English-German Cognates
Similarities between the German language and the English language
Did you know that there are similarities between English and German? Many German words are derived from English, and vice versa. These shared words are known as English-German cognates.
In fact, these two languages are linguistic siblings. They share a lot of similarities because they originate from the same roots.
German Words Similar to English: Discover the Connections
OK – let’s start with some common German-English cognates that are very similar in both languages.
These words share the same or very similar spellings and meanings, making them easier to remember and understand.
By recognizing these cognates, you’ll see how much English and German have in common, which can be encouraging for beginners.
We’ll explore a few examples to give you a first impression of these similarities, and how they can help make learning German more intuitive and approachable.
Try this:
Read the cognates
Click the play button and listen
Read and listen several times
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Klick den Playbutton!
es ist = it is
gut = good
es ist gut = it is good
guten Morgen = good morning
willkommen = welcome
guten Morgen und willkommen
= good morning and welcome
German and English Similar Words: Using “Wollen”
Let’s check out some other similar words.
Practice with the phrases several times because they are similar and that could confuse you a little in the beginning.
Read and listen a few times
Try to listen without looking at the text
Do you understand the meaning?
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wollen = want
Sie = you
Wollen Sie? = Do you want?
(It means literally: Want you?)
was = what
Was wollen Sie? = What do you want?
(literally: What want you?)
Wasser = water
Wollen Sie Wasser? = Do you want water?
(literally: Want you water?)
essen = to eat
trinken = to drink
Was wollen Sie essen?
= What do you want to eat?
(literally: What want you eat?)
Was wollen Sie* trinken?
= What do you want to drink?
(literally: What want you drink?)
Note
The polite form of you (Sie) is always written with a capital ‘S‘.
I’ll explain this in more detail in one of my other lessons.
Let’s Use More Similar Words in German and English With “wollen”
Let’s use what we have learned so far and build some sentences with some similar German verbs.
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Wollen Sie … ? = Do you want to … ?
(literally: Want you … ?)
Wollen Sie trinken? = (drink)
= Do you want to drink?
(literally: Want you drink?)
Wollen Sie essen? = (eat)
= Do you want to eat?
(literally: Want you eat?)
Wollen Sie schwimmen? (swim)
= Do you want to swim?
Wollen Sie lernen? = (learn)
Wollen Sie studieren? = (study)
Wollen Sie kommen? = (come)
Wollen Sie parken? = (park)
Wollen Sie gehen? = (go)
Wollen Sie starten? = (start)
Wollen Sie tanzen? = (dance)
mit mir? = with me?
Wollen Sie mit mir* tanzen?
= Do you want to dance with me?
(*) Note
The word order in German and English is sometimes a little different.
No German would have a problem if you said: „Wollen Sie tanzen mit mir?“ but it would be correct to ask: „Wollen Sie mit mir tanzen?“
More German Key Verbs Close to English
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wann = when
Wann wollen Sie … ?
= When do you want to … ?
(literally: When want you … ?)
Wann wollen Sie trinken?
= When do you want to drink?
(literally: When want you drink?)
Wann wollen Sie essen?
Wann wollen Sie schwimmen?
Wann wollen Sie lernen?
Wann wollen Sie studieren?
Wann wollen Sie kommen?
Wann wollen Sie gehen?
Wann wollen Sie starten?
Wann wollen Sie tanzen?
Wann wollen Sie mit mir tanzen?
= When do you want to dance with me?
I, can, have and must are also similar in German and English
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Ich kann = I can
Ich habe = I have
Ich bin = I am
Ich muss = I must
Similar Sentences in German and English Using “können”
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Ich kann … = I can …
Ich kann nicht. = I cannot.
Ich kann singen. = I can sing.
Ich kann nicht singen. = I cannot sing.
Ich kann schwimmen. = I can swim.
Ich kann nicht schwimmen.
= I cannot swim.
Ich kann surfen. = I can surf.
Ich kann nicht surfen. = I cannot surf.
Similar Sentences in German and English and with “haben”
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Ich habe … = I have …
Ich habe einen Traum. = I have a dream.
Ich habe ein Baby. = I have a baby.
Ich habe einen Computer. = I have a computer.
Ich habe einen Laptop. = I have a laptop.
Ich habe einen Hamster. = I have a hamster.
Ich habe einen* Ring. = I have a ring.
Ich habe ein* T-Shirt. = I have a T-shirt.
*Don’t worry about the different words (ein, einen) for „a“ in German. I’m going to explain this in upcoming lessons.
Similar Sentences in English and German with “müssen”
See how easy it is to get started if you use similar words.
Try this: Try to guess what the following German sentences mean.
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Ich muss … = I must (have to) …
Ich muss gehen. = I must go.
Ich muss Sie finden. = I must find you.
