My first winter in Strasbourg, a friend told me j’ai acheté un Schnaps /ʃnaps/ and offered me a tiny glass of what felt like liquid fire. A few days later, someone mentioned getting a bretzel /bʁɛ.t͡sɛl/ and I thought they were talking about a medieval ceremony before realizing: oh… they just mean pretzel.
That’s when it hit me — French secretly borrows German words the way I borrow umbrellas: often, casually, and usually without returning them. Some came from history, some from food, some from music, and some from the inexplicable French desire to steal cool-sounding words whenever possible.
Let’s explore the German loanwords you’ll hear in everyday French — so you don’t panic the next time someone casually invites you for Apfelstrudel.
Quick Primer
French borrows German mainly for:
- Food and drinks (lots of these — and they’re delicious)
- Everyday culture & objects
- Military and political terms
- Music, arts, and philosophy
Many came centuries ago, but they’re still alive, kicking, and occasionally giving French vowels an identity crisis.
Food & Drink Borrowings
French cuisine is proud… but even proud cuisines sometimes say “ok, fine, we’ll take that too.”
| French (Loanword) | IPA | English |
| un bretzel | /œ̃ bʁɛ.t͡sɛl/ | pretzel |
| un schnaps | /œ̃ ʃnaps/ | strong spirit |
| un strudel | /œ̃ ʃtʁu.dɛl/ | strudel |
| un kouglof | /œ̃ ku.ɡlɔf/ | bundt cake |
| une choucroute | /yn ʃu.kʁut/ | sauerkraut |
| une knack | /yn knak/ | sausage (Alsatian) |
Example:
on prend une choucroute dimanche ?
/ɔ̃ pʁɑ̃ yn ʃu.kʁut di.mɑ̃ʃ/
Shall we get sauerkraut on Sunday?
Everyday Words Borrowed From German
These appear in everyday French without people realizing they’re German.
| French (Loanword) | IPA | English |
| un leitmotiv | /œ̃ lajt.mo.tiv/ | recurring theme |
| un kitsch | /œ̃ kitʃ/ | kitsch, tacky art |
| un blitz | /œ̃ blits/ | something done very fast |
| un landau | /œ̃ lɑ̃.do/ | baby carriage |
| une randonnée | /yn ʁɑ̃.dɔ.ne/ | hike (from “Randon”) |
| un vasistas | /œ̃ va.zis.tas/ | small hinged window |
Example:
son style est un peu kitsch, mais j’adore.
/sɔ̃ stil ɛ ɛ̃ pø kitʃ mɛ ʒa.dɔʁ/
Their style is a little kitsch, but I love it.
Military & Political Borrowings
These came through history, borders, and the very French joy of dramatic vocabulary.
| French (Loanword) | IPA | English |
| un bunker | /œ̃ bœŋ.kɛʁ/ | bunker |
| un feld-maréchal | /œ̃ fɛld ma.ʁe.ʃal/ | field marshal |
| un blitzkrieg (rare) | /œ̃ blits.kʁiɡ/ | blitzkrieg |
| un uhlan (historical) | /œ̃ y.lɑ̃/ | light cavalry soldier |
These aren’t for everyday chat unless your hobbies include war museums or intense board games.
Music, Arts & Culture Borrowings
Germans gave French a whole vocabulary of very serious-sounding words — perfect for cafés where everyone pretends to read philosophy.
| French (Loanword) | IPA | English |
| un lieder | /œ̃ li.dɛʁ/ | German art song |
| une wagnérienne | /yn vaɡ.ne.ʁjɛn/ | Wagnerian style |
| le Gesamtkunstwerk | /lə ɡe.zamt.kunst.vɛʁk/ | total art work (rare, academic) |
| un oberführer (historical) | /œ̃ o.bɛʁ.fy.ʁœʁ/ | high-ranking officer |
Example:
elle écoute des lieder depuis ce matin.
