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Funniest mistakes Germans make in English
Published: 26 Apr 12 16:28 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20120426-42203.html
For our latest Local List, we're having a gentle chuckle at the amusing mistakes Germans make when they're speaking English. Don't worry, German readers, we mean it in a nice way. But no, we don't have fire.
- Great German words you don't find in English - Society (19 Apr 12)
- German bunny-based phrases for Easter - Society (5 Apr 12)
People learning German, for example, always have to remember the difference between "schwül" (humid) and "schwul" (gay) – one dropped umlaut and you can end up in a very sticky situation.
But Germans learning English also have a few land-mines to avoid - some are annoying, others can brighten up a dull day. Please.
The Local/bk
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
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Your comments about this article:
I find that speaking german was harder for me than my friends speaking English. I read that 50% of German has the same sound/meaning of the english equivalent word. Also, I find that too many irregular verbs made it hard for me. But I remember getting laughed at a great deal by the superior German...
"getting a baby" as in, "Have you heard? Gerlinde is getting a baby!"
Sure, it is much more complex than English, and also has more words too. However, at the end of the day, at first it's difficult for all people to learn a new language, especially if they're an adult. Nonetheless, with some time, you will eventually learn.
Each person is different. Most Germans I've met were friendly, and found it interesting that I'm studying their language.
I personally do not find it funny when Germans make mistakes when they speak English. Instead I applaud everyone who is not afraid or ashamed of speaking English because its not his/her mother laguage. KEEP IT UP ! This is the way to learning a language.
By the same token those English speakers (like the writer who catalogued what he called funny mistakes) who find it it funny may be found to be dead woods when it comes to German Language.
Infact, this topic is counter-productive: those Germans who try to speak in English may be put off ........... then we will see who help those who visit Germany (especially the English speakers) without knowing a word in German language.
Continue having your funny but I bet you one day you will appreciate the efforts of those Germans who try to speak in English.
On the other hand, I will make one observation: At least English nouns don't have gender. Most other languages do...including German, which sort of has three genders...even tougher...and remembering what is female or male, especially when that assignment seems to make no logical sense, can make German much tougher, not to mention the trading of gender...or at least the trading of gender spelling...when changing to plurals. ARGH!
wa
Personally speaking, I owe my conversation partners a debt of gratitude for not "laughing me out" about the doubtless comical things I say in their language. They've been very forgiving - as are by and large many English speakers when communicating with speakers of other languages.
Nonetheless, sometimes common mistakes are just funny. Lighten up and have a laugh. We wouldn't be reading this if we didn't love ya, Deutschland!
ME: laughing hysterically.
HIM: "Oh it's not fair to laugh. I am not a native American!!"
ME: ROTFL!!!
I stuttered and stumbled quite a bit with my rustig German. (Rostig+Lustig=Rustig) but no one assaulted me, or even laughed. I feel I faired quite well. And almost always then, and now, even the German who speaks horrible English, still is probably better at it than when I speak German.
Auslanders shop a lot at IKEA. In the recent past Ikea has reduced their staff considerably - more than 50% in the last five years in one of the stores. I was in the store at midday today shopping at the store in North Munich. I couldn't find anyone for a long time and started calling out for any Ikea service personnel to make themselves known. I've never known their service to be so bad. In my opinion they need 50% to more staff. One person in two departments is not enough. Consumers have the power to go on strike. As a warning strike, we should oick the first week of the first week in July to boycott Ikea. I'm tired of a two hour shopping trip taking four hours because of the lack of assistance and the long lines.
Even when I had to use my german, everyone was always very nice and patient.
If we feel they take our laughter the wrong way it's always posdible to correct he sitation with a shrt explanation. In any case it spices up the conversation and gives ground for a light and closer onnection.
I really don't like being live corrected in my attempts to seak German.
It gives the feeling that the listener is more interested in the correctness of the language than what I'm trying to convey.
Definitely it is very often a breath of fresh air to hear a language innocently being warped to create other meanings than originally meant.
What I do find frustrating about Germans is the total lack of the understanding of context. If a German happens to make a mistake when speaking about a subject. An American or British person will put the pieces together based on the subject at hand. Conversely, If an American is speaking to a German about a well known auto maker based in Munchen. And says BMW instead of BMV you will most likely be met with a blank look and they will have no idea what you have just said. They just can't put together the fact that we were talking cars and Munchen and meant to say BMW
That's why I gave up trying to learn German. When trying to speak to Germans one MUST be perfect every time or be ignored. When Germans try English on native English speakers we will help them to fill in the blanks. And we tend to not be offended by a simple mistake.
In Poland i once asked for "kurwa" instead of "kurczak" wwhich brought out a few laughs and comments.
My first language was German but ive forgotten alot of it, as i was bullied and called a nazi boy when i started school in the 1960,s....
I remembered the "Ze" for "The" took a while to get correct lol
I war stationiert, scho lang heir, in Bayern obie. In die naehe von Minga. Da hab i gescheit Deitsch glernt. Drei a hoip Jahr im ganzen. Schai war's. Jetzt ist ma wurscht ab i koa gscheits Deitsch sprecha ko. I mog sowieso blos ma Ruhe!