The Russian language is definitely intimidating when spoken with a deep voice. It feels like the world is ending. Somewhat similarly, I've hired a few Ukranian women at work and while their language is quite flowery on the surface, when they get pissed off about something and start ranting to each other, you've got to get the fuck out of there or you're going to be disciplined.
this post was submitted on 30 Apr 2025
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I'm in Switzerland rn and German really does not sound that aggressive. They actually sound quite kind and sweet.
Polish and Finnish swearing though... That's next level.
Yeah, strangely most languages sound intimidating when you just yell the words.
Mit Karte bitte!
I'm sorry I'm sorry!
I don’t like the stereotype (and it is just a stereotype) of German being a ‘screamy’ language. As a Dutchman who also speaks German, it’s a perfectly pleasant language to me in 99% of the cases (but then I think it’s beautiful anyway, hence why I learnt it). There’s nothing inherently ‘screamy’ about German.
Though I have to admit that when I do hear it being screamed in, it immediately triggers associations with that period in history like I was there myself. I blame movies.
Well, it's no secret anymore that you guys actually speak German at home and have your funny Dutch language only for the tourists, so no wonder you like how it sounds!
I don’t like the stereotype (and it is just a stereotype) of German being a ‘screamy’ language.
Yeah it's exactly that: Stereotype and being used to a certain melody in a language. For me (German) Arabic often sounds aggressive for some reason... Farsi and Dari sound pleasent though. I don't understand neither of them...
Even in Germany we consider some other dialects rude or aggressive sounding. For a lot of people Berlin's dialect sounds rude or some people from the north have the same feeling with some dialects from the sound. (For me it's the dialects spoken in the Black Forest).
Language is weird.
Honestly Saxonian ist the worst. I automatically assume I am talking to a Nazi and brace myself. The fact that that I am right in about 1 of 2 cases doesn't really help either
I blame what have done Germany 80 years ago in Europe as the main reason, we are barely getting out of the phase were all people that lives through these times are dead but it is still rembered.
This is exactly what it is. That reputation has nothing whatsoever to do with the actual sound of German. The stereotype, btw is not about it being screamy, but ugly. People claim it sounds ugly and aggressive, for no reason other than Nazis. It's a cultural stereotype that was completely projected onto the language, most notably how it sounds.
It could just be that for a lot of people their only exposure to German is that clip from Der Untergang where Hitler gets super pissed and it does indeed sound like yelling in German is way more aggressive than yelling in English - but the other people in the room don't yell back at him and there's nothing aggressive about their speech.
That and the videos of people pronouncing words in different languages and of course ambulance is said in a normal tone while Krankenwagen is yelled because stereotyp funni, but that's based more on how the words look when written down I think.
I bet most people who believe this have never heard normal German speech, only exaggerated phrases from movies and comic sketches, where Germans are bad guys who intentionally sound threatening.
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Drei im Weggla bidde!
Früher hat das noch 50 Pfennig gekostet.....
50 Pfennig? Das sind x,xxxx % der Staatsverschuldung der DDR. Mit den bisherigen Spenden hätte man die DDR um x,xxxx% entschulden können.
Bekomme ich jetzt auch eine Schnapspraline?
Kinda unfortunate because if Americans understood the Hitler speeches they'd know he's a whiney removed who sounds just as stupid as Trump with just as much of a victim complex.
Die in hell. points at shoes
I'm German, but I have to hand it to them: The Dutch have by far the best insults of any language.
My mother tongue is Afrikaans, I thought our insults were intense. Until I moved to the Netherlands, damn chill.
When the Dutch start cussing:
If that Cthulu image was from a movie, I'd wanna watch that!
Its so funny seeing Americans just thinking normal hochdeutsch is hardcore
Just wait until you hear Ze cute Bayrische Dialekt
I highly recommend "Dicht & ergreifend" (band) for a first (shallow) deep dive - Wanda dog is a good start. The video to the song is available online.
Oida!
Wosn?
Hoid dei Fetzbebn
English insults are like "How's your day, love?" and the other lad is positively miffed on account of how you pronounced it.
You never heard Portuguese people
I swear to god, why tf do they sound so Russian, like how.
Porkchops sound like deaf or mentally ill spanish people.
Lass sofort ein Bier rüberwachsen, sonst setzt's Randale!
Der Schaum sieht jämmerlich aus
It took me a while to realize that my mom (Korean, from Busan area) was on the phone having a conversation and not a heated argument. Literally sounded like screaming at times.
East Asian languages in general (excluding Japanese). My first thought seeing this meme was "this MF never heard Cantonese before?"
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Ich nehme den Saupressmagen in Biersoße mit Kartoffeln und dazu ein Hacker-Pschorr.
Idk man "May you get fucked by a swordfisch" (spanish insult) is pretty hard in my book x)
Magst du gefickt werden bei einem Schwertfisch?
*Mögest du von einem Schwertfisch gefickt werden.
Konjunktiv I, and "bei" would be appropriate for "by candlelight" or "at the bakery", but not "by some agent". "vom Bäcker" -- you're getting fucked by the baker, "beim Bäcker' -- you're getting fucked at the bakery. Dative in both cases.
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