Today, I found out that while on foreign exchange for over six months now, I have been pronouncing the word for "night" in German wrong. Apparently, this whole time, the way that I have been pronouncing it in German means "naked". This explains a lot. FML
Collection
Halloween
A failed costume, stolen candy and a very real scare: Halloween, the one night when fear is allowed.
Today, I found out the German I've been learning for nearly a month is a dialect only spoken by people in a small area of the country. This means I'll need to re-learn most of what I thought I knew. FML
Today, I returned to Germany for a break from my studies abroad. I got lost while out for groceries, so I tried asking a guy for directions. I went totally blank and strained to think of the right words, prompting him to mutter about rude foreigners not bothering to learn the local language. FML
Today, I found out that I've been pronouncing "quinoa" wrong for years. FML
Today, I arrived in Germany for a summer-long stay. The family I'm supposed to stay with had said they spoke fluent English. They don't. I don't speak German. It's going to be a quiet two months. FML
Today, I learned that I've been saying a word wrong my whole life and all my friends have been too polite to correct me, when I found out that "Segue" and "Segway" are pronounced the same. FML
Today, I arrived in Austria. Within about an hour, I realized that I couldn't understand any "German". Turns out they have a totally different dialect here to anything I was taught in school. I'm here till May. FML
Today, I found out that my German wasn't as great as I thought it was. Trying to give directions to some German tourists, I tried to say, "I hope I don't get you lost." Turns out I actually said something closer to, "I hope I don't seduce you." FML
Today, I found out that I was moving to Germany. I'm going to be put back a year in school because of the system change. I also don't speak a word of German. Why? Because my mother wants to brag about this experience to her friends. FML
Today, I have learned a lot of "big" words from reading so much, but can actually only pronounce about half of them correctly. FML
Today, a German guy came into the place where I work. Eager to use the German that I'd learned from my immigrant mother and her family, I started a conversation. Things were going well until the term I grew up thinking meant "Africa" turned out to be racist, translating as "Ape Land." FML
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Top comments
WCARlover 35
Why would it take 6 months for someone to correct you? I can imagine you saying something like "last naked we went out to dinner" would make a person confused and then realize you meant night and would teach you how to say it correctly way before 6 months went by
BlackHawkSavior 28
I can just imagine OP asking, "Are we hanging out naked?"
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Comments (75)
Tytonic 16
Night- Nacht (Nah-ht) Naked- Nackt (Nah-k-t) I can see how this would happen. However, German relies on context quite often, so they should be able to understand what you mean. Most times. This just make for some hilarious misunderstandings.
mystam4 17
Haha could have added a little extra naked fun to your nights :)
Dexter83_fml 17
I'm really hoping that there are blonde German girls where your staying otherwise mate could go in your favour
hotmessguy 13
Ahah my brother did the same thing, except it was just a weekend and not 6 months...
malait 23
While teaching scuba diving, I used to say "*******" instead of "bubbles" for a while before being corrected so I feel you OP..
UmbraSlayer 11
Wait how come no one there ever questioned why you would be saying that??? Like did they laugh and just not say anything?
LeonDaRealProfi 6
in german naked is nackt and night is nacht. op pronounced the ch like an k
wuellmar 18
Ah yes, the "ch" sound... Dont worry, all people with English as their native tounge have Problems with that. Any one on here that give you a Hard time, and where English ist their Native language, has or would make the same mistake. To be honest, your mistake probably seems worden to you then it is. Living in Germany, I have gotten used to it. Besides if you are making that mistake you are trying very Hard to speak German. and that is something to be proud of!
Sora_McKain 36
All people with English as their native language have problems with the German ch sound? I am a American English speaker and I never had a problem with the ch sound in the German language. Don't generalize everyone like that.
kenyrabit 25
...So, for 6 months you didn't hear anyone else say good night? -sadface
Futacy 30
Wow, this actually made me really sad. Nice job.
TelevisionMan 18
Nobody wants to be the jerk that corrects a foreigner on their pronunciation, even when it sounds ridiculous. You're lucky you ever found out.