10 Funny and Weird German Sentences on Duolingo

I’ve been using Duolingo for over four years now, and I’ve had my fair share of, um…well, memorable experiences while learning German through this app. Duo was my first language-learning buddy and has always been my go-to companion for quick lessons throughout my language journey. 

However, I think we can all agree that Duo the owl now lives in all of our nightmares, along with some of the weird, funny and downright disturbing sentences it will get you to learn. And that’s what we’re here for today. You can find my top 10 funny and weird German sentences on Duolingo towards the end of this post. 

But first, let’s start here. 👇🏻

What is Duolingo?

Chances are you’ve heard of Duolingo in some shape or form. Their marketing team, particularly their social team, honestly do the most work and all deserve raises. They rarely miss a cultural moment and have amassed 7.4 million followers on TikTok alone. FYI…that’s HUGE for a brand.

But knowing it exists and knowing what it is can often be two different things.

So for those still curious, Duolingo is a language-learning app. That’s it. That’s the tea. But there are tons of language-learning apps in the world, so what makes Duolingo so special?

Its user-friendly interface, engaging lessons and most importantly the fact that it has always been and continues to be FREE. There is a paid version that offers additional extras. But its core offering is free, unlike a lot of other apps.

The app also offers a gamified approach to language learning with super short lessons that make it both educational and entertaining. There is also an entire online subculture around it, meaning those who use it also have a community to engage with.

What Languages Can You Learn on Duolingo?

Duolingo provides an extensive selection of languages to learn, catering to learners with diverse language interests. From widely spoken languages like Spanish and French to less common ones like Irish and Navajo, Duolingo’s language offerings are truly impressive.

The language selection is pretty damn extensive. There are currently 43 languages available to learn, 39 of them for English learners. All of your usual European suspects are on there, but Duolingo also goes a little deeper than most language apps, with less common languages like Welsh, Swahili, Scottish Gaelic, Navajo and Yiddish. Oh yeah, you can also learn High Valyrian and Klingon. See the full list of languages Duolingo offers here.

Is Duolingo Actually Any Good?

The real-world effectiveness of Duolingo has been a hot topic in the language-learning community for years. People have long debated what language learning apps can and can’t do for your learning and fluency.

My opinion? Duolingo is a GREAT starting point for learning a language. It’s fun, the lessons are gamified and interactive. It makes for a fantastic jumping-off point, or supplementary tool for language learners. But, you ain’t getting fluent from it.

Use it alongside other learning methods to develop a well-rounded skill set.

Is Duolingo Effective for Learning German?

German is my primary target language, what with living in Germany and all. As I mentioned above, you can’t get fluent using Duolingo alone.

But it was a valuable resource when I first started learning. 

Duolingo helped me build my vocabulary list and practice basic grammar, which made my life a lot easier when I came to start my first A1 level course. It also helped me with the repetition of certain difficult language elements (looking directly at those pesky German conjunctions…👀). 

So, is it effective? On its own, no. But combined with other practice or courses, its a great tool to use to build fluency.

Why Are the Sentences So Weird?

Alright, let’s get into it, shall we?

One of the most distinctive aspects of Duolingo is its collection of…eccentric sentences. But believe it or not, these sentences serve a purpose! They serve as, hopefully, memorable examples that help learners remember vocabulary and grammar rules more effectively.

Duolingo themselves are fully aware of the silliness of some of the sentences in their courses. They’ve even written their own blog post addressing the topic: 

During my time learning German on the app, I’ve encountered my own fair share of weird and wonderful phrases. And I’m going to share my top 10 with you below! 

10 Funny and Weird German Sentences on Duolingo

Here are some of the most amusing sentences I’ve come across during my time with Duolingo’s German course:

“Der Koch bringt das Pferd”

English: The cook brings the horse

Concerning. Has the cook brought the horse to work? Is the horse about to be cooked? It’s the horse meat scandal all over again!

“Ich gebe einer Professorin eine Katze”

English: I give the professor a cat

Sure. Why would you not give your professor a cat as a thank-you gift? They work hard.

“Du hast eine gute Zitrone”

English: You have a good lemon

All I’ve ever wanted in life is for somebody to compliment me on my lemon.

“Die Körper sind klein”

English: The bodies are small

Slightly disturbing. What has Duo been up to in their free time?

“Du gehörst mir”

English: You belong to me

No, Duolingo, it’s 2020. You can’t own people anymore.

“Die Katze gibt einer Frau einen Rock”

English: The cat gives a skirt to a woman

What a kind cat.

“Kinder, warum blutet ihr?”

English: Children, why are you bleeding?

I think Duolingo might be related to Pennywise.

“Wir ersetzen die Orange durch eine Kartoffel”

English: We replace the orange with a potato

An obvious ingredient swap for any recipe.

“Mein Großvater hat einundzwanzig Kartoffeln”

English: My grandfather has 21 potatoes

And he is very proud of them, thank you very much. What an inheritance.

“Er hat eine größere Ente als ich”

English: He has a bigger duck than me

I don’t think they’re talking about ducks…

Conclusion

Funny and concerning as they may be, these phrases have definitely left their mark on my language-learning journey. If you’re just starting out learning German with Duolingo, the only thing I can say is to embrace the weird. After all, let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want to own 21 potatoes or give their professor a cat?

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Like this blog post?

Check out my Learning German and 10 Favourite German Words posts as well!

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Steffi x