Many words, like the ones shown in this table, are spelled almost the same in German as in English and have the same meaning. The table also shows you a few common German spelling conventions:
The English c is a k in most German words.
The ou in English words like house or mouse is often equivalent to au in German words.
Many English adjectives ending in -ic or -ical have an -isch ending in German.
Some English adjectives ending in -y are spelled with -ig in German.
Some English nouns ending in -y have an -ie ending in German.
Some English nouns ending in -ly have a -lich ending in German.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| die Adresse (dee ah-drês-e) | address |
| der Aspekt (dêr âs-pêkt) | aspect |
| der Bär (dêr bear [as in English]) | bear |
| blond (blont) | blond(e) |
| die Bluse (dee blooh-ze) | blouse |
| braun (brown [as in English]) | brown |
| die Demokratie (dee dê-moh-krâ-tee) | democracy |
| direkt (di-rêkt) | direct |
| der Doktor (dêr dok-tohr) | doctor |
| exakt (êx-âkt) | exact |
| exzellent (êx-tsel-ênt) | excellent |
| fantastisch (fân-tâs-tish) | fantastic |
| der Fisch (dêr fish) | fish |
| das Glas (dâs glahs) | glass |
| das Haus (dâs hous) | house |
| hungrig (hoong-riH) | hungry |
| indirekt (in-di-rêkt) | indirect |
| die Industrie (dee in-dooh-stree) | industry |
| die Infektion (dee in-fêk-tsee-ohn) | infection |
| das Insekt (dâs in-zêkt) | insect |
| der Kaffee (dêr kâf-ey) | coffee |
| das Knie (dâs knee) | knee |
| die Komödie (dee koh-mer-dee-e) | comedy |
| die Kondition (dee kon-di-tsee-ohn) | condition |
| konservativ (kon-sêr-vâ-teef) | conservative |
| der Kontinent (dêr kon-ti-nênt) | continent |
| das Konzert (dâs kon-tsêrt) | concert |
| die Kultur (dee kool-toohr) | culture |
| logisch (loh-gish) | logical |
| das Mandat (dâs mân-daht) | mandate |
| der Mann (dêr mân) | man |
| die Maschine (dee mâ-sheen-e) | machine |
| die Maus (dee mouse [as in English]) | mouse |
| die Methode (dee mê-toh-de) | method |
| die Mobilität (dee moh-bi-li-tait) | mobility |
| die Musik (dee mooh-zeek) | music |
| die Nationalität (dee nât-see-oh-nahl-i-tait) | nationality |
| die Natur (dee nâ-toohr) | nature |
| offiziell (oh-fits-ee-êl) | official (adjective) |
| der Ozean (dêr oh-tsê-ân) | ocean |
| das Papier (dâs pâ-peer) | paper |
| das Parlament (dâs pâr-lâ-mênt) | parliament |
| perfekt (pêr-fêkt) | perfect |
| politisch (poh-li-tish) | political |
| potenziell (po-tên-tsee-êl) | potential (adjective) |
| praktisch (prâk-tish) | practical |
| das Programm (dâs proh-grâm) | program |
| das Salz (dâs zâlts) | salt |
| der Scheck (dêr shêk) | check (bank or traveler’s) |
| sonnig (zon-iH) | sunny |
| der Supermarkt (dêr zooh-pêr-mârkt) | supermarket |
| das Telefon (dâs tê-le-fohn) | telephone |
| die Theorie (dee tey-ohr-ee) | theory |
| die Tragödie (dee trâ-ger-dee-e) | tragedy |
| die Walnuss (dee vahl-noohs) | walnut |