This is a Swadesh list of words in German, compared with definitions in English.
American linguist Morris Swadesh believed that languages changed at measurable rates and that these could be determined even for languages without written precursors. Using vocabulary lists, he sought to understand not only change over time but also the relationships of extant languages. To be able to compare languages from different cultures, he based his lists on meanings he presumed would be available in as many cultures as possible. He then used the fraction of agreeing cognates between any two related languages to compute their divergence time by some (still debated) algorithms. Starting in 1950 with 165 meanings, his list grew to 215 in 1952, which was so expansive that many languages lacked native vocabulary for some terms. Subsequently, it was reduced to 207, and reduced much further to 100 meanings in 1955. A reformulated list was published posthumously in 1971.
| № | English | German Deutsch edit (207) | IPA (key) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I (1sg) | ich | /ɪç/ |
| 2 | you (2sg) | du, Sie | /duː/, /ziː/ |
| 3 | he, she, it (3sg) | er, sie, es | /eːɐ̯/, /ziː/, /ɛs/ |
| 4 | we (1pl) | wir | /viːɐ̯/ |
| 5 | you (2pl) | ihr, Sie | /iːɐ̯/, /ziː/ |
| 6 | they (3pl) | sie | /ziː/ |
| 7 | this | dieser, diese, dieses, dies | /ˈdiːzɐ/, /ˈdiːzə/, /ˈdiːzəs/, /diːs/ |
| 8 | that | der, die, das, jener, jene, jenes | /deːɐ̯/, /diː/, /das/, /ˈjeːnɐ/, /ˈjeːnə/, /ˈjeːnəs/ |
| 9 | here | hier | /hiːɐ̯/ |
| 10 | there | da, dort | /daː/, /dɔʁt/ |
| 11 | who | wer | /veːɐ̯/ |
| 12 | what | was | /vas/ |
| 13 | where | wo | /voː/ |
| 14 | when | wann | /van/ |
| 15 | how | wie | /viː/ |
| 16 | not | nicht | /nɪçt/ |
| 17 | all | alle | /ˈalə/ |
| 18 | many | viele | /ˈfiːlə/ |
| 19 | some | einige, manche | /ˈaɪ̯nɪɡə/, /mançə/ |
| 20 | few | wenig | /ˈveːnɪç/ |
| 21 | other | anderer | /ˈand(ə)ʁɐ/ |
| 22 | one | eins | /aɪ̯ns/ |
| 23 | two | zwei, zwo | /tsvaɪ̯/, /t͡svoː/ |
| 24 | three | drei | /dʁaɪ̯/ |
| 25 | four | vier | /fiːɐ̯/ |
| 26 | five | fünf | /fʏnf/ |
| 27 | big | groß | /ɡʁoːs/ |
| 28 | long | lang | /laŋ/ |
| 29 | wide | breit, weit | /bʁaɪ̯t/, /vaɪ̯t/ |
| 30 | thick | dick | /dɪk/ |
| 31 | heavy | schwer | /ʃveːɐ̯/ |
| 32 | small | klein | /klaɪ̯n/ |
| 33 | short | kurz | /kʊʁts/ |
