English is a Germanic language. That means it shares a common origin with languages like German, Norwegian and Danish, all part of the same Indo-European language family. You might expect, then, that English and German would look very similar—but the reality is more complex.
The English language is a blend of influences. Over time, it has absorbed vocabulary from Latin, French, Spanish, Greek and beyond, especially after the Norman Conquest. Still, many words in English are Germanic in origin, inherited from Old English or borrowed more recently from the German language.
This mix makes English a fascinating case study in etymology. Some of the most common English words we use constantly come from Proto-Germanic roots, while others entered the language later as loanwords. You probably already know a few—like gesundheit or kindergarten—but there are many more that might surprise you.
Below is a list of Germanic words in English, grouped by theme. Some are closely related cognates, while others reflect more recent cultural exchange.
English Words Derived from German
Animals
German animal names are a fascinating topic all on their own, but the few terms English has imported create a small but interesting menagerie.
- dachshund — Dachs (“badger”) + Hund (“dog”). Interestingly, most German speakers now call this dog a Dackel
- hamster — at one point, English speakers even referred to hamsters as “German rats”
- poodle — from Pudel, related to the word “puddle”
- rottweiler — named after Rottweil, a town in Germany
- schnauzer — from the verb schnauzen, “to growl”
Food & Drink
It’s no surprise that many English words with Germanic origin relate to food and drink. Cultural exchange—and appetite—tend to travel together.
- pretzel — from Brezel
- noodle — from Nudel
- sauerkraut — sauer (“sour”) + Kraut (“cabbage”)
- bratwurst — a type of sausage
- gummy bear — adapted from Gummibärchen, first produced by Haribo
- seltzer — from the town of Selters in Germany
- wiener — from Wiener Würstchen (“Viennese sausage”)
- pumpernickel — a type of rye bread, though where the word comes from exactly is a matter of some debate
- biergarten — Bier (“beer”) + Garten (“garden”)
- delicatessen — from Delikatessen
- frankfurter — from Frankfurter Wurst
- pilsner — named after Pilsen (in modern-day Czech Republic)
- lager — from Lagerbier, or “stored beer”
- bundt cake — from Bundkuchen
- hamburger — named after Hamburg
Culture
The influence of German-speaking regions on politics, philosophy and art is reflected in many loanwords that entered English.
- zeitgeist — “spirit of the time”
- wanderlust — a desire to travel
- kitsch — now used for something overly gaudy
- kindergarten — “children’s garden”
- antifa — from Antifaschistische Aktion
- realpolitik — pragmatic political thinking
- bauhaus — an influential design movement
- gestalt — “form” or “whole”
- bildungsroman — a coming-of-age novel
- leitmotif — a recurring theme
- foosball — from Tischfußball
- fife — from Pfeife
Prefixes And Suffixes
It’s perhaps a testament to how close these languages are that English has even adopted a few prefixes and suffixes from the language. These are parts of words or phrases that can be used flexibly with other English words. For example, transforming “text” into “urtext” or “geek” into “ubergeek.”
- uber — this German word, “over,” is pretty ubiquitous in English now, and people might use it in place of a different adverb like “very” or “super.” It’s also popular around the world because it’s the name of the ride-hailing app Uber. (The German usually has an umlaut over the “ü.”)
- ur — this is a common prefix for something like “original” or “prototypical”
- bahn — derived from Autobahn, the name of the highway system in Germany, people now attach “bahn” to other words to imply that they’re a high-speed interconnected system (like the Infobahn, which is basically another name for the internet)
Other Terms
Some of the most recognizable loanwords in English come directly from German, often with meanings that have shifted slightly over time.
- neanderthal — named after the Neander Valley
- spiel — from spielen (“to play”)
- verboten — “forbidden”
- wunderkind — “wonder child”
- poltergeist — “noisy ghost”
- doppelgänger — a double or lookalike
- ersatz — substitute (often inferior)
- zeppelin — named after Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin
- flak — from Fliegerabwehrkanone
- rucksack — “back bag”
- umlaut — the two dots used in German spelling
- kaput — from kaputt, or “broken”
- quartz — from Quarz
- hinterland — a remote or less developed area
- angst — anxiety or existential dread
- gesundheit — “health,” said after sneezing
- schadenfreude — pleasure at another’s misfortune
What This Says About The English Language
Looking at this list, it becomes clear just how layered the English language really is. While many everyday terms have roots in Old English and Proto-Germanic, others entered later through cultural exchange, trade and migration.
English didn’t just inherit words, rather it continued to borrow and adapt it. That’s why some words are identical or very similar to their counterparts, while others have shifted in definition or pronunciation over time.
It also highlights the difference between Germanic and non-Germanic influences. Alongside these words, modern English includes thousands of loan terms from Latin, French, especially in formal or academic contexts. Meanwhile, its grammar remains firmly Germanic, shaped by its Anglo-Saxon roots.
In other words, English is both familiar and unpredictable. It’s a language where bruder and “brother” share a common linguistic ancestor, where loanwords coexist with shared vocabulary, and where history continues to shape the way we speak.