German Compound Words

Literally "evening eat" (Abend + Essen); dinner.

Literally "traffic light man" (Ampel + Mann); the pedestrian figure on a crossing signal, famous in East Germany.

Literally "apple juice" (Apfel + Saft); apple juice.

Literally "apple whirlpool" (Apfel + Strudel); traditional apple pastry, named for its swirled layers.

Literally "apple wine" (Apfel + Wein); cider.

Literally "ash cup" (Aschen + Becher); an ashtray.

Literally "atom power plant" (Atom + Kraft + Werk); a nuclear power plant.

Literally "eye apple" (Aug + Apfel); the eyeball.

Literally "eye glance" (Augen + Blick); a moment or instant.

Literally "car path/track" (Auto + Bahn); the German highway system.

Literally "bath suit" (Bade + Anzug); a swimsuit or bathing suit.

Literally "bath pants" (Bade + Hose); swimming trunks.

Literally "bathing room" (Bade + Zimmer); a bathroom.

Literally "train yard" (Bahn + Hof); a railway station.

Literally "train path" (Bahn + Steig); a train platform.

Literally "bear hunger" (Bären + Hunger); a ravenous, intense hunger.

Literally "belly navel" (Bauch + Nabel); a belly button.

Literally "belly ache" (Bauch + Weh); a stomachache.

Literally "farmer house" (Bauern + Haus); a farmhouse.

Literally "farmer yard" (Bauern + Hof); a farm.

Literally "bed cover" (Bett + Decke); a blanket, duvet, or comforter.

Literally "bed wash" (Bett + Wäsche); bed linens or sheets.

Literally "blue whale" (Blau + Wal); a blue whale.

Literally "blind intestine" (Blind + Darm); the appendix or cecum.

Literally "lightning war" (Blitz + Krieg); an intense, rapid military campaign.

Literally "blood sausage" (Blut + Wurst); blood pudding or black pudding.

Literally "fry sausage" (Brat + Wurst); a traditional German pan-fried or roasted sausage.

Literally "brown bear" (Braun + Bär); a brown bear.

Literally "burn stuff" (Brenn + Stoff); fuel.

Literally "letter box" (Brief + Kasten); a mailbox.

Literally "letter stamp" (Brief + Marke); a postage stamp.

Literally "letter envelope" (Brief + Umschlag); an envelope.

Literally "bread roaster" (Brot + Röster); a toaster.

Literally "breast basket" (Brust + Korb); the rib cage.

Literally "citizen path" (Bürger + Steig); a sidewalk or pavement.

Literally "roof floor" (Dach + Boden); an attic or loft.

Literally "thick head" (Dick + Kopf); a very stubborn or pig-headed person.

Literally "oak little horn" (Eich + Hörnchen); a squirrel.

Literally "fear lizard" (from old high German egi + dehsa); a lizard.

Literally "one path street" (Ein + Bahn + Straße); a one-way street.

Literally "entry card" (Eintritts + Karte); an admission ticket.

Literally "iron train" (Eisen + Bahn); a railway or railroad.

Literally "earth warming" (Erd + Erwärmung); global warming.

Literally "explain bear" (Erklär + Bär); someone who loves to explain things, often pedantically.

Literally "drive card" (Fahr + Karte); a travel ticket.

Literally "color stuff" (Farb + Stoff); a dye or coloring agent.

Literally "lazy pelt" (Faul + Pelz); a slacker or extremely lazy person.

Literally "party evening beer" (Feierabend + Bier); a beer consumed to celebrate the end of the workday.

Literally "far control" (Fern + Bedienung); a remote control.

Literally "far seer" (Fern + Seher); a television set.

Literally "fire defense" (Feuer + Wehr); the fire department or brigade.

Literally "tinsel weeks" (Flitter + Wochen); a honeymoon.

Literally "flight port" (Flug + Hafen); an airport.

Literally "forest economy" (Forst + Wirtschaft); forestry.

Literally "free bath" (Frei + Bad); an outdoor swimming pool.

Literally "fruit water" (Frucht + Wasser); amniotic fluid.

Literally "early piece" (Früh + Stück); breakfast.

Literally "breakfast egg" (Frühstücks + Ei); a boiled egg eaten at breakfast.

Literally "driver certificate" (Führer + Schein); a driver's license.

Literally "little goose flower" (Gänse + Blümchen); a daisy.