| 34 | narrow | eng, schmal | /ɛŋ/, /ʃmaːl/ |
| 35 | thin | dünn | /dʏn/ |
| 36 | woman | Frau, Weib | /fʁaʊ̯/, /vaɪ̯p/ |
| 37 | man (adult male) | Mann | /man/ |
| 38 | man (human being) | Mensch | /mɛnʃ/ |
| 39 | child | Kind | /kɪnt/ |
| 40 | wife | Frau, Ehefrau | /fʁaʊ̯/, /ˈeːəfʁaʊ̯/ |
| 41 | husband | Mann, Ehemann | /man/, /ˈeːəman/ |
| 42 | mother | Mutter | /ˈmʊtɐ/ |
| 43 | father | Vater | /ˈfaːtɐ/ |
| 44 | animal | Tier | /tiːɐ̯/ |
| 45 | fish | Fisch | /fɪʃ/ |
| 46 | bird | Vogel | /ˈfoːɡəl/ |
| 47 | dog | Hund | /hʊnt/ |
| 48 | louse | Laus | /laʊ̯s/ |
| 49 | snake | Schlange | /ˈʃlaŋə/ |
| 50 | worm | Wurm | /vʊʁm/ |
| 51 | tree | Baum | /baʊ̯m/ |
| 52 | forest | Forst, Wald | /fɔɐ̯st/, /valt/ |
| 53 | stick | Stock | /ʃtɔk/ |
| 54 | fruit | Frucht, Obst | /fʁʊxt/, /oːpst/ |
| 55 | seed | Samen, Saat | /ˈzaːmən/, /zaːt/ |
| 56 | leaf | Blatt | /blat/ |
| 57 | root | Wurzel | /ˈvʊʁtsəl/ |
| 58 | bark (of a tree) | Borke, Rinde | /ˈbɔʁ.kə/, /ˈʁɪndə/ |
| 59 | flower | Blume | /ˈbluːmə/ |
| 60 | grass | Gras | /ɡʁaːs/ |
| 61 | rope | Leine, Seil, Strick | /ˈlaɪ̯nə/, /zaɪ̯l/, /ʃtʁɪk/ |
| 62 | skin | Haut | /haʊ̯t/ |
| 63 | meat | Fleisch | /flaɪ̯ʃ/ |
| 64 | blood | Blut | /bluːt/ |
| 65 | bone | Knochen | /ˈknɔxən/ |
| 66 | fat (noun) | Fett | /fɛt/ |
| 67 | egg | Ei | /aɪ̯/ |
| 68 | horn | Horn | /hɔʁn/ |
| 69 | tail | Schwanz, Schweif | /ʃvants/, /ʃvaɪ̯f/ |
| 70 | feather | Feder | /ˈfeːdɐ/ |
| 71 | hair | Haar | /haːɐ̯/ |
| 72 | head | Haupt, Kopf | /haʊ̯pt/, /kɔpf/ |
| 73 | ear | Ohr | /oːɐ̯/ |
| 74 | eye | Auge | /ˈaʊ̯ɡə/ |
| 75 | nose | Nase | /ˈnaːzə/ |
| 76 | mouth | Mund | /mʊnt/ |
| 77 | tooth | Zahn | /tsaːn/ |
| 78 | tongue (organ) | Zunge | /ˈtsʊŋə/ |
| 79 | fingernail | Fingernagel | /ˈfɪŋɐnaːɡəl/ |
| 80 | foot | Fuß | /fuːs/ |
| 81 | leg | Bein | /baɪ̯n/ |
| 82 | knee | Knie | /kniː/ |
| 83 | hand | Hand | /hant/ |
| 84 | wing | Fittich, Flügel, Schwinge | /ˈfɪtɪç/, /ˈflyːɡəl/, /ˈʃvɪŋə/ |
| 85 | belly | Bauch, Leib | /baʊ̯x/, /laɪ̯p/ |
| 86 | guts | Eingeweide, Gedärm, Innereien, Kaldaunen | /ˈaɪ̯nɡəvaɪ̯də/, /ɡəˈdɛrm/, /ɪnəˈʁaɪ̯ən/, /kalˈdaʊ̯nən/ |
| 87 | neck | Hals, Nacken | /hals/, /ˈnakən/ |
| 88 | back | Rücken | /ˈʁʏkən/ |
| 89 | breast | Brust, Busen | /bʁʊst/, /ˈbuːzn̩/ |
| 90 | heart | Herz | /hɛʁts/ |
| 91 | liver | Leber | /ˈleːbɐ/ |
