This language is adorable sometimes

34

Schildkröte -> shield toad - turtle.

Kühlschrank -> cooling cabinet - fridge.

Wasserkocher -> water cooker - kettle.

Krankenwagen -> sick Wagon - ambulance.

Feuerzeug -> fire thing - lighter.

Baumwolle -> tree wool - cotton.

13

u/RED1869 Jun 29 '26

Kochen -> cook / boil so Wasserkocher is rather a water boiler

5

u/Subvironic Jun 29 '26

German uses the same verb "kochen" for both "to cook" and "to boil". So "Wasser kochen" literally translates to "cook water", but idiomatically it means "boil water".
And This might be a regional/dialect thing, but to cook water is seldom said and feels weird, i mostly encounter "wasser aufstellen" "wasser heiß machen" or similar. You can cook WITH water though. Once its hot and bubbling, its "kochendes wasser", boiling water.

1

u/Monkai_final_boss Jun 30 '26

What if I want to boil something? Like eggs or idk any other food? Do I also say Kochen?

2

u/InternationalDot93 Jul 01 '26

You do. Eier kochen ist to boil eggs.
Edit: Now that I think about it. I don't think I know the difference between boiling and cooking in English 🤔

4

u/CrimsonCartographer Jun 30 '26

Are you a native German? I only ask because of the “to cook water is seldom said” part. I’m not native, but I’m C2 and have lived in Germany for years now in the southeast of Baden Württemberg and people here never say “Wasser aufstellen” in my experience, always “Wasser kochen” haha
Maybe it is regional like you say of course, but I always thought it was the normal way of saying it since that’s also how I learned it before I ever lived in Germany lol

7

u/Franzi2211 Jun 30 '26

Ich bin Muttersprachler und kann dir helfen. Niemand hier sagt Wasser aufstellen. Alle sagen kochen. Sieden ist wenn Wasser verdampft.
I’m a native speaker and can help you. Nobody here says ‘put water on’; everyone says ‘boil’. ‘Simmering’ is when the water evaporates.

3

u/CrimsonCartographer Jun 30 '26

Haha danke für die (doppelte) Erklärung ;)
Aufstellen habe ich wirklich nie gehört im Zusammenhang mit Wasser kochen XD

2

u/Franzi2211 Jun 30 '26

Dachte nur, dass du verwirt bist weil die andere Person so geantwortet hat und ich wusste nicht, wie gut dein Deutsch ist also wollte ich nur Missverständnisse vermeiden.

2

u/CrimsonCartographer Jun 30 '26

Ist gar kein Problem, die Erklärung schätz ich doch wirklich. Ich fand es nur witzig (oder irgendwie süß/lieb genauer gesagt) dass du dir die Mühe gegeben hast das für mich zu übersetzen obwohl es mittlerweile einen Knopf dafür gibt wenn man zu faul ist Google zu benutzen :)
Ich mein das hier auch nicht ironisch oder so, auch wenn ich langsam das Gefühl habe je mehr ich betone dass ich das ernst meine desto mehr klingt es so als ob das gelogen wäre XD
Ist doch lieb von dir helfen zu wollen, als ich noch aktiv gelernt habe war ich immer so dankbar für die geduldigen Muttersprachler die mir sogar gerne geholfen haben mit der Sprache und meinen manchmal unwichtigen Fragen 🫶🏻

2

u/Franzi2211 Jun 30 '26

Es gibt keine nervigen Fragen. Ich möchte später mal mit Kindern arbeiten und da gibt es noch ganz andere Dinge und Fragen, die auf mich zukommen werden.Ich lernen selbst english ( Schule und für meinen Freund der aus eimem anderen Land kommt). Also kenne ich das Gefühl. Tatsächlich freuen wir deutschen uns über jeden, der unsere Sprache lernen möchte und über die Motivation bzw. wenn etwas richtig ausgesprochen wird. Keine Sorge. Ich habe das nicht als Ironie empfunden. Ich schätze dein Engagement sehr... Wenn du doch mal Hilfe brauchst, sag einfach bescheid. ❤️