Literally "secured-ness"; a feeling of absolute safety, coziness, and emotional security.

Literally "birth day" (Geburts + Tag); a birthday.

Literally "ghost driver" (Geister + Fahrer); a driver traveling in the wrong direction on the highway.

Literally "vegetable soup" (Gemüse + Suppe); vegetable soup.

Literally "drinks card" (Getränke + Karte); a drinks menu.

Literally "luck fall" (Glücks + Fall); a stroke of luck or fortunate coincidence.

Literally "glow wine" (Glüh + Wein); mulled wine, served hot at Christmas markets.

Literally "glow little worm" (Glüh + Würmchen); a firefly or lightning bug.

Literally "rubber little bear" (Gummi + Bärchen); a gummy bear candy.

Literally "belongings" (Hab + Seligkeiten); one's meager worldly possessions or treasured little belongings.

Literally "hack meat" (Hack + Fleisch); minced meat or ground beef/pork.

Literally "chicken breast" (Hähnchen + Brust); chicken breast.

Literally "shark fish" (Hai + Fisch); a shark.

Literally "half time" (Halb + Zeit); halftime in sports.

Literally "hall bath" (Hallen + Bad); an indoor swimming pool.

Literally "hamster wheel" (Hamster + Rad); a hamster wheel (also used metaphorically for a repetitive routine).

Literally "hand cloth" (Hand + Tuch); a towel.

Literally "head train yard" (Haupt + Bahn + Hof); the main railway station in a city.

Literally "house animal" (Haus + Tier); a domestic pet.

Literally "high time" (Hoch + Zeit); a wedding ceremony and celebration.

Literally "honey bee" (Honig + Biene); a honey bee.

Literally "lift screwer" (Hub + Schrauber); a helicopter.

Literally "chicken soup" (Hühner + Suppe); chicken soup.

Literally "dog hut" (Hunde + Hütte); a doghouse.

Literally "dog weather" (Hunde + Wetter); miserable, rainy, and cold weather.

Literally "vaccine stuff" (Impf + Stoff); a vaccine.

Literally "year time" (Jahres + Zeit); a season of the year.

Literally "coffee machine" (Kaffee + Maschine); a coffee maker.

Literally "emperor's mess" (Kaiser + Schmarrn); a shredded, sweetened pancake dessert.

Literally "rabbit stall" (Kaninchen + Stall); a rabbit hutch.

Literally "potato salad" (Kartoffel + Salat); potato salad, a staple German side dish.

Literally "tomcat mood" (Kater + Stimmung); the depressed or terrible mood accompanying a hangover.

Literally "cat toilet" (Katzen + Klo); a litter box.

Literally "cat wash" (Katzen + Wäsche); a very quick, superficial wash using little water.

Literally "cellar floor" (Keller + Geschoss); the basement level of a building.

Literally "children's garden" (Kinder + Garten); preschool or nursery school.

Literally "rattle snake" (Klapper + Schlange); a rattlesnake.

Literally "clothes closet" (Kleider + Schrank); a wardrobe.

Literally "burdock closer" (Klett + Verschluss); Velcro fastening, inspired by burr plants catching on clothes.

Literally "climate change" (Klima + Wandel); climate change.

Literally "coal power plant" (Kohle + Kraft + Werk); a coal-fired power station.

Literally "coal stuff" (Kohlen + Stoff); carbon.

Literally "head pillow" (Kopf + Kissen); a sleeping pillow for the bed.

Literally "head pain" (Kopf + Schmerz); a headache.

Literally "scratch tree" (Kratz + Baum); a cat tree or scratching post.

Literally "circle traffic" (Kreis + Verkehr); a traffic roundabout.

Literally "cross adder" (Kreuz + Otter); a common European viper, named for the zigzag pattern resembling crosses.

Literally "ball writer" (Kugel + Schreiber); a ballpoint pen.

Literally "cool closet" (kühl + Schrank); a refrigerator.

Literally "cow stall" (Kuh + Stall); a cowshed or barn.

Literally "art stuff" or "artificial stuff" (Kunst + Stoff); plastic or synthetic material.

Literally "land economy" (Land + Wirtschaft); agriculture or farming.

Literally "life tired" (Lebens + müde); weary of life, sometimes used jokingly for someone doing something dangerous.

Literally "liver sausage" (Leber + Wurst); liverwurst or liver pâté.

Literally "life cake" (Leb + Kuchen); German gingerbread, traditionally eaten at Christmas.