Ich muss warten. = I must wait.
Ich muss meine Haare waschen.
= I must wash my hair.
Ich muss heute Nacht schlafen.
= I must sleep tonight.
Would you have thought that the German language and the English language are so similar?
If we continue at this pace you will be able to speak German fluently by the end of the day.
I’m just kidding!
My students learn the German language very fast but not that fast.
In LGE Premium I use the storytelling method and a special Question and Answer Technique.
This technique will enable your brain to think in German step by step and you will develop a natural feeling for the German language.
Students who practice with my lessons daily need only about 6 to 8 months until they speak German fluently!
OK – let’s go on and have a look at some other German English cognates.
Common English and German Cognates with “bin” (sein)
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Ich bin … = I am …
Ich bin ein Idiot. = I am an idiot.
Ich bin ein Manager. = I am a manager.
Ich bin ein Monster. = I am a monster.
Ich bin blond. = I am blond.
Ich bin cool. = I am cool.
Ich bin super cool. = I am super cool.
Ich bin fair. = I am fair.
Ich bin impotent. = I am impotent.
Ich bin intelligent. = I am intelligent.
Ich bin sexy. = I am sexy.
Ich bin unfair. = I am unfair.
Ich bin wild. = I am wild.
Adjectives with the same meaning in German and English
Now, let me show you some adjectives that are quite similar in both German and English.
If you know the meaning in English, you’ll instantly understand it in German too—how great is that?
Wörter mit A
abnormal
absurd
anal
analog
arrogant
Wörter mit B
banal
beige
bitter
blind
blond
brutal
Wörter mit C und D
cool
diagonal
digital
Wörter mit E
elegant
emotional
extravagant
Wörter mit F
fair
formal
fundamental
Wörter mit G und H
global
horizontal
Wörter mit I
ideal
illegal
impotent
intelligent
international
intolerant
irrational
irrelevant
Wörter mit L
legal
liberal
linear
loyal
Wörter mit M
maximal
mild
minimal
multilateral
Wörter mit N
national
neutral
normal
Wörter mit O
OK (okay)
optimal
optional
oral
orange
oval
Wörter mit P
parallel
paranoid
pink
prominent
prompt
proportional
Wörter mit R
rational
redundant
regional
relevant
robust
Wörter mit S
sentimental
sexy
solo
super
superb
Wörter mit T
tolerant
total
transparent
triumphal
trivial
turbulent
Wörter mit U, V und W
unfair
universal
verbal
warm
wild
Nouns with the same meaning in German and English
Nouns with A that are the same in German and English.
die Addition
die Adoption
der Agent
die Aggression
der Alarm
das Album
das Alibi
der Alligator
das Alphabet
die Alternative
das Aluminium
der Amateur
das Aquarium
die Arena
das Argument
der Arm
das Aroma
der Asteroid
das Asthma
der Astronaut
der Atlas
das Atom
der Automat
German and English Nouns with B That Are the Same
das Baby
die Balance
der Ball
die Band
die Bank
die Bar
die Basis
der Basketball
der Bass
der Bastard
der Bikini
der Bluff
der Boss
die Boutique
der Boxer
der Broccoli
der Browser
das Budget
der Bus
der Butler
die Butter
Similar Nouns in German and English Starting with C
das Café
das Casino
das Cello
die Chance
das Chaos
der Cheeseburger
der Clown
der Club
das Cockpit
der Cocktail
der Code
der Computer
der Container
die Cornflakes
die Couch
German-English Nouns Starting with D That Are the Same
die Definition
die Demonstration
die Demo
das Depot
die Depression
das Dessert
das Detail
die Detonation
der Dialog
der Diplomat
Same German and English Nouns Starting with E
das Echo
das Element
die Emotion
die Episode
die Evolution
die Expedition
das Experiment
die Explosion
German-English Similar Nouns Starting with F
der Fan
die Farm
das Fax
der Film
der Filter
der Finger
das Format
das Forum
das Fossil
das Fragment
der Frost
German-English Cognates: Nouns Starting with G
die Garage
das Gas
das Gel
die Generation
der Generator
die Gesundheit
die Giraffe
das Gold
der Gorilla
die Grapefruit
Common Cognates in German and English: Nouns with H
der Hamburger
der Hammer
der Hamster
die Hand
die Hardware
der Hippie
das Hobby
der Horror
das Hotel
der Humor
der Humorist
der Hunger
Examples of Cognates in German and English: Nouns with I
der Idiot
das Idol
die Illusion
der Index
die Information
die Info
die Initiative
das Inland
die Innovation
die Inspiration
die Institution
das Instrument
