List of tongue-twisters

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The following is a list of tongue-twisters, or difficult-to-repeat verses, in several languages.

[edit] List of tongue-twisters in English

[edit] Rhymes and poems

Many tongue-twister poems depend on repetition:

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
So a peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Another variation:

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, How many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick? Peter Piper picked as many pickled peppers as Peter Piper picked.

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck
If a woodchuck would chuck wood?
Just as much wood as a woodchuck would chuck
If a woodchuck could chuck wood.

Another variation:

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck
If a woodchuck could chuck wood?
He'd chuck as much as a woodchuck would
If a woodchuck could chuck wood.

Another Variation:

How much wood would a wood woodchuck chuck If a wood woodchuck could chuck wood? A Wood woodchuck would chuck as much wood as a wooden woodchuck would chuck If a woodchuck could chuck wood.

Alternative last two lines:

A woodchuck would chuck all-the-wood-he-could-chuck,
If a woodchuck could chuck wood.

Betty Botter bought a bit of butter. "But," she said, "this butter's bitter!
If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter!"
So she bought a bit of butter better than her bitter butter,
And she put it in her batter, and her batter was not bitter.
So 'twas better Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter. listen (help·info)

Another variation:

Betty Botter bought some bitter butter. "But," she said, "this butter's bitter!
If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter!"
So Betty Botter bought some better butter,
And it made her batter better.

She sells sea shells by the sea shore
And the shells she sells are seashore shells I'm sure.

Another variation:

She sells sea shells by the sea shore,
If she sells sea shells by the sea shore,
How many sea shells does she sell?
She sells as many as sea shells that
she sells by the sea shore

Moses supposes his toeses are roses
But Moses supposes erroneously
For no-body's toeses are posies of roses
As Moses supposes his toeses to be.

Sarah, Sarah, sits in her Chevrolet.
When she shifts she sips her Schlitz,
and when she sips her Schlitz she shifts.

A canner can can anything that he can,
But a canner can't can a can, can he?

A variation:

How many cans can a cannery can
If a cannery can can cans?

How much Zen would a Zen master master
if Zen master could master all the Zen?
A Zen master would master all the Zen he could master
if a Zen master should master all the Zen

One smart fellow, he felt smart
Two smart fellows, they felt smart
Three smart fellows, they all felt smart

A mother to her son did utter
"Go, my son, and shut the shutter"
"The shutter's shut" the son did utter
"I cannot shut it any shutter!"

How many sheets could a sheet slitter slit
If a sheet slitter could slit sheets?
A sheet slitter could slit all the sheets
If a sheet slitter could slit sheets!

Unique New York.
New York's unique.
You know you need
Unique New York.

Another variation:

You know New York
You need New York
You know you need unique New York
You know you need unique New York
You know unqiue New York needs you

Some limericks that are also tongue-twisters:

A certain young fellow named Beebee
Wished to marry a lady named Phoebe
"But," he said. "I must see
What the minister's fee be
Before Phoebe be Phoebe Beebee"

A fly and a flea in a flue
Were trapped, so what could they do?
"Let us fly," said the flea
"Let us flee," said the fly
So they flew through a flaw in the flue.

A tutor who tooted the flute
Tried to tutor two tooters to toot
Said the two to the tutor
"Is it tougher to toot or
To tutor two tooters to toot?"

Variation

A tooter who taught to toot
Taught two tooters to toot the toot
Said the two to the tutor
Is it harder to tutor two tooters to toot
or to toot two tooters?

Some rhyming tongue-twisters (also used as diction exercises):

To sit in solemn silence on a dull dark dock
In a pestilential prison with a lifelong lock
Awaiting the sensation of a short sharp shock
From a cheap and chippy chopper on a big black block.
(from The Mikado)

I am the very model of a modern major general
I've information animal, vegetable and mineral
I know the kings of England and I quote the fights historical
From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical
(from The Pirates of Penzance)


Some tongue-twisters are specifically designed to cause the inadvertent pronunciation of a swearword if the speaker stumbles verbally (see w:spoonerism):

I'm not the pheasant plucker, I'm the pheasant plucker's mate,
And I'm only plucking pheasants 'cause the pheasant plucker's late.
I'm not the pheasant plucker, I'm the pheasant plucker's son,
And I'm only plucking pheasants till the pheasant plucker comes.