Literally "lion's tooth" (Löwen + Zahn); a dandelion (referring to the jagged leaves).

Literally "air cushion boat" (Luft + Kissen + Boot); a hovercraft.

Literally "Mary's beetle" (Marien + Käfer); a ladybug.

Literally "jam glass" (Marmeladen + Glas); a jar of jam.

Literally "mouth bag" (Maul + Tasche); a type of traditional Swabian meat-filled dumpling.

Literally "minced pork sausage" (Mett + Wurst); a strongly flavored German sausage made from raw minced pork.

Literally "lousy Peter" (miese + Peter); a grump, curmudgeon, or chronic complainer.

Literally "micro wave" (Mikro + Welle); a microwave oven.

Literally "mineral water" (Mineral + Wasser); sparkling or still mineral water.

Literally "with suffering" (Mit + Leid); compassion, pity, or sympathy for someone else's pain.

Literally "midday eat" (Mittag + Essen); lunch.

Literally "mid night" (Mitter + Nacht); midnight.

Literally "garbage bucket" (Müll + Eimer); a trash can.

Literally "mother day" (Mutter + Tag); Mother's Day.

Literally "next love" (Nächsten + Liebe); charity or love for one's neighbor.

Literally "sew machine" (Näh + Maschine); a sewing machine.

Literally "nose bleeding" (Nasen + Bluten); a nosebleed.

Literally "kidney stone" (Nieren + Stein); a kidney stone.

Literally "noodle soup" (Nudel + Suppe); noodle soup.

Literally "ear fig" (Ohr + Feige); a slap in the face.

Literally "orange juice" (Orangen + Saft); orange juice.

Literally "pitch streak" or "bad luck streak" (Pech + Strähne); a continuous run of bad luck.

Literally "personnel ID" (Personal + Ausweis); a national identity card.

Literally "pan cake" (Pfann + Kuchen); a pancake (or in Berlin, a jelly doughnut).

Literally "horse stall" (Pferde + Stall); a horse stable.

Literally "post office" (Post + Amt); a post office.

Literally "blow flower" (Puste + Blume); a dandelion in its seed-head phase.

Literally "council house" (Rat + Haus); the city hall or town hall.

Literally "rain umbrella" (Regen + Schirm); an umbrella.

Literally "rain worm" (Regen + Wurm); an earthworm.

Literally "travel passport" (Reise + Pass); a passport.

Literally "tear closer" (Reiß + Verschluss); a zipper.

Literally "cattle meat" (Rind + Fleisch); beef.

Literally "raw stuff" (Roh + Stoff); a raw material.

Literally "red wine" (Rot + Wein); red wine.

Literally "stir egg" (Rühr + Ei); scrambled eggs.

Literally "sack alley" (Sack + Gasse); a dead end or cul-de-sac.

Literally "sour cabbage" (Sauer + Kraut); fermented, shredded cabbage.

Literally "sour stuff" (Sauer + Stoff); oxygen.

Literally "damage replacement" (Schaden + Ersatz); financial compensation for damages.

Literally "damage stuff" (Schad + Stoff); a pollutant or harmful substance.

Literally "foam wine" (Schaum + Wein); sparkling wine.

Literally "shine thrower" (Schein + Werfer); a headlight or spotlight.

Literally "shield gland" (Schild + Drüse); the thyroid gland.

Literally "ham bacon" (Schinken + Speck); cured, smoked pork similar to prosciutto.

Literally "sleeping room" (Schlaf + Zimmer); a bedroom.

Literally "beat vein" (Schlag + Ader); an artery, as you can feel the pulse or "beat" in it.

Literally "slit ear" (Schlitz + Ohr); a sly, crafty, or mischievous person, historically a punished crook.

Literally "swallow up" (Schluck + auf); a hiccup.

Literally "key bone" (Schlüssel + Bein); the collarbone or clavicle.

Literally "schnapps idea" (Schnaps + Idee); a ridiculous idea you might come up with while drunk.

Literally "fast train" (Schnell + Bahn); a commuter train system (commonly S-Bahn).

Literally "lace string" (Schnür + Senkel); a shoelace.

Literally "write table" (Schreib + Tisch); a desk.

Literally "black bread" (Schwarz + Brot); dark rye bread.

Literally "Black Forest cherry cake" (Schwarzwälder + Kirsch + Torte); a famous German chocolate and cherry cake.

