Foreign Words in English
Instructions: How well do you know the foreign words and phrases we use every day in English?
- 1.
What language does the word 'kindergarten' come from?
ASwedishBDutchCDanishDGerman - 2.
The word 'tsunami' comes from which language?
AChineseBJapaneseCKoreanDHawaiian - 3.
What does the French phrase 'déjà vu' literally mean?
AAlready seenBNever forgottenCSeen beforeDDouble vision - 4.
From which language did English borrow the word 'safari'?
AHindiBArabicCZuluDSwahili - 5.
The musical term 'piano' comes from Italian. What does it literally mean?
ABeautifulBStringsCMusicalDSoft - 6.
Which language gave us the word 'ketchup'?
AChinese (Hokkien)BPortugueseCSpanishDFrench - 7.
What does the Latin phrase 'carpe diem' mean?
ASeize the dayBLive and learnCTo each their ownDTime flies - 8.
The word 'shampoo' was borrowed from which language?
AHindiBPersianCTurkishDArabic - 9.
What is the origin of the word 'robot'?
APolishBRussianCGermanDCzech - 10.
The word 'algebra' comes from which language?
ALatinBSanskritCGreekDArabic - 11.
What does the French expression 'RSVP' stand for?
AReçu sans vérification préalableBRépondez s'il vous plaîtCRetour sans valeur postaleDRencontre spéciale très prochaine - 12.
From which language does the word 'chocolate' originate?
APortugueseBMayanCNahuatl (Aztec)DSpanish - 13.
The word 'pajamas' was borrowed from which language?
AArabicBMalayCHindi/UrduDTurkish - 14.
What does the German word 'wanderlust' literally mean?
ALove of natureBLost in wonderCDesire to wanderDDream of travel - 15.
The word 'typhoon' has roots in which language?
AJapaneseBFilipinoCChineseDThai - 16.
What language gave us the word 'lemon'?
ASpanishBItalianCGreekDArabic - 17.
The word 'bungalow' comes from which language?
AThaiBMalayCHindi/BengaliDJapanese - 18.
What does the Italian word 'al fresco' literally mean?
AUnder the sunBOutdoors foreverCIn the fresh (air)DNear the garden - 19.
Which language gave English the word 'boondocks'?
AHawaiianBTagalog (Filipino)CSamoanDSpanish - 20.
The word 'yacht' was borrowed from which language?
ADutchBNorwegianCFrenchDSwedish
Answer Key
Kindergarten is German for 'children's garden.' It was coined by Friedrich Froebel in 1840 for his early education program.
Tsunami is Japanese, combining 'tsu' (harbor) and 'nami' (wave), literally meaning 'harbor wave.'
'Déjà vu' literally translates to 'already seen' in French, describing the feeling of having experienced something before.
Safari comes from Swahili, meaning 'journey' or 'expedition,' originally derived from the Arabic word 'safar' (travel).
The full Italian name is 'pianoforte,' meaning 'soft-loud,' because it could play notes at different volumes unlike the harpsichord.
Ketchup likely comes from the Hokkien Chinese word 'kê-tsiap,' a fermented fish sauce. The tomato version is an American adaptation.
'Carpe diem' means 'seize the day' and comes from a poem by Horace (65-8 BC), urging people to make the most of the present.
Shampoo comes from the Hindi word 'champo,' meaning 'to press or massage,' brought to English during the British colonial era in India.
Robot comes from the Czech word 'robota' (forced labor). It was introduced by Karel Čapek in his 1920 play R.U.R.
Algebra comes from the Arabic 'al-jabr' (restoration), from the title of a 9th-century book by mathematician al-Khwarizmi.
RSVP stands for 'Répondez s'il vous plaît,' meaning 'Please respond' in French.
Chocolate comes from the Nahuatl (Aztec) word 'xocolatl,' likely meaning 'bitter water,' referring to the original unsweetened drink.
Pajamas comes from the Hindi/Urdu 'pai-jama' (leg garment), adopted by the British in India and brought back to the West.
Wanderlust combines 'wandern' (to wander/hike) and 'Lust' (desire), literally meaning 'desire to wander.'
Typhoon comes from the Chinese 'tai fung' (great wind), possibly influenced by the Greek 'Typhon' (a mythological monster).
Lemon entered English via Old French from Arabic 'laymun,' which in turn came from Persian 'limun.'
Bungalow comes from the Hindi 'bangla,' meaning 'of or belonging to Bengal,' referring to one-story houses in that region.
Al fresco means 'in the fresh (air)' in Italian, used in English to describe dining outdoors.
Boondocks comes from the Tagalog word 'bundok' (mountain), picked up by American soldiers during the Philippine-American War.
Yacht comes from the Dutch 'jacht' (short for 'jachtschip,' meaning 'hunting ship'), originally a fast, light sailing vessel.