Beginners
30 German words you already know
German and English share hundreds of cognates. Here are 30 German words English speakers already understand — with native audio.
German might look intimidating, but English and German are cousins — they share huge amounts of vocabulary. These “cognates” are words you can recognise instantly, which means you already know more German than you think.
Everyday cognates
These words are nearly identical to English. Tap to hear them spoken by a native voice.
Haushouse
Wasserwater
Buchbook
Mausmouse
Handhand
Fingerfinger
Namename
Gartengarden
Apfelapple
Bettbed
Why this helps
- You start with a head start — hundreds of words are already familiar.
- Recognising patterns (Haus/house, Maus/mouse) speeds up reading.
- Confidence early on keeps you motivated.
Ready to turn recognition into real skill? Start with the alphabet and core vocabulary and build from there.
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