Literally "pig meat" (Schweine + Fleisch); pork.

Literally "pig dog" (Schweine + Hund); one's inner temptation to be lazy (innerer Schweinehund).

Literally "swim bath" (Schwimm + Bad); a swimming pool.

Literally "sea little horse" (See + Pferdchen); a seahorse.

Literally "seeing worthiness" (Sehens + Würdigkeit); a tourist attraction or sight worth seeing.

Literally "craving addiction" (Sehn + Sucht); a deep yearning or longing for something or someone.

Literally "sun flower" (Sonnen + Blume); a sunflower.

Literally "sun glasses" (Sonnen + Brille); sunglasses.

Literally "sun energy" (Sonnen + Energie); solar energy.

Literally "sun umbrella" (Sonnen + Schirm); a parasol.

Literally "dish card" (Speise + Karte); a restaurant menu.

Literally "mirror egg" (Spiegel + Ei); a fried egg.

Literally "rinse machine" (Spül + Maschine); a dishwasher.

Literally "smother stuff" (Stick + Stoff); nitrogen.

Literally "street train" (Straßen + Bahn); a tram or streetcar.

Literally "strike wood" (Streich + Holz); a matchstick.

Literally "sweet stuff" (Süß + Stoff); artificial sweetener.

Literally "day book" (Tage + Buch); a diary or journal.

Literally "pocket lamp" (Taschen + Lampe); a flashlight.

Literally "pocket calculator" (Taschen + Rechner); a small calculator.

Literally "thousand footer" (Tausend + Füßler); a millipede or centipede.

Literally "thousand doer" (Tausend + Sassa); a jack-of-all-trades or multi-talented person.

Literally "animal doctor" (Tier + Arzt); a veterinarian.

Literally "greenhouse effect" (Treibhaus + Effekt); the greenhouse effect.

Literally "drive stuff" (Treib + Stoff); fuel or propellant, typically for engines.

Literally "drink money" (Trink + Geld); a tip or gratuity left for service.

Literally "threat rooster" or "cluck rooster" (Trut + Hahn); a male turkey.

Literally "gymnastics hall" (Turn + Halle); a gymnasium.

Literally "around leading" (Um + Leitung); a traffic detour.

Literally "environment protection" (Umwelt + Schutz); environmental protection.

Literally "underground train" (Untergrund + Bahn); a subway (commonly U-Bahn).

Literally "under sea boat" (Unter + See + Boot); a submarine, often abbreviated to U-Boot.

Literally "traffic jam" (Verkehrs + Stau); a traffic jam or gridlock.

Literally "bird house" (Vogel + Haus); a birdhouse or bird feeder.

Literally "bird cage" (Vogel + Käfig); a birdcage.

Literally "full grain bread" (Vollkorn + Brot); whole-wheat or whole-grain bread.

Literally "pre-joy" (Vor + Freude); the joyful anticipation of something good happening.

Literally "forest dying" (Wald + Sterben); widespread forest dieback, especially due to pollution.

Literally "whale steed" (Wal + Ross); a walrus.

Literally "wash machine" (Wasch + Maschine); a washing machine.

Literally "water boiler" (Wasser + Kocher); an electric kettle.

Literally "water stuff" (Wasser + Stoff); hydrogen.

Literally "wine card" (Wein + Karte); a wine list.

Literally "white bread" (Weiß + Brot); white bread.

Literally "white wine" (Weiß + Wein); white wine.

Literally "worlds stroller" (Welten + Bummler); a globetrotter or world traveler.

Literally "wild pig" (Wild + Schwein); a wild boar.

Literally "wind power facility" (Wind + Kraft + Anlage); a wind turbine.

Literally "living room" (Wohn + Zimmer); a living room or lounge.

Literally "cloud scraper" (Wolken + Kratzer); a skyscraper.

Literally "words book" (Wörter + Buch); a dictionary.

Literally "word treasure" (Wort + Schatz); a vocabulary.

Literally "wonder child" (Wunder + Kind); a child prodigy.

Literally "tooth doctor" (Zahn + Arzt); a dentist.

Literally "zebra stripes" (Zebra + Streifen); a pedestrian crosswalk.

Literally "sugar cotton" (Zucker + Watte); cotton candy or candy floss.

Literally "to-fall" (Zu + Fall); a coincidence or random chance.

Literally "two-someness" (zwei + sam + keit); intimate togetherness between two people.