The Funniest-Sounding German Words You Should Know

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IN THIS ARTICLE

1 Donnerbalken (DOH-ner-bahl-ken)

2 Wildpinkler (VIL-pink-ler)

3 Handschuhe (HAHNT-shoo-uh)

4 Eselsbrücke (EH-zelz-broo-kuh)

5 Zungenbrecher (TSOON-gen-breh-kher)

6 Drahtesel (DRAH-teh-zel)

7 Wasserhahn (VAH-ser-HAHN)

8 Scheinwerfer (SHY-n-vehr-fer)

9 Schattenparker (SHAH-ten-PAR-ker)

10 Sitzfleisch (SITS-flysh)

11 Lebensmüde (LAY-bens-MYOO-deh)

12 Fremdschämen (FREM-shay-men)

13 Schnapsidee (SHNAHP-see-dee)

14 Weichei (VYKH-eye)

15 Erklärungsnot (air-KLEHR-oongs-Noat)

16 Purzelbaum (POOR-tsel-bowm)

17 Kuddelmuddel (KOO-del-MOO-del)

18 Luftschloss (LOOFT-shloss)

19 Kopfkino (KOPF-kee-noh)

20 Speisekarte (SHY-zuh-KART-uh)

21 Stubentiger (STOO-ben-tee-ger)

22 Feuchtfröhlich (FOYCH-FRÖH-likh)

23 Glühbirne (GLU-bir-nuh)

24 Hexenschuss (HEK-sen-shoos)

25 Warteschlange (VAHR-tuh-SHLANG-uh)

26 Klobrille (KLOH-bril-luh)

27 Backpfeifengesicht (BAHK-pf-eye-fen-ge-ZISH-t)

28 Dummkopf (DUM-kopf)

29 Ohrwurm (OHR-voorm)

30 Kummerspeck (KOOM-er-shpek)

31 Torschlusspanik (TOHRSH-loos-PAH-nik)

32 Treppenwitz (TREP-pen-vits)

33 Dreikäsehoch (dry-KAY-zuh-Hohkh)

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Co-authored by Maryana Lucia Vestic, MFA, M.Phil.

Last Updated: January 28, 2026 Fact Checked

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If you’re learning German, or just love learning about new languages, German is special because it’s loaded with funny words—some have literal translations that will make you giggle, while others have meanings that range from the weird to the quirky. So, don’t be a weichei (“soft egg”)... instead, keep reading for 33 of the funniest German words and what they mean, along with how to pronounce them.

Funniest Words in German

• Handschuhe: “hand shoe”
• Wasserhahn: “water rooster”
• Stubentiger: “living room tiger”
• Dummkopf: “dumb head”
• Kummerspeck: “grief bacon”

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1

Donnerbalken (DOH-ner-bahl-ken)

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1. 
   Donnerbalkan means “thunder beam.” It’s a German slang term for any kind of outdoor toilet, though it particularly refers to a military-style toilet consisting of a plank with holes over a pit. This is because it originated as a word for field latrines during World War I and World War II.

   • That camping toilet is more like a donnerbalken than any outhouse I’ve ever seen!
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2

Wildpinkler (VIL-pink-ler)

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1. Wildpinkler refers to a “wild pee-er.” It describes anyone who is known for urinating in public. It can mean anyone who tends to prefer urinating in public places or outdoors to using a traditional indoor toilet.

   • Jason is happy to use the woods as his bathroom… he’s a real wildpinkler!

3

Handschuhe (HAHNT-shoo-uh)

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1. 
   Handschuhe means “hand shoe.” Hand shoe is an offbeat German way to refer to gloves, since they are seen as shoes for the hands. There may not be a word for foot gloves, but handschuhe is enough to keep your friends laughing to stay warm.

   • Put on your handschuhe, it’s freezing outside!
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4

Eselsbrücke (EH-zelz-broo-kuh)

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1. Eselsbrücke translates to “donkey bridge.” It refers to any word, acronym, trick, rhyme, or phrase that’s used as a mnemonic device to help you remember difficult information. An example would be the acronym "HOMES" for the Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior).