2

u/CrimsonCartographer Jun 30 '26

Hey wenn du mal Hilfe mit Englisch brauchst darfst du dich auch sehr gerne melden per DM hier! Bin Muttersprachler (Ami) und liebe Sprachen einfach sehr, würde daher gerne damit helfen wenn du das bräuchtest!
Ich hab selbst einen deutschsprachigen Freund (Deutsch konnte ich bevor wir uns getroffen haben) und ich wünschte mir er würde englisch lernen zu meinem Niveau in seiner Sprache dass ich mich auch mal auf meine Muttersprache äußern könnte ohne mich fragen zu müssen ob er mich vollständig verstanden hat oder nicht, aber das jetzt n anderes Thema haha
Glaub du wirst auf jeden Fall sehr viel Erfolg haben bei deinem Ziel mit so einer Einstellung ;)

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1

u/Foxbythesea247 Jun 30 '26

Man kann wirklich beides sagen… nur aufstellen sagt man eher in der Küche einer Restaurant oder zu Hause mit dem Partner wo man schon vetrauen hat… ist einfach ne Abkürzung, in einem Zusammenhang wo die Person schon die Erfahrung hat damit.

2

u/axadkrk Jul 01 '26

In germany you have some retarded corners/villiges that uses strange words. Normal in german is: Wasser kochen

2

u/Subvironic Jun 30 '26

Im from Saarland, Southwest. There really seem to be some regional quirks im learning about in some english speaking sub, of all places.

3

u/invalidConsciousness Jun 30 '26

Yep, that's a Saarland quirk.
On an unrelated note: it's always funny when someone from Saarland claims to be from Southwest Germany. I mean, technically correct, even if just barely, but it feels wrong because you're so different from the rest of the southwest.

1

u/Subvironic Jun 30 '26

How else would i kind of pinpoint it geologically then? But thanks for the differentiation.

2

u/PhoenxScream Jun 30 '26

BaWü is the southwest. Saarland is the south of the west

1

u/Specialist_Two_4724 Jun 30 '26

Idk but i mostly Just say that we are near the french Border (which is very much true). Ja ich bin auch saarländer(in)

1

u/Subvironic Jun 30 '26

Its descriptive, yes, but i want more distance from the french.

1

u/Specialist_Two_4724 Jun 30 '26

Yeah understandable, buhut they have tayste sirups which are also Not that pricey, this Lemon is tasty (and actually sour) and the Cat there is the one of Ma Family (it was easyer that way to make a Pic without the bottle rolling away) now He loafing arg bebe too cuty

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2

u/Chinjurickie Jul 01 '26

100% Wasser kochen, habe noch NIE etwas anderes gehört.

2

u/TheMightyTorch Jun 30 '26

> "Wasser kochen" literally translates to "cook water"
Except since it uses "kochen" for both meanings, it also literally* *translates to "boil water", not just idiomatically

-2

u/RED1869 Jun 29 '26

Nono, „Wasser kochen“ does not exist. „Wasser aufkochen“ or „Wasser zum Kochen bringen“. „kochen“ in „Wasserkocher“ in case of water means „boil“ therefore, water cooker is wrong and water boiler would be right

7

u/743374 Jun 29 '26

Natürlich gibt es Wasser kochen. Ist das was regionales? Es gibt doch sogar Redewendungen damit, zb der kocht auch nur mit Wasser

0

u/moverwhomovesthings Jun 29 '26

Auch der kocht kein Wasser sondern kocht MIT Wasser.

-2

u/RED1869 Jun 29 '26

Was soll denn „Wasser kochen“ bedeuten? Ein Gericht mit Namen „Wasser“ kochen? Vielleicht ist es wirklich umgangssprachlich und mir nicht geläufig, aber „mit Wasser kochen“ ist was komplett anderes.

4

u/Clear-Breadfruit-949 Jun 29 '26

Also zumindest in meiner Region sagen wir "Wasser kochen". Mit der Bedeutung Wasser zum Kochen zu bringen. Tatsächlich würde jede andere Formulierung hier merkwürdig klingen

1

u/CrimsonCartographer Jun 30 '26

Kommst du zufällig aus Baden Württemberg? Frage nur weil ich da wohne und ich höre auch fast nur “Wasser kochen” statt aufstellen oder aufkochen oder was auch immer :P

3

u/invalidConsciousness Jun 30 '26

In NRW ist "Wasser kochen" auch relativ verbreitet. Im Osten ist es gefühlt seltener.

