100 Words That Are Almost Identical in English and German
A vocabulary boost for English speakers learning Deutsch
One of the most encouraging discoveries for any English speaker learning German is how many words are nearly identical in both languages. These are called Internationalismen — shared vocabulary that has crossed borders through trade, science, culture, and the internet. Row colours show the article at a glance. Watch out for the occasional false friend!
der (masculine)
die (feminine)
das (neuter)
adjective
🎵 Music & Arts
| Deutsch (with article) | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| die Musik | Music | Almost identical! |
| das Theater | Theatre | Just drop the “re” |
| die Gitarre | Guitar | One letter off |
| das Piano | Piano | Identical! |
| die Melodie | Melody | Very close |
| der Rhythmus | Rhythm | Same root |
| das Konzert | Concert | Near identical |
| die Kunst | Art (archaic) | Shared Germanic root |
| die Galerie | Gallery | One vowel shift |
| das Museum | Museum | Identical! |
😄 Personality & Social
| Deutsch (with article) | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| der Humor | Humour | Identical! |
| sozial | Social | One letter off |
| aktiv | Active | Drop the “e” |
| kreativ | Creative | Drop “e” |
| nervös | Nervous | Same feel |
| intelligent | Intelligent | Identical! |
| tolerant | Tolerant | Identical! |
| normal | Normal | Identical! |
| positiv | Positive | Drop the “e” |
| negativ | Negative | Drop the “e” |
🌍 Society & Politics
| Deutsch (with article) | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| die Demokratie | Democracy | Same root |
| die Politik | Politics | Drop the “s” |
| die Kultur | Culture | Drop the “e” |
| die Nation | Nation | Identical! |
| die Revolution | Revolution | Identical! |
| die Organisation | Organisation | Identical! |
| die Diskussion | Discussion | Identical! |
| die Kritik | Critique | Same root |
| die Tradition | Tradition | Identical! |
| die Globalisierung | Globalisation | Same root |
💻 Technology & Science
| Deutsch (with article) | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| das Internet | Internet | Identical! |
| das Handy | Mobile phone | false friend — not “handy”! |
| der Computer | Computer | Identical! |
| die App | App | Identical! |
| das System | System | Identical! |
| die Technologie | Technology | Very close |
| die Energie | Energy | “y” → “ie” |
| das Labor | Laboratory | Shortened form |
| die Theorie | Theory | Same root |
| das Experiment | Experiment | Identical! |
🍕 Food & Lifestyle
| Deutsch (with article) | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| das Restaurant | Restaurant | Identical! |
| der Kaffee | Coffee | Very close |
| das Hotel | Hotel | Identical! |
| die Pizza | Pizza | Identical! |
| der Salat | Salad | Drop the “d” |
| das Steak | Steak | Identical! |
| die Bar | Bar | Identical! |
| das Café | Café | Identical! |
| der Alkohol | Alcohol | Identical! |
| das Dessert | Dessert | Identical! |
🏋️ Health & Body
| Deutsch (with article) | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| das Fitness | Fitness | Identical! |
| der Sport | Sport | Identical! |
| die Diät | Diet | Same root |
| das Vitamin | Vitamin | Identical! |
| das Symptom | Symptom | Identical! |
| die Therapie | Therapy | Same root |
| das Virus | Virus | Identical! |
| die Allergie | Allergy | Same root |
| der Stress | Stress | Identical! |
| das Training | Training | Identical! |
✈️ Travel & Places
| Deutsch (with article) | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| der Tourist | Tourist | Identical! |
| die Adresse | Address | Very close |
| das Taxi | Taxi | Identical! |
| der Bus | Bus | Identical! |
| das Ticket | Ticket | Identical! |
| der Pass | Passport | Shortened in German |
| die Kontrolle | Control | Same root |
| das Terminal | Terminal | Identical! |
| der Park | Park | Identical! |
| die Route | Route | Identical! |
📚 Education & Work
| Deutsch (with article) | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| die Universität | University | Same root |
| das Seminar | Seminar | Identical! |
| das Diplom | Diploma | Very close |
| der Professor | Professor | Identical! |
| das Büro | Bureau / Office | Same root |
| das Projekt | Project | Drop the “c” |
| die Präsentation | Presentation | Identical! |
| das Dokument | Document | Identical! |
| die Analyse | Analysis | Same root |
| die Strategie | Strategy | Same root |
🎬 Media & Entertainment
| Deutsch (with article) | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| das Kino | Cinema | Short form |
| der Film | Film | Identical! |
| das Radio | Radio | Identical! |
| die Serie | Series | Very close |
| der Blog | Blog | Identical! |
| das Podcast | Podcast | Identical! |
| das Video | Video | Identical! |
| die Komödie | Comedy | Same root |
| das Drama | Drama | Identical! |
| die Regie | Direction (film) | Same root |
💬 Common Adjectives
| Deutsch | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| modern | Modern | Identical! |
| elegant | Elegant | Identical! |
| brutal | Brutal | Identical! |
| exakt | Exact | Near identical |
| direkt | Direct | Very close |
| formal | Formal | Identical! |
| global | Global | Identical! |
| neutral | Neutral | Identical! |
| digital | Digital | Identical! |
| optimal | Optimal | Identical! |
Pro tips for using these words
- The row colour IS the article. Blue = der, Pink = die, Orange = das. Try to visualise the colour as you say the word — it builds article memory faster than rules alone.
- Watch out for false friends. Das Handy means mobile phone in German, not something convenient. Der Chef means boss, not a cook!
- Pronunciation differs. Even identical words sound different. Internet in German has stress on the first syllable and a short “i”.
- These words are your fast track. English and German share over 1,500 such words. Mastering this list gives you instant confidence at B2–C1 level.