| 92 | to drink | trinken | /ˈtʁɪŋkən/ |
| 93 | to eat | essen | /ˈɛsən/ |
| 94 | to bite | beißen | /ˈbaɪ̯sən/ |
| 95 | to suck | lutschen, saugen | /ˈlʊ.t͡ʃn̩/, /ˈzaʊ̯ɡən/ |
| 96 | to spit | speien, spucken | /ˈʃpaɪ̯ən/, /ˈʃpʊkən/ |
| 97 | to vomit | brechen, erbrechen | /ˈbʁɛçən/, /ɛɐ̯ˈbʁɛçən/ |
| 98 | to blow | blasen, pusten, wehen | /ˈblaːzən/, /ˈpuːstən/, /ˈveː.ən/ |
| 99 | to breathe | atmen | /ˈaːtmən/ |
| 100 | to laugh | lachen | /ˈlaxən/ |
| 101 | to see | sehen | /ˈzeːən/ |
| 102 | to hear | hören | /ˈhøːʁən/ |
| 103 | to know | kennen, wissen | /ˈkɛnən/, /ˈvɪsən/ |
| 104 | to think | denken | /ˈdɛŋkən/ |
| 105 | to smell | riechen | /ˈʁiːçən/ |
| 106 | to fear | fürchten | /ˈfʏʁçtən/ |
| 107 | to sleep | schlafen | /ˈʃlaːfən/ |
| 108 | to live | leben | /ˈleːbən/ |
| 109 | to die | sterben | /ˈʃtɛʁbən/ |
| 110 | to kill | töten, umbringen | /ˈtøːtən/, /ˈʔʊmˌbʁɪŋən/ |
| 111 | to fight | fechten, kämpfen | /ˈfɛçtən/, /ˈkɛmpfən/ |
| 112 | to hunt | jagen | /ˈjaːɡən/ |
| 113 | to hit | schlagen | /ˈʃlaːɡən/ |
| 114 | to cut | schneiden | /ˈʃnaɪ̯dən/ |
| 115 | to split | spalten, spleißen | /ˈʃpaltən/, /ˈʃplaɪ̯sn̩/ |
| 116 | to stab | stechen | /ˈʃtɛçən/ |
| 117 | to scratch | kratzen, ritzen, scharren | /ˈkʁatsən/, /ˈʁɪt͡sən/, /ˈʃaʁn̩/ |
| 118 | to dig | graben | /ˈɡʁaːbən/ |
| 119 | to swim | schwimmen | /ˈʃvɪmən/ |
| 120 | to fly | fliegen | /ˈfliːɡən/ |
| 121 | to walk | gehen | /ˈɡeːən/ |
| 122 | to come | kommen | /ˈkɔmən/ |
| 123 | to lie (as in a bed) | liegen | /ˈliːɡən/ |
| 124 | to sit | sitzen | /ˈzɪtsən/ |
| 125 | to stand | stehen | /ˈʃteːən/ |
| 126 | to turn (intransitive) | drehen | /ˈdʁeːən/ |
| 127 | to fall | fallen | /ˈfalən/ |
| 128 | to give | geben | /ˈɡeːbən/ |
| 129 | to hold | halten | /ˈhaltən/ |
| 130 | to squeeze | quetschen | /ˈkvɛtʃən/ |
| 131 | to rub | reiben | /ˈʁaɪ̯bən/ |
| 132 | to wash | waschen | /ˈvaʃən/ |
| 133 | to wipe | wischen | /ˈvɪʃən/ |
| 134 | to pull | ziehen | /ˈtsiːən/ |
| 135 | to push | drücken, schieben | /ˈdʁʏkən/, /ˈʃiːbən/ |
| 136 | to throw | werfen | /ˈvɛʁfən/ |
| 137 | to tie | binden, knüpfen | /ˈbɪndən/, /ˈknʏpfən/ |
| 138 | to sew | nähen | /ˈnɛːən/ |
| 139 | to count | rechnen, zählen | /ˈʁɛçnən/, /ˈtsɛːlən/ |
| 140 | to say | sagen | /ˈzaːɡən/ |
| 141 | to sing | singen | /ˈzɪŋən/ |
| 142 | to play | spielen | /ˈʃpiːlən/ |
