English-German Cognates
Genuine Cognates: B
Words that are identical or similar in English and German
ALSO SEE
> False Cognates (False Friends)
> Cognate Sound Shifts
Noun Genders: r (der, masc.), e (die, fem.), s (das, neu.)
Abbreviations: adj. adjective, adv. adverb, Am American English, Br British English, diff. used in a different or limited sense, f.c. false cognate, n. noun, pl. plural, pron. pronounced, v. verb
* = Less obvious cognates that may not closely resemble each other in both English and German, but are cognates
** = Words used in English that come from German
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What's a COGNATE? > Grammar Glossary - C
B
baby s Baby
badminton s Badminton
balcony r Balkon
Balkans, the r Balkan
ball r Ball
ballet s Ballett (from French)
balloon r Ballon
banana e Banane
band e Band (music)
r Band (diff.) volume (book)
s Band (diff.) ribbon, tape
bank e Bank
e Bank (diff.) bench
barometer s Barometer
bath s Bad* > Consonant Sound Shifts (d-th)
battery e Batterie
bear r Bär
bed s Bett* > Consonant Sound Shifts (tt-d)
bee e Biene > Vowel Sound Shifts (ie-ee)
beep r Piep (also "peep" in English)
beer s Bier > Vowel Sound Shifts (ie-ee)
benzene s Benzol (s Benzin) NOTE: Benzene is an ingredient in gasoline; Benzin = gasoline
Bible e Bibel
bikini r Bikini
billiards e Billard
bitter bitter
blind blind (pron. BLINT)
blinken blinken (flash, turn signal)
blinker r Blinker (turn signal)
blitzkrieg r Blitzkrieg**
blizzard r Blizzard
bloc/block r Block
(diff.) Block in German can have several meanings: bar (soap), bulk, (note) pad, etc., but not a city block.
blockade e Blockade
blond(e) blond
blood s Blut > Vowel Sound Shifts (u-oo)
blouse e Bluse*
blue blau*
blue jeans die Bluejeans (pl.)
board > on board an Bord (pron. on BORT)
boat s Boot* (pron. BOAT)
book s Buch*
born (p.p.) geboren*
boulevard r Boulevard (from French)
boxer r Boxer (dog and fighter)
brackish brackig (water)
bratwurst e Bratwurst**
Brazil s Brasil
bread s Brot*
broccoli die Brokkoli (pl.)
buffet s Buffet/s Büffet
bungalow r Bungalow
bus r Bus (pron. BOOCE)
butter e Butter
buzzard r Bussard
NEXT > Cognates: C
BACK > Cognates: A - More English-German cognates
MORE > Cognate Sound Shifts
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German in English > You Already Know German
ALSO > False Cognates (false friends)
MORE > English-German Glossaries on many topics
MORE > Confusing Words and Expressions in German
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