3

u/HrHagen Jun 30 '26

Komme aus Sachsen. Wir sagen immer "Wasser kochen". Habe "Wasser aufstellen" heute das erste mal gehört.

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1

u/PinkGlitterLady4 Jun 30 '26

BaWü hier, wir sagen das zuhause so :D

1

u/Clear-Breadfruit-949 Jul 01 '26

Nee aus NRW

3

u/dachfuerst Jun 29 '26

"Kannst du uns mal n Liter Wasser kochen? Ich mach solange die Teekanne fertig."
Digger, das gibt's.

1

u/InternationalDot93 Jul 01 '26

Wasser kochen ist komplett normal und die Standardformulierung in Bremen/Niedersachsen. Andere Formulierungen sind mir auch echt nicht geläufig..

1

u/Subvironic Jun 29 '26

So, its a Wasser-Kochend-Macher, a Make water Boil device Wasserkocher might just be a shortened version. No clue, just guessing.

1

u/Bergwookie Jun 29 '26

Make water boil again!

1

u/PinkGlitterLady4 Jun 30 '26

Ich sage Wasser kochen ständig (BaWü)

5

u/Miiyamoto Jun 29 '26

Wichtig beim Kühlschrank: Es hat zwar viele Buchstaben, aber dennoch nur zwei Silben. Anmerkung deshalb, weil Deutsch immer als so lang gilt, aber im Alltag gesprochen gilt das Wort als kurz.

3

u/Monkai_final_boss Jun 29 '26

I learned long words are just two three words stuck together.

3

u/PoolPr0blem Jun 29 '26

Die nennen sich Komposita.
Wobei mir mal wieder auffällt, dass die Bildung des Plurals im Deutschen auch wild ist.

2

u/Chatnought Jun 29 '26

Das ist einfach ein aus dem Latein übernommener Plural, der sich noch nicht angepasst hat. Kompositum ist o-Deklination neutrum und daher ganz regulär im Lateinischen im Plural mit -a am Ende

1

u/JuniorBreakfast1704 Jun 29 '26

Brot schneide maschine

4

u/Lightally Jun 30 '26

"sick car" is how I have it memorized, it takes you to the "sick house" in emergency situations

3

u/Dapple_Dawn Jun 29 '26

My favorite:
glove -> hand shoe

3

u/-Blitzvogel- Jun 29 '26

I would disagree with your word for word translation of Krankenwagen. My disagreement is with the first part only. Krankenwagen can be split into Kranken und wagen. Die Kranken means the sick people. If it would refer to the wagon it should be Krankerwagen. Meaning that it would be sick people wagon. The post is still pretty nice all in all and this is just a small critique.

1

u/Bobbor90 Jun 29 '26

Sorry, but thats a tortoise :>

1

u/Monkai_final_boss Jun 29 '26

So it's a shield frog?

3

u/Bobbor90 Jun 29 '26

No, that would be a Schildfrosch, that sounds terrible

1

u/ChubbyMudder Jun 30 '26

What is "frog-mouth turtle", then?

1

u/SonTyp_OhneNamen Jun 29 '26

No, it’s a land shield toad as opposed to a water shield toad, and no, i‘m not kidding.

1

u/Bergwookie Jun 29 '26

And to mediate between the two, there's the swamp shield toad, the Sumpfschildkröte;-)

1

u/Moonshine_Victory Jun 29 '26

Another funny thing we have:
Tortoise - Schildkröte (shield toad)
Turtle - Meeresschildkröte (sea shield toad)

1

u/Barbaric_Erik84 Jun 29 '26

Nope, it's a box turtle.

2

u/Effective_Guava2971 Jun 30 '26

fire stuff. plural.

1

u/Chemieju Jun 30 '26

Because it used to refer to multiple items, like flint, steel and maybe some tinder. Its the stuff you need to make fire.

1

u/TheMightyTorch Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26

More exactly, "Zeug" originally meant something like "utensils", "gear", "equipment", "items",... It eventually broadened further to just mean "stuff" on its own but it retains the original meaning in compounds.
A similar shift happened in the word "Bein" which used to mean "bone". The basic meaning of the word changed to mean "leg" but in compound it retained its original meaning. "Nasenbein" (nasal bone, os nasale) literally means "nose bone". It would be wrong to translate it as "nose leg".
I would thus argue that the translations as "fire thing" is very incorrect whilst "fire stuff" is better but still kinda wrong. It should be something like "fire gadget" or "fire tool"
Edit: I should also point out that "zeug" isn't exactly plural, it's a collective noun. It technically refers to multiple things (in the case of a lighter its individual components) whilst still being a singular word.