Another variation:

I'm a mother pheasant plucker. I pluck mother pheasants. I'm the most pleasant mother pheasant plucker Who ever plucked a mother pheasant.

Another variation

I'm not the mother pheasant plucker
I'm the mother pheasant plucker's son
I'm the pleasantest son of a mother pheasant plucker
who ever plucked a mother pheasant
and I'll be plucking mother pheasants
until the mother pheasant plucking's done

Another variation

I am a mother pheasant plucker.
I am a mother pheasant plucker's son.
I am the best mother pheasant plucker,
to ever pluck mother pheasants.
And I'll be plucking mother pheasants
'till the pheasant plucking's done!

One sock cutter he cuts socks,
two sock cutters they cut socks,
three sock cutters they cut socks,
they all cut socks together.

I thought a thought but the thought I thought was not a thought so I thought another thought and the other thought I thought was a thought so I thought to express that thought.

[edit] Phrases to be repeated quickly

  • A big black bug bled black blood
  • A black bug's blood
  • A cricket critic
  • A green glass gas globe
  • Bad blood
  • Big Pig
  • Bethel Youth baseball
  • Cheques cashed fast
  • Frost Free Fridge Freezer Froster
  • How many sheets can a sheet slitter slit if a sheet slitter could slit sheets?
  • Irish wristwatch
  • Iranian uranium
  • Legend tripping
  • Liril
  • Loyola
  • Red lorry, yellow lorry
Variants: Red leather, yellow leather; Red welly, yellow welly
  • Road-roller
  • Rubber baby buggy bumpers
  • Upper roller, lower roller
  • Sanskrit skit script
  • Skip Script
  • Stupid Superstition
  • Throw a flower
  • Toy boat
  • Tragedy, strategy
  • Unique New York
  • Sunshine City
  • Peggy Babcock
  • Hot Heat Hit Hatted Hairy Henry's Head
  • Rest and relaxation results in recuperation
  • The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plains.
  • Rubber shovel

[edit] Other phrases

  • Around the rough and rugged rock the ragged rascal randomly ran.
  • Ken Dodd's dad's dog's dead.
  • "Are you copper-bottoming 'em my man?" "No, I'm aluminiuming 'em ma'am."
  • The black bloke's back brake block broke.
  • Pauline Perkins slurps a pork popsicle
  • Fresh sock fluff
  • A box of biscuits, a box of mixed biscuits, and a biscuit mixer
  • He thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts.
  • Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager managing an imaginary menagerie.
  • I slit a sheet, a sheet I slit, upon a slitted sheet I sit.
  • The Leith police dismisseth thee. The Leith police dismisseth us. (According to urban legend, one accused of being drunk would only be dismissed by the Leith police if this phrase could be repeated without making a mistake).
  • A proper cup of coffee from a copper coffee pot.
  • Round and round the rugged rock the ragged rascal ran.
  • You know I need unique New York. I know you need unique New York.
  • The sixth sick sheikh's sixth sheep's sick.
  • I want to put a hyphen between the words Fish and And and Chips in my Fish-And-Chips sign

Wouldn't the sentence have been clearer if quotation marks had been placed before Fish, and between Fish and and, and and and And, and And and and, and and and And, and And and and, and and and Chips, as well as after Chips?

  • Chain chomp champ chomps through chewy chains. (see Chomp).
  • "We reweave rips" (A sign in the window of a tailor's shop.)
  • The human torch was denied a bank loan
  • The winkle ship sank and the shrimp ship swam.
  • An old seabear sits on the pier and drinks a pint of beer. [ən əυld siːbeər sɪts ɒn ðə pɪər ænd drɪŋks ə paɪnt əv bɪər]
  • Three sweet switched Swiss witches watch three washed Swiss witch Swatch watch switches. Which sweet switched Swiss witch watches which washed Swiss witch Swatch watch switch?
  • One One was a racehorse. Two Two was one, too. When One One won one race, Two Two won one, too.
  • She sells sea shells on the sea shore. The shells she sells are sea-shore shells, I'm sure.
  • One woman wore one hundred wippy wrist watches
  • The seething sea ceaseth and that sufficeth me
  • She, where he had had had, had had had had. Had had had had the approval of the examiner.
  • The trump card"On a balcony, inexplicably mimicking him hiccoughing, she amicably welcomed him in."
  • I wish to wash my Irish wristwatch
  • While Wendel wanders the wintery wasteland, Wendy wonders whether the weather will get wetter or warmer.
  • The embarrassed banished barrister balances his embarrassed banished ballast on the banister.