   • Use your latest eselsbrücke to help you remember your algebra formulas for the test.

5

Zungenbrecher (TSOON-gen-breh-kher)

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1. 
   Zungenbrecher literally means “tongue breaker.” It’s another way of calling something a tongue twister, or a phrase that’s difficult to say. An example of a tongue breaker in German would be something like “Blaukraut bleibt Blaukraut und Brautkleid bleibt Brautkleid” (“Red cabbage stays red cabbage, and wedding dress stays wedding dress”).

   • I can’t sing the Peter Pickle Pepper rhyme, it’s too much of a zungenbrecher.
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6

Drahtesel (DRAH-teh-zel)

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1. Drahtesel means “wire donkey.” It’s a common German colloquial term for a bicycle. It’s made up of the German “draht,” meaning “wire,” and “esel,” meaning “donkey.” Drahtesel is more of a German slang term, while “das Fahrrad” is the official word for “bicycle.”

   • Don’t worry, I can get to the show on time when I ride my wire donkey!

7

Wasserhahn (VAH-ser-HAHN)

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1. 
   Wasserhahn translates to “water rooster.” What it’s actually referring to is a tap or faucet in a sink; "wasser" means “water” and "hahn" means “rooster.” Germans are figuratively turning on the “water rooster” to get the spigot or faucet to give water.

   • Turn off the wasserhahn before you waste all the water!
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8

Scheinwerfer (SHY-n-vehr-fer)

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1. Scheinwerfer means “shine thrower.” It describes anything from a head lamp or headlight to a flashlight that “throws light” onto whatever it shines on. It’s a combination of the German “schein,” meaning “shine” or “gleam,” and “werfen,” meaning “to throw.”

   • I can’t see a thing! Toss me your scheinwerfer so I can find my keys on the floor.

9

Schattenparker (SHAH-ten-PAR-ker)

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1. 
   Schattenparker translates to “shade parker.” It refers to someone who parks their car in the shade to keep it out of the sun. Germans use schattenparker as a term for anyone who is thought of as wimpy. You might call a friend a schattenparker if they’re acting timid or scared about something.

   • Don’t be such a schattenparker…just ask her out!
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10

Sitzfleisch (SITS-flysh)

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1. Sitzfleisch means “sitting flesh (meat).” The “sitting flesh” refers to your rear end as it sits for too long while you’re hard at work on a long, challenging project. A similar English phrase might be “staying power”; it describes the perseverance you need to study all night for an exam or finish a work project for hours and hours.

   • I am going to need some serious sitzfleisch to get my thesis written in 48 hours.

11

Lebensmüde (LAY-bens-MYOO-deh)

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1. 
   Lebensmüde translates to “life tired.” It’s a word you’d use to let others know that you’re tired of life or world-weary. You might be simply fed up, frustrated, or actually depressed about your situation. No matter how lebensmüde you feel, though, it’s important to stay positive.

   • I’m feeling so lebensmüde lately, since I lost my job.
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12

Fremdschämen (FREM-shay-men)

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1. Fremdschämen means “foreign shame.” You might also think of it as “second-hand embarrassment.” Whenever a friend or someone you’re near does something super embarrassing, fremdschämen describes just how embarrassed you feel for them. This is especially true if they don’t seem to feel any embarrassment for it.

   • When he tripped and fell in front of everyone, I felt so much fremdschämen for him.

13

Schnapsidee (SHNAHP-see-dee)

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1. 
   Schnapsidee means “booze idea.” It refers to any oddball or half-thought-out plan you might think of while drunk. It can include any absurd idea, whether you’ve been drinking or not. Examples of schnapsidee might include getting a tattoo or making a big purchase online.

   • The best schnapsidee we ever came up with is buying a van and touring the country as a blues band.
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14

Weichei (VYKH-eye)

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1. Weichei translates to “soft egg.” This word is another way of calling someone a wimp. The person in question may be overly sensitive, fragile, or weak. It can be an insult or as a playful jab among friends, like calling them a wuss or a scaredy-cat.