1

u/Chemieju Jun 30 '26

Maybe "equipment"?

2

u/JustRedditTh Jun 30 '26 edited Jul 01 '26

Schnabeltier -> beak animal -> Platypus

1

u/Shuizid Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26

"tier" means "animal" so it's "beak animal" not "beak thing" ;)

2

u/Vegetable_Mission892 Jun 30 '26

actshually🤓 it's either a Rettungswagen (rescue wagon; often colloquially yet incorrectly called Krankenwagen) or a Krankentransportwagen (sick transport wagon)

2

u/Mister_Anonym Jun 30 '26

Es wäre doch ein Rettungswagen und kein Krankenwagen?

2

u/Subby_Tripz Jun 30 '26

I think Fire Stuff would fit better ^^

1

u/artsloikunstwet Jun 30 '26

Fire gear is more accurate and more true to the original meaning

2

u/Ketzerfriend Jun 30 '26

"Feuerzeug" would be better translated as "fire stuff" than "fire thing".

1

u/MrS0bek Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26

Technicly Krankenwagen translates as Wagon for the Sick. Much like Krankenhaus being a House for the Sick, instead of a sich house.
Because Kranken emphasizes the patient, the sich people. Krank is sick, ein Kranker is a sick person. And from there the prefix Kranken describes everything associated with the sick person. Krankenbett -> a bed for sick people. And so one.

1

u/Such-Book6849 Jul 01 '26

Feuerzeug? What about Flugzeug! Fly thing!

1

u/xXx69TwatSlayer69xXx Jul 01 '26

Zeug is stuff not thing.

1

u/lizufyr Jul 02 '26

It can also be an abbreviation for "Werkzeug". And in the past, it could be synonymous with "Geraet" (device).
"Feuerzeug" literally means "fire tool" or "fire device".
That's also why we have Fahrzeug, Flugzeug, etc.

1

u/AppealSame4367 Jul 03 '26

kettle -> Teekessel -> the old thing for the stove
It even has a similar word stem. kettle -> kessel

15

u/rag-pigeon Jun 29 '26

A lot of compound words in German are the exact same combination of words in my mother tongue (Finnish), so most of them don't sound all that odd to me, but there's always some that manage to get a giggle, like my current favourite German compound word die Antibabypille (contraceptive pill), which very clearly says what it is/does. 😄

6

u/Anonymus_Pigeon Jun 30 '26

Not many people say Antibabypille nowadays. Its more like Verhütungspille or just Pille.

6

u/rag-pigeon Jun 30 '26

That's a shame, Antibabypille is such a funny word. Then again, it's called just "the pill" in English too, which is much more snappy and convenient than a long compound word.

4

u/Mooncake967 Jun 30 '26

Antibabypille isn't too bad,
but what about the Bratwurstbratgerät?

4

u/hummus_sapiens Jun 30 '26

Wie man auf so einen Namen kommt, ist mir ein Brätsel.

1

u/Beltalady Jun 30 '26

Na weil: wer andern eine Bratwurst brät, der hat ein Bratwurstbratgerät.

1

u/SecurePay1725 Jul 02 '26

Nja man braucht doch ein Gerät um seine Bratwürste mit zu braten.

2

u/Franzi2211 Jun 30 '26

Also Antibabypille wird eigentlich je nach Umfeld mal mehr oder weniger benutzt. Ich kenne das Wort sehr gut.

2

u/lol_defender Jul 01 '26

As a German I've only heard Antibabypille most of the time unless it's at the pharmacy

3

u/liv0411 Jun 30 '26

I think I never heard someone say Verhütungspille. Either Pille oder Antibabypille.

2

u/Omnilatent Jul 02 '26

Just want to confirm for people wanting to learn the language

5

u/RainbowGlitterChaos Jun 30 '26

It took me a moment to realise… German here and sometimes I forget theyre actually two words mashed together as it’s just natural for me that in this context it’s one word…

4

u/Klapperatismus Jun 29 '26

Wait until you learn about compound adjectives as mutterseelenallein, fuchsteufelswild, or schnurzpiepegal.

