they grow out of it soon!
• When it’s cold out, he likes to have noodle soup for dinner. It’s great to have on a chilly night.

Rucksack

Don’t worry, we still have some more German loan words for you! Some people like to carry a purse with them when they go out, and others like to carry a rucksack. A rucksack, called a backpack in American English, is a bag that has two straps so you can wear it on your back. Rucksack is another German loan word, and comes directly from the German Rucksack. I find a rucksack, or backpack, to be more comfortable on my shoulders than a purse, so that’s what I take with me when I leave the house. Plus, you can fit way (much) more stuff in a rucksack! Which do you prefer?

For example:

• She used to take a rolling suitcase with her on vacation, but a few years ago she switched to a big travel rucksack. She finds it so much more convenient to carry everything on her back, rather than wheeling it behind her!
• Hey, have you seen my blue rucksack anywhere? I’m going hiking tomorrow and wanted to take it with me.

Wanderlust

There’s a feeling that some people get, where they feel that they have to travel. They always want to see new places and experience new things. These people are said to have a strong feeling of wanderlust. Wanderlust is a word taken from German that means you have a strong desire to travel. It’s a great word to have in your back pocket (to have on hand, to know), as we didn’t have a word for this feeling in English until we took it from German! What’s the best place your sense of wanderlust has taken you?

For example:

• Ever since lockdown, my sense of wanderlust has gotten even stronger. There are so many places I want to see! I can’t wait to go on vacation again and see somewhere new.
• His wanderlust has taken him to some pretty cool places! Temples in Asia, mountains in South America, and even to Iceland! I’d love to travel with him someday.

Poltergeist

Do you like to watch scary movies? Or do you believe in ghosts? If so, then you may have heard of a poltergeist before. A poltergeist, which is the same word in German, is allegedly (supposed to be) a ghost that can move things around. If something in the kitchen falls down on its own, someone may say that they have a poltergeist in their house. Poltergeists are very common in horror movies, so be on the lookout (look for) for them if you watch a scary movie next Halloween!

For example:

• My grandmother was convinced she had a poltergeist in the house. She even named it! If something seemed to move on its own, she would say, “Oh, that’s just Anne. Don’t worry about it!”
• He was terrified of ghosts as a kid, and still was a little bit. He went to see a movie about a poltergeist with his friends, and thought it was the scariest movie he had ever seen.

There are so many more German loan words that we could talk about…the list is huge! Are there any more German loan words that you’d like to know about? Have you used any of these before? Share your experiences with us in the comments below!