13 Long German Words and What They Mean

German is a language known for its rich vocabulary, unique expressions, and, of course, its notoriously long words. For many language learners, these long German words can seem intimidating, but they're also fascinating windows into the German way of linguistics. Yes, they're tough to pronounce, but many of the longest German words aren't used too often in conversation. Still, they're fun to learn and can be quite an impressive party trick. Here, we'll explore some of the longest German words, what they mean, and when to use them (if ever!).

Why Are German Words So Long?

The German language is known for its frequent use of compound words, which essentially combine smaller words to create a new word with a very specific meaning. While English does this to some extent (like "toothbrush" or "football"), German takes it to the next level, often combining three, four, or even more words into one long, complex term.

For German learners, this can be both fun and a bit confusing, especially when you try to pronounce them. It's a blessing and a curse. On one hand, German compound words allow for very precise expressions. On the other hand, it can make reading and speaking a bit of a challenge. However, once you break down these long words into their components, you’ll find that they’re not so intimidating after all! At least... not all of them. 

13 of the Longest Words in German and When to Use Them

The longest word in the German dictionary is 63 letters long, and even some German speakers struggle with it. So, if you can master a few of the following long words in German, you're bound to impress any native speaker. To start, let's explore some of the 13 longest German words and their everyday use.

1. Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän

Let’s start with a word that’s sure to impress at any language gathering: Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän. This mouthful translates to “Danube steamship company captain.” It can be broken down as follows:

• Donau – The Danube River
• Dampfschiff – Steamship
• Fahrt – Journey or voyage
• Gesellschaft – Company or society
• Kapitän – Captain

Combined, this word describes the captain of a steamship company operating on the Danube River. While this word might seem excessive, it’s a perfect example of how German can condense a lot of information into one word. Although it's not too common in everyday language, this is one of the most popular examples of the flexibility of the German language.

If you want to see an even longer variation of a similar compound word, try pronouncing Donaudampfschifffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft. This German word with 79 letters translates to "Association for Subordinate Officials of the Head Office Management of the Danube Steamboat Electrical Services." But don't worry, you're probably never going to hear that German word in everyday use.

2. Rechtsschutzversicherungsgesellschaften

Here’s another impressive word: Rechtsschutzversicherungsgesellschaften. It means "legal protection insurance companies," and it’s a word you might actually encounter in the context of German bureaucracy. When broken down, the individual components mean the following:

• Recht – Law or right
• Schutz – Protection
• Versicherung – Insurance
• Gesellschaften – Companies or societies

Together, these words refer to companies that provide legal insurance protection. Many Germans purchase this protection to cover legal fees in case they need to go to court. If you're moving to Germany, you may also want to consider it (along with a few other types of insurance).

3.Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz

At 63 letters, Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz holds a place in the Guinness World Records as one of the longest words in the German language. It translates to “Beef labeling supervision duties delegation law.” Can you guess how it's broken down? 

• Rindfleisch – Beef
• Etikettierung – Labeling
• Überwachung – Supervision
• Aufgaben – Duties or tasks
• Übertragung – Transfer or delegation
• Gesetz – Law

This word refers to a law passed in response to the mad cow disease crisis in the 1990s. Although it's no longer active (nor is the word in official use), the word describes the law that regulated the supervision and delegation of tasks related to beef labeling to ensure food safety.

4. Kraftfahrzeug-Haftpflichtversicherung

Next up is a word that many Germans are familiar with: Kraftfahrzeug-Haftpflichtversicherung, meaning “motor vehicle liability insurance.” Does it surprise you that it's another insurance-related long compound word? There are quite a lot of legal compound words in German, so get used to them. This one can be broken down as follows:

• Kraftfahrzeug – Motor vehicle
• Haftpflicht – Liability
• Versicherung – Insurance

Breaking down long German words makes them much less intimidating, right? This one describes the type of insurance that every car owner in Germany is required to have by law. It covers damages to other people’s property or injuries they might suffer in an accident that’s your fault. 

5. Betäubungsmittelverschreibungsverordnung

Betäubungsmittelverschreibungsverordnung is another long word from German law. It translates to "Narcotics Prescription Ordinance." It refers to a regulation that governs the prescription of narcotic drugs, and given the strict controls around narcotics in Germany, it plays an important role in the healthcare system. This word can be broken down as follows:

• Betäubungsmittel – Narcotics
• Verschreibung – Prescription
• Verordnung – Ordinance or regulation

6. Grundstücksverkehrsgenehmigungszuständigkeitsübertragungsverordnung

Here’s a word that’s particularly beloved by bureaucrats: Grundstücksverkehrsgenehmigungszuständigkeitsübertragungsverordnung, meaning “Regulation on the delegation of authority concerning land conveyance permissions.” It refers to a regulation that specifies how the authority to approve land conveyance is delegated. Separately, each word means:

• Grundstück – Property or plot of land
• Verkehr – Traffic or conveyance
• Genehmigung – Permission
• Zuständigkeit – Competence or jurisdiction
• Übertragung – Transfer or delegation
• Verordnung – Regulation

As you can see, you probably don't need to be learning long words in German unless you're going into politics, but they're still a great way to practice your pronunciation. To help you get feedback on these fun tongue twisters, download Tandem today and match with a native German speaker. 