| 143 | to float | schweben | /ˈʃveːbən/ |
| 144 | to flow | fließen, strömen | /ˈfliːsən/, /ˈʃtʁøːmən/ |
| 145 | to freeze | frieren | /ˈfʁiːrən/ |
| 146 | to swell | schwellen | /ˈʃvɛlən/ |
| 147 | sun | Sonne | /ˈzɔnə/ |
| 148 | moon | Mond | /moːnt/ |
| 149 | star | Stern | /ʃtɛʁn/ |
| 150 | water | Wasser | /ˈvasɐ/ |
| 151 | rain | Regen | /ˈʁeːɡən/ |
| 152 | river | Fluss | /flʊs/ |
| 153 | lake | See | /zeː/ |
| 154 | sea | Meer | /meːɐ̯/ |
| 155 | salt | Salz | /zalts/ |
| 156 | stone | Stein | /ʃtaɪ̯n/ |
| 157 | sand | Sand | /zant/ |
| 158 | dust | Staub | /ʃtaʊ̯p/ |
| 159 | earth | Erde | /ˈeːɐ̯də/ |
| 160 | cloud | Wolke | /ˈvɔlkə/ |
| 161 | fog | Nebel | /ˈneːbəl/ |
| 162 | sky | Himmel | /ˈhɪməl/ |
| 163 | wind | Wind | /vɪnt/ |
| 164 | snow | Schnee | /ʃneː/ |
| 165 | ice | Eis | /aɪ̯s/ |
| 166 | smoke | Rauch | /ʁaʊ̯x/ |
| 167 | fire | Feuer | /ˈfɔʏɐ/ |
| 168 | ash | Asche | /ˈaʃə/ |
| 169 | to burn | brennen | /ˈbʁɛnən/ |
| 170 | road | Straße | /ˈʃtʁaːsə/ |
| 171 | mountain | Berg | /bɛʁk/ |
| 172 | red | rot | /ʁoːt/ |
| 173 | green | grün | /ɡʁyːn/ |
| 174 | yellow | gelb | /ɡɛlp/ |
| 175 | white | weiß | /vaɪ̯s/ |
| 176 | black | schwarz | /ʃvaʁts/ |
| 177 | night | Nacht | /naxt/ |
| 178 | day | Tag | /taːk/ |
| 179 | year | Jahr | /jaːɐ̯/ |
| 180 | warm | warm | /vaʁm/ |
| 181 | cold | kalt | /kalt/ |
| 182 | full | voll | /fɔl/ |
| 183 | new | neu | /nɔʏ̯/ |
| 184 | old | alt | /alt/ |
| 185 | good | gut | /ɡuːt/ |
| 186 | bad | schlecht, übel | /ʃlɛçt/, /ˈʔyː.bl̩/ |
| 187 | rotten | faul, verrottet | /faʊ̯l/, /fɛɐ̯ˈʁɔtət/ |
| 188 | dirty | schmutzig, dreckig | /ˈʃmʊtsɪç/, /ˈdʁɛkɪç/ |
| 189 | straight | gerade | /ɡ(ə)ˈʁaːdə/ |
| 190 | round | rund | /ʁʊnt/ |
| 191 | sharp (as a knife) | scharf | /ʃaʁf/ |
| 192 | dull (as a knife) | stumpf | /ʃtʊmpf/ |
| 193 | smooth | glatt | /ɡlat/ |
| 194 | wet | nass, feucht | /nas/, /fɔʏ̯çt/ |
| 195 | dry | dürr, trocken | /dʏʁ/, /ˈtʁɔkən/ |
| 196 | correct | richtig | /ˈʁɪçtɪç/ |
| 197 | near | nah | /ˈnaː/ |
| 198 | far | fern, weit | /fɛʁn/, /vaɪ̯t/ |
| 199 | right | rechts | /ʁɛçts/ |
| 200 | left | links | /lɪŋks/ |
| 201 | at | an, bei | /an/, /baɪ̯/ |
| 202 | in | in | /ɪn/ |
| 203 | with | mit | /mɪt/ |
| 204 | and | und | /ʊnt/ |
| 205 | if | ob, wenn | /ɔp/, /vɛn/ |
| 206 | because | weil | /vaɪ̯l/ |
| 207 | name | Name | /ˈnaːmə/ |