March 27, 2025 10:24 PM PDT
If you’ve ever seen a long German word, you know that in
Dutch vs German, German words are much longer due to compound word formation.
Examples of Long Words in German vs Dutch
German: "Rechtsschutzversicherungsgesellschaften" (legal protection insurance companies).
Dutch: "ziektekostenverzekering" (health insurance).
German allows for extremely long compound words, while Dutch tends to separate words or keep them shorter.
Why Does German Have Longer Words?
Compounding: German allows words to be stacked together.
Cases and Endings: Words change depending on their role in a sentence, adding length.
Formality: German words tend to be more structured and detailed.
Which Language Is More Concise?
Dutch is more flexible and allows separation of words, making it easier to read.
German compounds words extensively, creating long and complex terms.
Verdict: In Dutch vs German, German has much longer words due to its tendency to combine multiple words into one. Dutch, in contrast, keeps words shorter and easier to read.