my favorite german words :>

hello hello everyone!

the german language is often seen as very harsh and ugly to listen to. while i totally get why that is, i also think that a lot of people who say things like that have only ever heard a certain politician speak (or should i say scream) and spread hate. 

however, that's not all there is to this language! germany often gets referred to as the "nation of poets and thinkers" due to people like goethe and schiller who captivated people with their masterful use of language. and i think it's true - there are a lot of truly beautiful german works of poetry and literature. in addition, the german language also has a super neat feature: compound words! these of course exist in many other languages as well but they are super common over here. you can basically put any two words together and make a new one that makes perfect sense :D an english example would be basketball!

to show my appreciation for this beautiful language, i've collected some of my favorite german words ^-^ some of these are rather poetic and others are just funny. i hope u can learn a few words that u could even use in ur daily life lol

1. (Das) Spaßgetränk (Spaß - ge-tränk, ˈʃpasɡəˌtrɛŋk)

a "Spaßgetränk" is a compound word made up of "Spaß" (fun) and "Getränk" (drink/beverage). it's a beverage u drink not because you're thirsty or want to stay healthy but just because it looks fun. this could be things like sprite, ice tea or anything that is soda-like. it's basically a little treat for yourself. a lot of young people use it in a joking manner.

2. (Der) Schönling (Schön-ling, ˈʃœnlɪŋ)

someone who is a "schönling" is basically a "pretty boy". i mostly use this word when talking about someone who is REALLY into themselves. they're a heartthrob and they know it, but y'know, humility is a virtue.

3. (Die) Geheimratsecken (Ge-heim-rats-eck-en, gəhaɪ̯mʁatsɛkən)

literally: corners of the secret council. it's basically a receding hairline lol. y'know the little corners that u might have that make ur face look a bit more square? that's that. i think it's neat that there is a word specifically for this oddly specific thing..

4. (Der) Knust (Knust, knʊst)

a "Knust" is the little heel/crust/end part of a bread. the part that's too small to produce another slice :D there are sooo many different words for this in german (ende, ränftl, scherzl, knäppchen, knäusle) but it's mostly a regional thing. i say "Knust" because it sounds cute! 

5. doch (doch, dɔx)

oh "doch", how do i explain u to non-germans… "doch" is basically the universal word for… everything. it can mean but, yet, however, still, anyway, after all or even just yes. it can also be used as an intensifier. let me try to use it in a sentence. "ich dachte, du magst kein eis?" "doch!" ("i thought u didn't like ice cream?" "no, i actually do!"). this is a hard one to explain, but u just gotta feel the vibes. i appreciate its versatility :D

6. (Die) Herzensangelegenheit (Her-zens-an-ge-le-gen-heit, hɛɐ̯t͡sənzangəle:gənhaɪ̯t)

this is a more poetic one. a "Herzensangelegenheit" is something u're really passionate about, usually something like a charity or something that serves others. if u were to directly translate it into english, u would get something like "matter of the heart". i think this is a really pretty word <3

7. (Die) Augenweide (Au-gen-wei-de, aʊ̯gənvaɪ̯də)

this is also a compound word, made up of "Augen" (eyes) and "Weide" (word from the middle ages that means something like food). So, a possible translation would be eye candy! i just think "Augenweide" is really cool because the verbs means you literally eat with ur eyes (die Augen weiden).

8. (Das) Abendrot (Abend-rot, a:bəntʁɔt)

aaaahh, i love this one! "Abendrot" refers to the pretty red the sky takes on during sunset. it's the flaming red that's in the sky right before the sun sets and the day fades. 

9. sommerblau (som-mer-blau, zɔmɐblaʊ̯)

"sommerblau" can be translated to "summer blue", it describes the colors of a cloudless summer day. i just think the german version hits harder than the english one. 

10. (Das) Papperlapapp (Pap-per-la-papp, papɐɐ̯lapap)

probably the funniest one on here, it's comparable to humbug! "Papperlapapp" is mostly used by old people, an example would be: "i thought u were too tired to go outside?" "aah, papperlapapp!" (meaning as in: no, i'm not too tired). you're basically just writing someone off. this one is probably the easiest to pronounce, right?

anyways, that's it! these are some of my favorite words! i hope u found them entertaining and interesting :D what are some of ur favorite words in ur own language?