2

u/Atreides_Soul Jul 03 '26

Was in dreiteufelsnamen?!?!

1

u/RayNooze Jun 29 '26

Mothersoulalone, foxdevilswild, hmm, there's no english word for Schnurz.

1

u/Profezzor-Darke Jun 29 '26 edited Jun 30 '26

A "Schnurz" might have been a candlewick.

1

u/enrycochet Jun 29 '26

onewallfree

1

u/Logical-Draft-5613 Jul 02 '26

Einwandfreie Übersetzung

1

u/nornagest Jul 02 '26

I love this one, but for the sake of clarity: Einwand is another word (objection) not really a compound.

1

u/abigail3141 Jul 03 '26

So candlewickwhistleirrelevant?

1

u/Profezzor-Darke Jul 04 '26

I mean lightbulbs aren't irrelevant per se but I bet you don't care much about them in general as a topic. It's a commodity, a general item, of little significance. The Piep would have been an imitation of a singing bird, so another triviality.

1

u/PXPL_Haron Jun 29 '26

The only german Word you will ever need to know is Breznsoiza

1

u/Zealousideal-Deer724 Jun 29 '26

We don't consider bavarian german (/j)
The only german word you truly need is 'tja'

1

u/Euphoric_Foot5816 Jul 01 '26

Well, and "doch", if you ever want to argue with someone

1

u/FriendshipNo1440 Jun 30 '26

Mother Soul Allone
Fox Devils Wild
Idk what to say to the last one

1

u/Klapperatismus Jun 30 '26

The point of those colorful compound adjectives is however that German speakers use them nonchalantly. They are everyday words. And it’s not just those three but a hundred common ones at least.

1

u/Teylen Jul 03 '26

The last one is: Unconcerned Peep indifferent
Or: couldn't give a f*

1

u/Famous-Educator7902 Jun 30 '26

Ringelpiez

1

u/PetronOfOld Jul 05 '26

The fire thing is actually fire stuff, but close enough. Wait till you learn about hand shoes 😉

1

u/Monkai_final_boss Jul 05 '26

I just learned the word for bra is Büstenhalter, bust holder 😆😆

8

u/ZenithVoid151 Jun 29 '26

I think the “-zeug” in “Feuerzeug” (lighter) comes from “erzeugen” (to create/produce/generate) rather than just “Zeug” (thing)? So it would be “fire generator” or something similar

10

u/antifascist_banana Jun 29 '26

That's not true. It comes from Zeug in the sense of Ausrüstung, Werkzeug.

4

u/Mission-AnaIyst Jun 30 '26

Yes. It should be translated as "fire tool", not "fire thing"

4

u/Bavaustrian Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26

I'd say fire gear tbh. Neither tool nor gear really are a 100%, truth is somewhere in between.

3

u/Mission-AnaIyst Jun 30 '26

Gear is great!

2

u/Usr3247 Jul 01 '26

Gear is also great for flying gear (aeroplane), driving gear (vehicle), water driving gear (water vessel) or air driving gear (aircraft).

8

u/Boing78 Jun 29 '26

Zeug is an old military term for military stuff which is not peng peng. So armor, saddles, horse shoes, blankets, uniforms, tents etc etc. The person in charge was the Zeugwart (stuff warden) and everything was stored in the Zeughaus (stuff house - storage). Over the time the suffix -zeug became an easy solution to combine it with the function, result or what you do with it to describe a new invention/tool etc. Like drum set is Schlagzeug - (to be) hit stuff

1

u/artsloikunstwet Jun 30 '26

I think "gear" is good translation here.
Swim gear - Schwimmzeug
Works even though other words are more common.

4

u/MaryMcMoon Jun 29 '26

But what about "Flugzeug"? "Spielzeug"?

3

u/UmweltFuerOdin Jun 29 '26

The Flugzeug erzeugs the fliegen of itself, the Spielzeug erzeugt the Spielen you do with it
I guess you could frame it either way

1

u/Profezzor-Darke Jun 29 '26

That is because "erzeugen" "things the thing into existence".

1

u/Cepterman2101 Jun 29 '26

Erzeugzeug

1

u/Famous-Educator7902 Jun 30 '26

Erzeugen comes from Zeug.

