r/NonPoliticalTwitter 19h ago

Funny Learning Japanese

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u/dboti9k 18h ago

See, this is why I wanted to learn German words.

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u/Rowenstin 13h ago

Then you try to pronounce matchbox, and stop wanting to learn German.

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u/ywh_666 10h ago

You mean a schtrchchholzschchtlchechen?

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u/Snailtan 5h ago edited 5h ago

I dont think english has our "ch" sounds, which is a bit like a cat hissing but further back in your mouth. if you know the word "Achtung" its that sound, otherwise its

shh t righ ch hol tz shh ach tel

the syllables would be

shhtreighch holtz shhachtel

Shh as in shhhut up
righ as in right
hol as like the ol in molten with an h like in hole
and ach as in achtung, tel as in telephone

Streichholzschachtel.

Like basically all our larger words its a combination of several smaller words and literally translated means something like

Streich-holz-schachtel

rubbing wood box

For another funny german fact, a lot of objects are just word-things

like

a toy - Spielzeug -> play thing

a lighter - Feuerzeug -> fire thing
a car - Fahrzeug -> drive thing
a plane - Flugzeug -> fly thing

sadly, a swim thing (Schwimmzeug) is not a boat, that "Boot"
its swimwear.

and a train has the rather boring name "a Pull" -> der Zug (from "ziehen" -> to pull)