Do You Know the Meaning of These Simple German Words?

By: Isadora Teich
Estimated Completion Time
1 min
Do You Know the Meaning of These Simple German Words?
Image: TommL/E+/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Sprichst du Deutsch? English and German may be linguistic cousins, but that doesn't mean that knowing how to speak one language means you automatically speak the other. The two are, in fact, quite different, with different histories, systems of sounds, accents and major grammatical differences. For example, in German, nouns can have three different genders. Also, did we mention that all nouns are capitalized in written German? Yup. 

Some of the most interesting words in German are long and rather odd by English standards. These are words like Kummerspeck, which literally translates to "grief bacon." This word refers to the weight put on due to emotional eating in times of stress or grief. There's also Treppenwitz, which means "staircase joke." This refers to the phenomenon where people think of the best comebacks after an encounter or argument is over. 

While many of us took Spanish, French or German in school, these language skills can quickly become rusty if they are not put to use. It's very hard to learn a language, but losing one can happen before you know it. If you are a language master with a strong German vocabulary, then put your skills to the ultimate test with this quiz!

"Äpfel" means ______ in German.
Money
Monkeys
Apples
Beers
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Äpfel" means apples in German. One apple is "Apfel," without the diacritical marks.

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What does "Frau" mean?
Green
Woman
Car
Happy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Die Frau" can be used to mean woman, lady, female or wife in German. Synonyms include "das Weib" and "die Dame."

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In German, "Sommer" means ______.
Headache
Leg
Woman
Summer
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Sommer" is the German word for summer. These words are similar on paper, but the pronunciation is quite different.

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In German, "Gott" means _____.
Clam
Children
God
Hunger
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Gott" means God in German. "Götze" is another German word which can be used to mean God.

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What does "Regen" mean?
Scary
Rain
Mischief
Man
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Regen" is the German noun for rain. The German verb for to rain is "regnen."

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"Auto" means ______ in German.
Test
Car
Husband
Pasta
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Das Auto" is German for car. "Der Wagen" and "das Fahrzeug" can also be used.

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What does "rosa" mean?
Tired
Wife
Pink
Car
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

German has many words for pink. These include "rosa," "pink" and "rosafarben."

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What does "Mann" mean?
Wife
Cup
Shoe
Man
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Der Mann" is German for man. Other words used to mean man include "der Mensch" and "die Bullen."

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"Blume" means what?
Child
Hungry
Flower
Asleep
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Die Blume" is the German word for flower (like bloom, in English.) The verb meaning to bloom is "blühen."

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"Nacht" means what?
Day
August
Climb
Night
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Die Nacht" means night in German. Evening is "der Abend."

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In German, "Brot" means _______.
Skip
To learn
Man
Bread
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Das Brot" means bread in German. The verb meaning to bread something is "panieren."

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In German, "nein" means ______.
Brother
No
Lantern
Coffee
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Nein" means no in German. In different contexts, "nicht" and "kein" can also be used.

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What does "Haar" mean?
Boy
Hair
To travel
To cough
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Das Haar" is German for hair. "Der Haarschnitt" is a haircut.

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In German, "lieben" means ______.
To eat
Owls
To love
Film
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Lieben" is a German verb meaning to love. The noun love is "die Liebe."

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"Mutter" means ______ in German.
Talk
To climb
Bridge
Mother
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Mutter" means mother in German. Sound familiar? And "Vater" means father.

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In German, "Käse" means ______.
Limes
Dogs
Cheese
The sky
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Der Käse" is German for the cheese. It is a noun. It goes well with crackers.

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In German, "Jacke" means _______.
Chairs
Muffin
Jacket
Priest
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Die Jacke" is one of the German words for jacket. Others include "Mantel" and "Ummantelung."

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"Hund" means what?
Child
January
Dog
Clown
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Hund" means dog in German (kind of like the English word, hound.) "Hündchen" means puppy.

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"Mittwoch" means _____ in German.
Mother
Dress
Spring
Wednesday
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Mittwoch" looks a lot like midweek. It means Wednesday in German.

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"Clever" means what?
Smart
Tall
Lost
Bread
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Clever" is a German word meaning smart. German synonyms include "intelligent," "klug" and "schlau."

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"Lila" means _____ in German.
Purple
Coffee
Corn
Convict
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Lila" is one of the German words to describe shades of purple. Others include "purpurrot," "violett" and "dunkelrot."

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"Schlafen" means what?
Boat
To sleep
Misery
Taxes
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Schlafen" is a German verb which means to sleep. The German verb "übernachten" can also mean to sleep or to spend the night.

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"Krank" means what?
Young
Sick
Rich
Cake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Krank" is a German adjective. It means sick or ill.

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"Fleisch" means ______ in German.
Brother
Flight
Peacock
Meat
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Fleisch" is the German noun for general meat. "Huhn" means chicken, and "Steak" is the same in both English and German.

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What does "Zitrone" mean?
Cat
Skirt
Lemon
Red
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Die Zitrone" is German for lemon. Other German words for lemon include "der Zitronenbaum" and "das Zitrongelb."

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What does "Flugzeug" mean?
Cherries
Airplane
Church
Book
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

One of the most common German words used for airplane is "das Flugzeug." The word "die Maschine" can be used to refer to a plane, engine or other vehicle.

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"Wütend" means what?
Boy
Angry
Home
Drink
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Wütend" means angry or furious in German. A German synonym of this adjective is "zornig."

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"Schön" means what?
Beautiful
Fork
Street
School
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Schön" is a German adjective meaning beautiful. It also means nice, lovely and good.

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What does "Kind" mean?
Grace
Diamonds
Child
Kind
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Das Kind" means child in German. This word can also be used for kid, baby and offspring.

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"Mittagessen" means what?
Money
Ruby
Lunch
Table
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Das Mittagessen" is German for lunch. It is the words for middle and meal combined.

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In German, "Stadt" means _____.
Sky
City
Stupid
Cat
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Die Stadt" is a German word for city. "Die Großstadt" is also used.

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"Lecker" means _____ in German.
Rich
Tasty
Intelligent
Shorts
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Lecker" is a German adjective which means tasty. German synonyms of "lecker" include "geschmackvoll" and "schmackhaft."

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"Arzt" means ____ in German?
Doctor
Preacher
Shoes
Snow
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Der Arzt" is the German word for doctor. Others include "der Doktor" and "der Mediziner."

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In German, "glücklich" means ______.
Bed
Sick
Pasta
Happy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Glücklich" can mean happy, lucky or blessed in German. Synonyms of this adjective include "zufrieden" and "froh."

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What does "Himmel" mean?
Song
Leech
Brook
Sky
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Der Himmel" means the sky in German. It can also mean heaven.

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