   • We’re all jumping into the deep end of the pool, Nick. Don’t be such a weichei!

15

Erklärungsnot (air-KLEHR-oongs-Noat)

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1. 
   Erklärungsnot means “explanation emergency.” It can also translate to “poverty of explanation,” and refers to the excuses you may have to tell in a pinch when you’re caught doing something you shouldn’t. An equivalent English phrase is being caught “with your hand in the cookie jar.” Erklärungsnot encompasses all the things you have to say quickly to justify your actions.

   • She was immediately erklärungsnot when her roommate found her eating the last of the ice cream.
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16

Purzelbaum (POOR-tsel-bowm)

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1. Purzelbaum refers to a “tumble tree.” It describes the childlike act of rolling head over heels, or performing a somersault. It sometimes translates to “falling tree,” which is what people often look like when playfully rolling during gymnastics.

   • Doing purzelbaums is so much fun, whether you’re a kid or an adult.

17

Kuddelmuddel (KOO-del-MOO-del)

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1. 
   Kuddelmuddel translates to “dirty laundry muddle.” What it refers to is any big mess or jumble of things. A similar-sounding English word is “hodgepodge.” It comes from the German “koddeln,” meaning “to wash clothes carelessly,” and “modder,” meaning “mud” or “slush.” Kuddelmuddel is a great word to use when you’ve created a big mess of some kind.

   • The packages are all mixed up—what a kuddelmuddel you’ve created!
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18

Luftschloss (LOOFT-shloss)

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1. Luftschloss means “air castle.” It’s kind of like saying that some unreachable or unrealistic goal is a fantasy, or a “pipe dream.” Use it for anything that may inspire you towards greatness, but that you may not be able to reach.

   • Being a rock star is just a luftschloss that may never happen.

19

Kopfkino (KOPF-kee-noh)

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1. 
   Kopfkino refers to “head cinema.” The all-day film festival in your mind may be made up of plans for the future, regrets about the past, or anything in between. It’s the detailed scenarios that you play out in your mind over and over again. It’s also a way to say you’re imagining things or daydreaming altogether.

   • I started creating a kopfkino when you began talking about our move overseas…I was on a beach sipping from a drink with an umbrella.
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20

Speisekarte (SHY-zuh-KART-uh)

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1. Speisekarte means “dish card.” It’s quite similar to the menu at a restaurant, but a speisekarte lists the menu basics on a card; hence, it’s a card of dishes! When you walk into a restaurant and want to see the type of food they have, you’d ask a waiter for a speisekarte.

   • Let’s have a look at the speisekarte first to see if we want to eat here.

21

Stubentiger (STOO-ben-tee-ger)

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1. 
   Stubentiger translates to “living room tiger.” It might be easy to guess that a “living room tiger” is, in fact, a funny German name for a house cat. Stubentiger is an endearing term that perfectly highlights how our favorite felines are just tigers that happen to reside in our living rooms. “Die Katze” is the most official word for “cat” in German.

   • Look at your little stubentiger playing with his toy mouse like the predator he is.
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22

Feuchtfröhlich (FOYCH-FRÖH-likh)

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1. Feuchtfröhlich means “moist-happy.” It’s used to describe any raucous, fun celebration where alcohol is abundant. Somewhere between an entertaining cocktail party and an Oktoberfest where everyone is tipsy and merry, is feuchtfröhlich. It can also translate to “moist-cheerful” or “wet-happy.”

   • Fiona’s birthday party was quite a feuchtfröhlich. We stayed super late!

23

Glühbirne (GLU-bir-nuh)

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1. 
   Glühbirne translates to “glow pear.” Though it literally means “glow pear,” glühbirne is actually used to describe a light bulb. While “lampe” is the word that means a “light fixture,” glühbirne is focused on the bulb itself. Additionally, “birne” can also mean “pear” and is sometimes used as a casual name for a lightbulb.

   • Change the glühbirne already…I nearly killed myself in the dark attic!
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24

Hexenschuss (HEK-sen-shoos)

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1. Hexenschuss translates to “witch shot.” This refers to any sudden, sharp pain you might experience in your lower back or lumbar area. It can also be called a “shot in the back”; medieval folk beliefs held that witches shot arrows in the backs of their enemies.