7. Sozialversicherungsfachangestelltenauszubildender

Sozialversicherungsfachangestelltenauszubildender is a word that starts to roll off your tongue (once you get the hang of it). It means “trainee social insurance clerk,” and is used to describe someone who is training to become a specialist in social insurance matters. It's broken down into the following three words:

• Sozialversicherung – Social insurance
• Fachangestellter – Specialist employee or clerk
• Auszubildender – Trainee or apprentice

8. Straßenverkehrszulassungsordnung

Straßenverkehrszulassungsordnung is a term relevant to anyone who drives in Germany. It translates to “Road Traffic Licensing Regulation," and is used to refer to the set of regulations that govern the licensing and operation of vehicles on public roads in Germany. You may already know some of the smaller words in this compound, as shown below:

• Straße – Street or road
• Verkehr – Traffic
• Zulassung – Licensing or admission
• Ordnung – Regulation or order

9. Vierhundertvierundvierzigtausendvierhundertvierundvierzig

While not a compound noun, Vierhundertvierundvierzigtausendvierhundertvierundvierzig is a wonderful example of how German numbers are expressed. This number, 444,444, shows how German combines smaller number words into larger ones. In English, the number is read as "four hundred forty-four thousand four hundred forty-four." German numbers are built from smaller units combined into a single word, which can make even a simple number feel quite long! Broken down, it's as follows:

• Vierhundert – Four hundred
• Vierundvierzig – Forty-four
• Tausend – Thousand

Can you guess how to say 999,999? Neunhundertneunundneunzigtausendneunhundertneunundneunzig. Numbers can really add up to some of the longest words in German, especially as they continue to increase.

10. Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung

Here’s a word that’s essential in the working world: Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung, which means “certificate of incapacity for work” or simply a doctor’s note. You'll need it if you can't work due to an illness and want to be covered under your employer's sick leave policy. Broken down, the words mean:

• Arbeit – Work
• Unfähigkeit – Incapacity or inability
• Bescheinigung – Certificate or attestation

11. Nahrungsmittelunverträglichkeitstest

Nahrungsmittelunverträglichkeitstest* is a term that’s becoming more common as awareness of food intolerances increases. It means “food intolerance test " and refers to medical tests that can be done to determine whether someone is sensitive to certain things. Broken down, this long German word is simplified into three parts:

• Nahrungsmittel – Food
• Unverträglichkeit – Intolerance
• Test – Test

12. Wiederbelebungsmaßnahmenleitfaden

Wiederbelebungsmaßnahmenleitfaden is a term that may come up in a medical or first aid context. It translates to “resuscitation measures guide" that provides you with steps for CPR or other resuscitation methods. It's broken down into the following words:

• Wiederbelebung – Resuscitation or revival
• Maßnahmen – Measures or actions
• Leitfaden – Guide or manual

13. Selbstmitgefühlskultivierungstechniken

The next German compound word on our list has more to do with psychology and personal development: Selbstmitgefühlskultivierungstechniken, which means “self-compassion cultivation techniques” is used to describe techniques that aim to foster self-compassion. It's broken down into the following shorter words:

• Selbst – Self
• Mitgefühl – Compassion
• Kultivierung – Cultivation
• Techniken – Techniques

Long German Words That Are a Bit More Common

While the above words are long, they're not particularly useful. And they're definitely not amongst the most beautiful German words. Learning the longest German words in everyday language may be a bit more helpful to your journey towards fluency. Some of the more common German compound words that you might actually use are:

• Streichholzschächtelchen — Matchbox
• Freundschaftsbeziehungen — Friendship relationships (friendships)
• Krankenversicherung – Health insurance
• Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung – Speed limit
• Verkehrsunfall – Traffic accident
• Zahnärztlicheuntersuchung – Dental check-up
• Fernbedienung – Remote control
• Hauptbahnhof – Main train station
• Flughafensicherheitskontrolle – Airport security check
• Lebensmittelvergiftung – Food poisoning

What's great about long German words is, the more you build your vocabulary, the more you can create yourself! German is extremely flexible, so it's fun to play around with different combinations. Just make sure you master the pronunciation to avoid any confusion along the way.

Want to Learn German Words You'll Actually Use?

Learning long German words is a great way to grow your vocabulary, but you probably won't need most of the bureaucratic or legal words. Still, by breaking down these words into their components, we gain not only a better understanding of the German language but also a greater appreciation for the thought processes and cultural factors that shape it. To help you delve even deeper into the German language, download Tandem today.

Tandem offers a unique language learning experience that will help deepen your understanding and improve your German sentences and conversational skills while learning to apply grammar rules in real conversations. All you need to do is download the app, sign up, and find a native speaker of your target language. Once you match, you’ll begin communicating through language exchange and one-on-one teaching. To join our worldwide community, sign up for Tandem today!