Zeitgeist, Schadenfreude, Wanderlust: a collection of favourite words and expressions that reveal how different cultures see the world. Currently all German, with plans to grow into other languages over time. Click any word to read its cultural note, discover the English equivalent, and hear it spoken aloud.

[[slug:wanderlust]]

Germany

Wanderlust

Hiking desire

[[slug:weltschmerz]]

Germany

Weltschmerz

World pain

[[slug:gemütlichkeit]]

Germany

Gemütlichkeit

Cosy mindedness

[[slug:strohdumm]]

Germany

Strohdumm!

Straw stupid!

[[slug:angst]]

Germany

Angst

Fear

[[slug:fingerspitzengefühl]]

Germany

Fingerspitzengefühl

Fingertip feeling

[[slug:verschlimmbessern]]

Germany

Verschlimmbessern

Worsen-improve

[[slug:zeitgeist]]

Germany

Zeitgeist

Time ghost

[[slug:kummerspeck]]

Germany

Kummerspeck

Grief bacon

[[slug:torschlusspanik]]

Germany

Torschlusspanik

Gate-shut panic

[[slug:bergfest]]

Germany

Bergfest

Mountain festival

[[slug:doppelgänger]]

Germany

Doppelgänger

Double-goer

[[slug:kaputt]]

Germany

Kaputt

Broken

[[slug:wunderbar]]

Germany

Wunderbar

Wonder-able

[[slug:kindergarten]]

Germany

Kindergarten

Children garden

[[slug:kopfkino]]

Germany

Kopfkino

Head cinema

[[slug:schadenfreude]]

Germany

Schadenfreude

Damage joy

[[slug:treppenwitz]]

Germany

Treppenwitz

Staircase joke

[[slug:sturmfrei]]

Germany

Sturmfrei

Storm-free

[[slug:drachenfutter]]

Germany

Drachenfutter

Dragon food

[[slug:ohrwurm]]

Germany

Ohrwurm

Ear worm

[[slug:innerer-schweinehund]]

Germany

Innerer Schweinehund

Inner pig-dog

[[slug:abendbrot]]

Germany

Abendbrot

Evening bread

[[slug:fernweh]]

Germany

Fernweh

Distance pain

That’s all 250+ for now. Know a saying worth sharing? Submit it →