Ein paar lange Lieblingswörter!

Blog 13 by Ashish

Moin everyone and welcome back!

Compound or very long words are present in every language. But, German language has some humorous long words. And that is another reason to learn the language. The words can be so long that they can form a complete sentence or run across pages. Let me name a few favourite long words.

Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän is a 42 letter word that means the captain of the Danube steamship company. It is considered to be one of the longest words in the language. However, it is highly unlikely that one would encounter such a word in day-to-day life. Rechtsschutzversicherungsgesellschaften is a 39 letter word which is the most frequently used. It is the one single word for the insurance companies providing legal protection. The most common long words in German are the numbers like Siebentausendvierhundertvierundfünfzig which is nothing but 7254. If there is any limit to the number of long words one can make using the language, it is only one’s creativity.

The German word construction allows you to make long words of your own. I have created one such long word for a cartoon appearing in the MAD magazine. I am not sure whether the word actually can exist or makes any sense, but it was fun to create: Spaßmachers-Bananen-stolpern-Himmels-Geldschrank-abfallen. I need not explain the meaning, it is clear from the picture. I find it interesting to make long words and hope that you find the same.

Viel Spaß!

Ashish (@ashes.kk)