German and English are cousins in the language family, but that sometimes makes it harder! "Denglisch" mistakes are very common. Here are the top errors German speakers make.
1
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"Can I get a steak? I want to become a steak."
🤔 Why learners say this:
FALSE FRIEND! 'Bekommen' means 'to get/receive', but 'Become' means 'to transform into'.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Like you want to magically transform your body into a piece of meat!
✅ Natural English version:
"I would like to have a steak." (or 'get a steak')
2
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"I have a new Handy."
🤔 Why learners say this:
Germans use the English word 'Handy' for mobile phones. In English, 'handy' means 'useful' or 'good with hands'.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
It sounds like you have a new useful tool, not a phone.
✅ Natural English version:
"I have a new mobile." (or cell phone)
3
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"We made a party yesterday."
🤔 Why learners say this:
German 'eine Party machen' uses 'make'. English uses 'have' or 'throw'.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Like you constructed the party from scratch materials.
✅ Natural English version:
"We had a party yesterday."
🎯 Practice: Which Word?
You are at a restaurant. You say:
4
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"I work here since 10 years."
🤔 Why learners say this:
German uses 'seit' for duration. English requires 'for' + duration.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Classic confusion. We only use 'since' with a specific date (Since 2012).
✅ Natural English version:
"I have worked here for 10 years."
5
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"Please make a photo of us."
🤔 Why learners say this:
German 'ein Foto machen' uses 'make'. English ALWAYS uses 'take'.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Like you want us to paint or develop the photo in a darkroom.
✅ Natural English version:
"Please take a photo of us."
6
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"I have birthday today."
🤔 Why learners say this:
Direct translation of 'Ich habe heute Geburtstag'.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
A bit strange. We say it IS our birthday.
✅ Natural English version:
"It is my birthday today."
🎯 Practice: Fix the Sentence
"Can you make a photo with my handy–
7
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"We see us tomorrow!"
🤔 Why learners say this:
German 'Wir sehen uns' (reflexive). English doesn't use the reflexive here.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Like we are looking in a mirror together.
✅ Natural English version:
"See you tomorrow!"
8
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"I know a good place where we can eat." (Pronounced 'vere' and 've')
🤔 Why learners say this:
The 'W' vs 'V' mix-up. German W sounds like English V.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
The classic "German villain" accent. Remember: W is round lips (like a kiss), V is teeth on lip.
✅ Natural English version:
"I know a good place where we can eat." (Watch the Ws!)
9
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"I drove with the bus."
🤔 Why learners say this:
German 'Ich bin mit dem Bus gefahren'. In English, you only 'drive' if you are the driver.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Like you stole the bus and drove it yourself!
✅ Natural English version:
"I took the bus." (or 'went by bus')
10
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"I am not allowing to do that."
🤔 Why learners say this:
Confusion with passive voice. 'I am not allowed' (passive) vs 'I am not allowing' (active).
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Like you are the boss forbidding someone else, when you mean YOU can't do it.
✅ Natural English version:
"I am not allowed to do that."
🎯 Practice: Fix the Sentence
"I drove with the train to Berlin."
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