die Intention
das Internet
das Interview
die Intuition
die Isolation
Shared Nouns in German and English: Words Starting with J and K
der Jaguar
der Jazz
die Jeans
der Jeep
der Job
der Journalist
der Junior
der Ketchup
das Kilo
der Kindergarten
German-English Cognates: Nouns with L
das Land
der Laptop
der Laser
die Lava
der Leopard
der Lift
die Limousine
der Liter
die Lust – (Aber vielleicht nicht was du denkst)
Similar Nouns in German and English: Starting with M
der Macho
das Magnesium
der Magnet
die Malaria
der Manager
die Mango
die Massage
der Mast
das Material
die Matrix
das Maximum
das Medium
das Memorandum
das Memo
der Meteor
der Meter
die Million
die Mine
das Mineral
das Minimum
der Minister
die Minute
die Mission
das Model
der Moment
das Monster
das Moor
das Moped
die Motivation
der Motor
das Motto
das Museum
das Musical
German-English Cognates: Nouns Starting with N
der Name
die Nation
das Nest
das Netbook
das Neutron
die Norm
das Notebook
der/das Nougat
German and English Similar Nouns: Starting with O
die Olive
das Omelette
die Operation
die Opposition
das Optimum
die Option
die Orange
das Orbit
die Organisation
das Organ
der Organist
Similar German and English Nouns: Starting with P
der Panda
das Panorama
der Panther
die Papaya
die Parade
der Paragraph
der Parameter
die Paranoia
der Park
der Partner
die Party
das Patent
der Patient
der Patriot
die Pause
das Pedal
die Person
die Pest
das Phantom
die Phase
German and English Nouns: Similar Words Starting with Q
der Quotient
das Quiz
Similar Nouns in English and German: Words Starting with R
das Radar
das Radio
der Radius
die Rate
die Rebellion
der Referend
der Reflex
die Reform
der Refrain
das Regime
die Region
das Register
die Religion
das Rendezvous
die Reportage
der Report
die Reserve
der Rest
das Restaurant
die Revolution
der Ring
der Roller
die Rose
die Route
die Routine
der Rucksack
der Ruin
der Rum
English and German Similar Nouns: Starting with S
die Sabotage
der Sack
der Safe
das Sandwich
der Sand
die Satire
die Sauce
das Sauerkraut
die Sauna
die Schadenfreude
das Schema
der Schnaps
das Segment
der Sender
die Sensation
das Serum
der Service
der Sex
das Shampoo
die Show
die Silhouette
die Simulation
das Skateboard
der Sketch
der Ski (Schi)
der Slogan
das Smartphone
der Snob
das Snowboard
das Sofa
die Software
das Solarium
das Solo
das Sonar
der Spitz
der Sport
das Spray
das Stadium
der Standard
der Start
der Star
die Station
die Statue
der Status
das Steak
die Steppe
der Stinker
der Stress
der Student
der Surfer
das Sushi
das Symbol
das Symptom
das Synonym
das System
German-English Similar Nouns: Words Beginning with T
das Talent
das Tandem
der Tanker
der Tank
das Taxi
das Team
das Telefax
das Telex
das Temperament
Tennis
das Terrarium
der Terrorist
der Terror
das Testament
der Tester
der Test
der Text
das Theater
das Thermometer
das Ticket
der Tiger
der Tip
das Toast
der Tornado
der Tourist
die Tour
der Transfer
der Transporter
der Transport
das Trauma
der Trick
der Triumph
das T-Shirt
der Tsunami
die Tuba
der Tumor
der Tunnel
der Turban
die Turbine
der Tutor
Similar Nouns in German and English: Starting with U
der Umlaut
die Uniform
die Union
Same Nouns in German and English: Starting with V
der Van
die Variable
die Vase
die Vegetation
der Ventilator
die Veranda
das Verb
die Version
der Veteran
das Veto
das Video
die Villa
der Virus
das Vitamin
Volleyball
Similar Nouns in English and German: Starting with W and Y
der Wind
der Winter
der Wolf
das Yoga
das Zebra
der Zeitgeist
der Zombie
die Zone
der Zoom
German and English Similar Nouns: Starting with Z
der Zoo
der Zwieback
Do you know the term "False Friends"?
You should definitely know these words, or it could get embarrassing.
Nichts ist besonders hart, wenn…
… man es in kleine Einheiten aufteilt. Mach(e) jede Lektion sorgfältig und wenn du dich wohlfühlst geh(e) über zur nächsten Lektion.
Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small portions. Do every lesson carefully and when you feel comfortable go on to the next lesson.
Lesson 1
German Articles der, die, das
…
Lesson 25
PROST!
Fantastic effort!
Let’s move on.
You are in Lesson 26
GERMAN = ENGLISCH ?
Lesson 27
Countries and Capitals
Lesson 28
Punctuation marks in German
Jump to…
Lesson 30
Telling time in German
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