/ɛl e.kut de li.dɛʁ də.pɥi sə ma.tɛ̃/
She’s been listening to German art songs since this morning.
Borrowings Used in French Expressions
Some loanwords sneak into idioms or fixed expressions.
| Expression | IPA | English |
| c’est son leitmotiv | /sɛ sɔ̃ lajt.mo.tiv/ | that’s their recurring theme |
| faire un blitz | /fɛʁ ɛ̃ blits/ | to do something super fast |
| un week-end prolongé à la mode “kitsch” | /œ̃ wi.kɛnd pʁɔ.lɔ̃.ʒe a la mɔd kitʃ/ | a tacky retro-style weekend |
Usage Notes & Common Mistakes
- Pronunciation is French-ified.
Don’t use a dramatic German accent unless you want people to stare. - kitsch is everywhere — décor, fashion, gifts from your aunt.
It’s slightly teasing but not mean. - leitmotiv feels intellectual.
Perfect for students, film lovers, or anyone who wears scarves indoors. - vasistas is a funny one — supposedly from German “was ist das?”
The story is probably fake, which somehow makes French love it more. - Many food loanwords are common in Alsace and eastern France, but increasingly used nationwide.
Regional Notes
In Alsace (the border region), the German influence is strongest. You’ll hear:
- un schwung /ʃvʊŋ/ — momentum, energy
- un stück /ʃtyk/ — a piece (cake, pastry)
- un spaetzle /ʃpɛt.slə/ — egg noodles
These aren’t as common elsewhere, but they absolutely exist.
Mini Dialogues
Dialogue 1
tu veux un bretzel ?
/ty vø œ̃ bʁɛ.t͡sɛl/
Do you want a pretzel?
grave, j’adore ça.
/ɡʁav ʒa.dɔʁ sa/
Totally, I love that.
Dialogue 2
c’est quoi ton leitmotiv cette année ?
/se kwa tɔ̃ lajt.mo.tiv sɛt‿a.ne/
What’s your guiding theme this year?
être moins kitsch que l’an dernier.
/ɛtʁ mwɛ̃ kitʃ kə lɑ̃ dɛʁ.nje/
To be less kitschy than last year.
Dialogue 3
la déco de ce bar est… surprenante.
/la de.ko də sə baʁ ɛ syʁ.pʁə.nɑ̃t/
The décor in this bar is… surprising.
ouais, un peu trop kitsch.
/wa ɛ̃ pø tʁo kitʃ/
Yeah, a little too kitsch.
Quick Reference
| French (Loanword) | IPA | English |
| bretzel | /bʁɛ.t͡sɛl/ | pretzel |
| schnaps | /ʃnaps/ | spirit |
| strudel | /ʃtʁu.dɛl/ | strudel |
| choucroute | /ʃu.kʁut/ | sauerkraut |
| leitmotiv | /lajt.mo.tiv/ | recurring theme |
| kitsch | /kitʃ/ | tacky |
| landau | /lɑ̃.do/ | baby carriage |
| blitz | /blits/ | something done fast |
| bunker | /bœŋ.kɛʁ/ | bunker |
| vasistas | /va.zis.tas/ | small top window |
Five-Minute Practice Plan
- Pick three food loanwords and say them aloud with IPA.
- Make a sentence using kitsch to describe something around you.
- Create one “deep intellectual” sentence using leitmotiv.
- Repeat the dialogues with natural rhythm.
- Write a fake café review using one fun German term.
When German Sneaks Into French And Pretends It Belongs There
Once you learn these loanwords, you start noticing them everywhere — bakeries, restaurants, conversations about décor, even heated debates about whether someone’s outfit is kitsch or “just confidently retro.” And honestly, it’s charming. French pretends to be fiercely protective of its language, but then it casually picks up German words like souvenirs from a weekend trip.
Soon you’ll recognize them instantly — and use them with the confidence of a yak ordering a giant bretzel without blinking.