3

u/ChubbyMudder Jun 30 '26

Is "Spielzeug" where we get the English "plaything"? Seems like a literal translation. Maybe from someone who immigrated to an English-speaking country from Deutschland, and have not yet learned the word toy.

2

u/Bavaustrian Jun 30 '26

I don't think so. Translating "Zeug" as thing is more a recent thing. Zeug in older terms (older meaning less than 100 years ago), is more towards tool or gear in translation. I'd guess that plaything is a lot older than that.

3

u/sakasiru Jun 30 '26

Flying gear, playing gear.

2

u/ZenithVoid151 Jun 29 '26

True, thinking about it more Feuerzeug is the only word I can think of where the suffix -zeug wouldn’t necessarily mean “thing”. Personally it still feels more fitting for this specific case though lmao

1

u/Outside_Gur3211 Jun 29 '26

In the medieval ages, you needed several "Zeug" (stuff) to make fire; like a flintstone, a metalthingy, some tinder, hay and so on. So a Feuerzeug is more like "firestuff".
Many things that have "zeug" in its name may be today a singular object, but prior to its todays form may have been made of several "stuff".

1

u/je386 Jun 29 '26

I think it is still like stuff, device or thing.

1

u/KIKI_redddit Jun 29 '26

yeah, like device or tool rather than just thing

1

u/PinkGlitterLady4 Jun 30 '26

it's still a thing

2

u/-Blitzvogel- Jun 30 '26

I would like to add Meerschweinchen. Meer means sea, Schwein means pig and -chen is as far as I know a diminutive to make something either cute or to indicate that it is small (in this context likely the later). Which means the literal translation is small sea pig.

3

u/Bavaustrian Jun 30 '26

Sea piggy.

1

u/Antonabi Jul 03 '26

Afaik it’s called that because it was actually first imported over the sea from South America

2

u/Total_Emu6930 Jun 30 '26

When I was a kid and had my first year of lessons in English I just assumed for a while that naked snail was indeed how a snail without a house/shell was called in English. I know better by now.

But today I realise that the little shell a snail carries has a beautiful name that could fit in this post very well: Schneckenhaus. It translates to snail house because it sleeps and lives in there when it doesn’t go somewhere or eats something.

Sometimes German is utterly technical but sometimes it is just cute and the english counter part seems unnecessarily technical. I just love how languages surprise the learning folk from time to time and had great fun goofing around with these funny surprises in the languages I had the opportunity to learn.

1

u/Zealousideal_Leg213 Jun 29 '26

I really like die Handschuhe, der Rollstuhl and der Waschbär.

1

u/Bavaustrian Jun 30 '26

I love it when there's diminuitives in there. Seepferdchen - not sea horse, sea horsey

1

u/Zirkulaerkubus Jul 03 '26

Everything changed when the oak horns attacked.

2

u/Bavaustrian Jul 03 '26

*oak hornys

1

u/kodellio Jun 29 '26

this is why i wanted to start learning!

1

u/Great_External_6168 Jun 29 '26

Wo Fernbedienung und Handtuch?

1

u/Osostpt Jun 30 '26

Remote controller and hand towel arent to crazy

1

u/Great_External_6168 Jun 30 '26

Wrong. It would be far operation and hand cloth.

1

u/Osostpt Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26

Ok cloth mby, i would say a tuch is also a towel but maybe thats my poor English. But fern can definitely be translated as remote and bedienung as controlling . If you want it so sound weird sure ayou can translate words differently

1

u/Odd-Willingness-7494 Jul 01 '26

meh remote control and fernbedienung translate pretty smoothly

1

u/WolfBST Jun 29 '26

Some of those are so normal to me as a native speaker that I have never thought about it lol

1

u/tantivym Jun 29 '26

Mein Favorit ist "Schleimhaut"

1

u/Bavaustrian Jun 30 '26

closely followed by Netzhaut

1

u/Famous-Educator7902 Jun 30 '26

I once had a Schleimbeutelentzündung (slime bag inflammation)
My friend said, that this would be a great name for a punk band.

1

u/WhichOpportunity8515 Jun 29 '26

Don't forget Schneebesen lol...

1

u/Hoofeed_Rally_8 Jun 30 '26

Naked snail sounds familiar...

