After studying the German language for a short time, you’ll probably run into the confusing fact that Germans have a distinct name for “Germany” in German that seems wildly different from the name we use in English. Germans call Germany Deutschland.
The difference in the names between languages is a result of two totally different linguistic histories and a rich history of cross-cultural interaction. Learn what Germans call Germany and what the German name of the proud nation really means here.
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What do you call ‘Germany’ in German?
Germany’s official name in German is the Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Federal Republic of Germany), but most Germans simply refer to it as Deutschland (Germany). You can imagine this would be easier for daily conversation, like Americans referring to the nation as America, rather than the United States of America. The name for Deutschland came about from the reunification of Germany in 1990 and is celebrated each year on German Unity Day.
Why do Germans call Germany ‘Deutschland?’
Why is “Germany” called Deutschland? It comes from the Old High German word diutisc, pronounced “dee-oot-ish,” meaning “of the people” or “belonging to the common folk.” Over time, diutisc evolved to diutsch in Middle High German, and finally Deutsch in modern German.
This term was more of an adjective to describe the language spoken in this region and those who spoke it. Therefore, Deutschland can be understood as “the land belonging to the people who speak German.” Now that’s classic German efficiency!
Tips for correctly pronouncing Deutschland
The collection of sounds Germans make when they say Deutschland (Germany) are sounds that English speakers almost make already. Because of this, you can easily learn how to pronounce Deutschland like a native German as an English speaker.
- Deutschland = Germany
First, break the term into two German words to divide and conquer: Deutsch-, which means “German” in German, and -land (country/land). You can pronounce Deutsch- as “DOYCH,” but make sure that “-CH” is soft, as if you were quietly shushing someone. Then you can pronounce -land as you would the word “land” in English, but swallow the “a” sound so it’s closer to saying “lnd.” Put it together as “DOYCH-LND” to sound authentically German!
Understanding why it’s called ‘Germany’ in English instead
Considering the vast difference in what the English and Germans call Germany, you may be wondering, “Why is Deutschland called Germany?” The name “Germany” comes from the Roman Empire, first recorded by Julius Caesar. He referred to the lands East of the Rhine River and north of the Alps as “Germania,” which over time evolved into “Germany.”
As Old English developed, it was loanwords from Latin that shaped much of its vocabulary rather than Old High German due to Latin being the academic language of the time, with more consistency in its spelling and grammatical rules. Therefore, English adopted the name “Germany” for the nation rather than the German-formed name Deutschland.
Common phrases with Deutschland
Oftentimes, new information is clearer when you see it in action. Now that you know what Deutschland (Germany) means and how to pronounce it, take a look at the example sentences below to get an idea of how you can use this term naturally in daily conversation:
- Ich lerne etwas über Deutschland. = I am learning about Germany.
- Willkommen in Deutschland! = Welcome to Germany!
- Er kommt aus Deutschland. = He comes from Germany.
- In Deutschland spricht man Deutsch. = People from Germany speak German.
Key takeaways for saying ‘Germany’ in German
Given Germany’s rich history, it’s no surprise that it has picked up a few names along the way. Here are the three key takeaways for saying ‘Germany’ in German:
- The word for “Germany” in German is Deutschland, meaning “land of the people.”
- English calls this country “Germany” because of the original Latin name “Germania,” so named by the Roman Empire.
- In the German language, you can pronounce Deutschland (Germany) as “DOYCH-LND,” and you must always capitalize this word regardless of its place in a sentence.
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