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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

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I
J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q
R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ

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

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I
J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q
R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ

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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