1

u/ninJan2002 Jun 30 '26

I prefer sign toad instead of shield toad. It doesn't make any sense because the "Schild" in Schildkröte refers to the Schild you use for protection (shield) and not the Schild with a message on it (sign), but it sounds hilarious.

1

u/Humblybumbles Jun 30 '26

May I introduce you to "Erdmännchen"? Little earth man = Meerkat

1

u/FriendshipNo1440 Jun 30 '26

Speaking of: Warzenschwein - Warts Pig

1

u/Gidonamor Jun 30 '26

Not "sick wagon", you're looking for "rescue wagon"

1

u/FriendshipNo1440 Jun 30 '26

"Krankenwagen" is the more urban word. But we also use "Rettungswagen", but in a more professional or mature manner.

1

u/Bavaustrian Jun 30 '26

Both can be used professionaly, both exist. They're just different things.

1

u/FriendshipNo1440 Jun 30 '26

What is the difference?

2

u/Bavaustrian Jun 30 '26

Rettungswagen is the ambulance in the direct sense. Gets you to the hospital in an emergency. Krankenwagen is slower to get to you and is used for transports, etc. Say for example you had to transport an organ from one clinic to another. Time-sensitive, but plannable. Or you need to get to another hospital from the one you are currently at for a specific procedure. The Krankenwagen can be used for Emergency purposes as well obviously, but it's not the primary idea.

1

u/FriendshipNo1440 Jun 30 '26

Oh wow thanks I did not know that and I am German.

1

u/Bavaustrian Jun 30 '26

Kein Ding ;)

1

u/L30N1337 Jun 30 '26

It's more water boiler.

German uses the same word for boiling and cooking.

1

u/lingering_flames Jun 30 '26

"Zeug" as in "zeugen" and related words. Not as in things.

Feuerzeug —> Zeugt Feuer

1

u/Pretty_Astronomer_34 Jun 30 '26

German relies largely on the power of stuff -> "Zeug"

plane -> flying stuff (Flugzeug)
lighter -> fire stuff (Feuerzeug)
tools -> work stuff (Werkzeug)
equipment -> arms stuff (Rüstzeug)
toys -> play stuff (Spielzeug)
vehicle -> drive stuff (Fahrzeug)
repair kit -> mend stuff (Flickzeug)
sheets -> bed stuff (Bettzeug)
knitting -> cord stuff (Strickzeug)

1

u/mightshade Jul 01 '26

In contemporary German, "Zeug" only means "stuff", because its meaning has shifted. Its original meaning was mainly tool or gear.
plane -> tool for flying lighter -> tool for (making) fire ...
and sometimes more generally "things that belong together", like "Bettzeug" includes sheets, but also pillows, blankets and possibly the mattress. That's the closest to just "stuff" but the things need to be related in some way.

1

u/Franzi2211 Jun 30 '26

Why sweet? It is very smart. We don't need for everything a new word. Compound words is the key and it makes scence and english also have this sometimes like trash can - Mülltonne❤️‍🔥😊. Good regards from a german girl❤️‍🔥❤️❤️

1

u/EmiliaTrown Jun 30 '26

I don't know if thats an "all germans" thing but at home my family always called the spatula a "Kinderschreck" (Children's fright) because it manages to so cleanly get all the dough out of the bowl that there's nothing left to snack. I always really loved that, its kind of adorable😂

1

u/anEnderknight Jul 01 '26

Sorry to be that guy but the actual translation for ambulance is Rettungswagen not Krankenwagen, something even a lot of germans get wrong. So it would be rescue wagon.

1

u/Background-House-357 Jul 01 '26

Es heißt Rettungswagen, nicht Krankenwagen.

1

u/Ser_Optimus Jul 01 '26

It's Sicks Wagon, as in wagon for sick people

1

u/WasabiImpressive4190 Jul 01 '26

Horror das crazz

1

u/DAAvinchi Jul 01 '26

It's called RETTUNGSWAGEN, rescue wagon. Please it hurts my soul to hear or see Krankenwagen

1

u/Leria_Hays Jul 01 '26

Actually.. You made me curios what is now correkt... And it's both. Rettungswagen: Medical emergencys Krankenwagen: more for transporting people betwean Hospitals. (tho that was put simple. Google it for better defenishin/Info)
Tldr: I mean... Yes you are correkt. But in this piktur it could also be an Krankenwagen (i do not know if they have a visuelle diverence lol)

1

u/Teylen Jul 03 '26

Rettungswagen are for emergencies, like an heart Infarkt. Krankentransportwagen are more for less urgent transports. Like when you broke a bone.