   • She’s been in bed all day with a hexenschuss in her lower back and hip.

25

Warteschlange (VAHR-tuh-SHLANG-uh)

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1. 
   Warteschlange means “waiting snake.” Whether you’re waiting in line to get on an amusement park ride or your print/scan job is 12th in the queue, warteschlange is the snake-like line or queue that forms for those waiting. You’re likely to form a warteschlange outside a hot new restaurant you’ve been waiting to try.

   • We’re still in the warteschlange…we hope to get in and sit down to eat within the hour.
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26

Klobrille (KLOH-bril-luh)

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1. Klobrille means “toilet glasses.” What it truly refers to is the toilet seat itself. Funny Germans might see the round toilet seat as glasses for the toilet, which makes using it even more of a humorous experience. It comes from the German “klo,” meaning “toilet,” and “brille,” meaning “glasses.”

   • Why do you always leave the klobrille up? I nearly fell in the other day.

27

Backpfeifengesicht (BAHK-pf-eye-fen-ge-ZISH-t)

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1. 
   Backpfeifengesicht refers to a “punchable face.” It means that someone else might have the kind of face you want to hit (theoretically). Rather than give in to violent outbursts, just tell the person who’s annoying you that they have a “backpfeifengesicht.”

   • The guy at the DMV kept me there for hours… he’s got such a backpfeifengesicht!
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28

Dummkopf (DUM-kopf)

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1. Dummkopf translates to “dumb head.” It’s likely the goofiest German insult you can hurl at someone, and also means “stupid head,” “numskull,” “fool,” or even “blockhead.” While Dummkopf might seem harsh, it’s typically used as a playful insult between friends, similar to “silly goose.”

   • If you stay home this Halloween instead of coming to the party with us, you really are a dummkopf.

29

Ohrwurm (OHR-voorm)

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1. 
   Ohrwurm means “earworm.” Ohrwurm doesn’t literally describe an actual worm in your ear, thankfully. It refers to any song, jingle, or tune that you’ve got stuck in your head all day. It may be one of your favorite hits or an annoying song from a commercial you’d rather not be there.

   • That terrible carpet commercial has been giving me a massive ohrwurm all day!
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30

Kummerspeck (KOOM-er-shpek)

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1. Kummerspeck translates to “grief bacon.” It refers to overeating as a way to cope with stress and find comfort through food. “Grief bacon” itself describes the actual weight gained from eating too much when times get tough.

   • After she broke up with her boyfriend, Susan put on a few pounds of kummerspeck.

31

Torschlusspanik (TOHRSH-loos-PAH-nik)

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1. 
   Torschlusspanik refers to “gate-closing panic.” If you take it literally, it means that you’re afraid you won’t be able to make it in or out of a place before the gate closes. When used colloquially, torschlusspanik describes the feeling of missing an incredible opportunity if you don’t make a move now. It reflects the anxiety you can experience when you don’t hit your life milestones, and you feel that time is running out.

   • I’m feeling such torschlusspanik about not moving to New York when I had the chance.
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32

Treppenwitz (TREP-pen-vits)

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1. Treppenwitz means a “staircase joke.” It refers to the perfect witty joke or comeback that you only thought of after the moment ended (when you’re already “on the stairs”). You might have figured out the best joke to tell, the coolest retort, or the best reply when engaged in conversation or having an argument.

   • I just thought of the best treppenwitz to Kevin’s joke about my gaming strategy… It's too late now!

33

Dreikäsehoch (dry-KAY-zuh-Hohkh)

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1. 
   Dreikäsehoch translates to “three cheeses high.” It’s used when referring to a child who is acting out a little bit too much. Being “three cheeses high” isn’t as small as you think—an average cheese wheel is 8 inches (20 cm) tall. You might decide to use it for friends who aren’t all that tall.

   • Little Tommy is stomping around the playground and thinks he’s dreikäsehoch, or something.
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