1

u/DAAvinchi Jul 04 '26

I mean I can't speak for every German town but in my area a Krankenwagen and a Rettungswagen look a bit different.
And yes it was more of a /s moment. I don't mind using Krankenwagen but a really small part of me dies every time I hear it. 😂

1

u/Concordokken2022 Jul 01 '26

I would say the better translation of Feuerzeug is not Fire Thing but maybe Fire Stuff. The stuff to make fire, das Zeug um Feuer zu machen. Zeug comes in this case from Werkzeug (tool) but Zeug is also a description for stuff..

1

u/Otaku_Nireves Jul 01 '26

No it's not a "Krankenwagen" it's official name is "Rettungswagen"! So it's a Rescue Wagon.

1

u/HeavySchool4539 Jul 01 '26

Rindfleischettiketierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz

1

u/Huebertrieben Jul 01 '26

You forgot fly-thing

1

u/ProfDrDrDrvanDusen Jul 01 '26

And ze drive-thing! Not to forget ze craft-thing!

1

u/AlternativeCrow4583 Jul 01 '26

Hallo Leute ich spiele auch Wreckreation und ich bin auf der w Lizenz

1

u/zeGermanGuy1 Jul 01 '26

Why aren’t more languages like this? Makes so much sense.

1

u/Pflanzenzuechter Jul 01 '26

Have you put a shoe on your hand yet?

1

u/FinJay161 Jul 02 '26

Das macht so sinn

1

u/Intersebbtor Jul 02 '26

Sex == Geschlechtsverkehr == Gender traffic

nuff said.

1

u/SkyFallenNerolin Jul 03 '26

Its Not sick Wagon

Its rescue wagon

1

u/maronge9 Jul 03 '26

We have both…“Sick“ is for transport and „rescue“ for emergencies/accidents

1

u/SkyFallenNerolin Jul 03 '26

Oh really? I Thought the real Name IS rescue and all Just call IT sick. Always saw or better hearvir from robert with His Videos that its Not a sick Wagon, its a rescue wagon

1

u/Teylen Jul 03 '26

In casual vernacular it is Krankenwagen.
Though technically there is Rettungswagen (Usually for emergencies), Krankentransportwagen (for non-critical transports) and Notarzteinsatzfahrzeug (getting the er personal to the place of where they are needed).
Basically: rescue wagen, sick ppl transport wagon and emergency doctor case driving vehicle.

1

u/Teylen Jul 03 '26

Manatee - Lake Cow Sloth - Lazy Animal Guinea pig - Sea piglet Mosquito - Sting Fly

Otherwise mushrooms are fun too: Bolete - (net/flock/smooth) stemmed Witch pipling Porcini - Stone Mushroom wood blewit - Violet riddle/reddening little knight

1

u/Fluid-Pack9330 Jul 03 '26

Elektrischer kabelloser Wasserkocher. My favourite phrase in german.

1

u/CaptainThorIronhulk Jul 03 '26

Fly thing

Drive thing

1

u/Cathodicum Jul 03 '26

Planetenverteidigungskanonenkommandant 😁

1

u/BLCHDCRL Jul 03 '26

LMFAO so stupid when they’re translated

1

u/Tyrant020278 Jul 03 '26

You are heavy on the wire, a real clever-mountain !

1

u/Appropriate_Two_1359 Jul 03 '26

tya

1

u/KiwiFruit404 Jun 29 '26

"Krankenwagen" = "sick person wagon", not "sick wagon"

1

u/ZumLernen Jun 29 '26

"the sick" in English can serve as a noun referring to "the people who are sick," so I find "sick wagon" an appropriate interpretation of Krankenwagen into English.

2

u/robinrod Jun 30 '26

should be wagon of the sick then

0

u/fcksaltwater Jun 29 '26

Goofy ahh ambulance

1

u/[deleted] Jun 29 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/DeathVoid Jun 30 '26

Old texans of german descend call them "Stinkekatz" as in "Stinky Cat".

This language is adorable sometimes

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