[edit] Tongue twisters in languages other than English

[edit] Albanian

  • Karikaturisti karikaturon karikatura karakteristike. listen (help·info)
The caricaturist caricatures characteristic caricatures. (Coincidentally kari is the definitive form of a vulgar term for penis.)
The cup with a lid the cup without a lid
The hen of Lleshi laid an egg in a wool basket.
  • Pirdh o prift ne prill pirdh.
Fart, priest in April, fart.
  • Plaka lau pllakat.
The old woman washed the tiles.
  • I papashaportizuar
You don't have a passport.

[edit] Arabic (اللغة العربية)

'* خيط حرير على حيط خليل

  • أرنب تـرنـدبـنـدقـت جـوهـا الـمـتـرنـدبـنـدقـيـن تـرنـدبـنـدقـوهـا
  • دربيل دربلنا به ودربيل ما دربلنا به
  • طلعت الشمس واستغطلمطلست واسودت والوديان واستمديست على علاء الدين بن المستغطلمطلسين
  • حنشنش بتنشنش تحت شجرة خضرة.
  • خالتي بركة عندها بقرة لما ذبحنا يقرتنا طلعت مركة رقبة بقرتنا اطيب من مركة رقبة بقرة عمتي بركة
  • بطتنا بطّت بطن بطتتكم بطتين وبطة يا هل ترى بتقدر بطتكم تبط بطن بطتنا بطتين وبطة
  • بشتي نشف ومشطي نشب بالشنطة
  • ليرة ورا ليرة
  • بطتنا وبطكم ..بطت بطتنا بطن بطتكم.ما تقدر بطتكم تبط بطن بطتنا مثل ما بطت بطتنا بطن بطتكم
  • طبق رطب ولبن بقر

* عنزتنا الحلطة الملطة القرعة القرطة جابت ستة حلط ملط قرع قرط اجا الذيب الاحلط الاملط الاقرع الاقرط اكل الست الحلت الملط القرع القرط'''''''

[edit] Bulgarian

  • Крал Карл и кралица Клара крали кларинети от кралските кларинетисти.
  • Kral Karl i kralitsa Klara krali klarineti ot kralskite klarinetisti.

(They say) the king Carl and the queen Clara stole clarinets from the royal clarinettists.

  • Петър плет плете, през три пръта преплита. Плети Петре плета, през три пръта преплитай.
  • Petur plet plete, prez tri pruta preplita. Pleti, Petre, pleta, prez tri pruta preplitai.

Peter knits a wattle-fence, weaves three times through. Weave, Peter, the wattle-fence; weave three times through.

  • На чичко Чочко чичковите червенотиквеничковчета.
  • Na Chichko Chochko chichkovite chervenotikvenichkovcheta.

Uncle Chochko's little uncle's red pumpkinheads.

  • Шест шишета се сушат на шест шосета от шест сешуара.
  • Shest shisheta se sushat na shest shoseta ot shest seshuara.

Six bottles are being dried on six highways by six blowdriers.

[edit] Catalan

  • Setze jutges d'un jutjat mengen fetge de penjat, si el penjat es despengues, es menjaria els setze fetges dels setze jutges que el van penjar
Sixteen judges from a court eat a hanged man's liver, but if the hanged man gets down, he'll eat the sixteen livers from the sixteen judges who hanged him.

[edit] Serbian, Bosnian, or Croatian

  • Бело јаре пролајало
    • Latin: Belo jare prolajalo.
White goat kid started to bark.
  • Cvrči cvrči cvrčak na čvoru crne smrče. (V. Nazor)
Chirping chirping cricket on the knot of a black spruce.
  • Raskiseliše li ti se ti opanci? Razveseliše li ti se gosti? Rasentimentalisaše li ti se osećanja?
    • Cyrillic: Раскиселише ли ти се ти опанци? Развеселише ли ти се гости? Расентименталисаше ли ти се осећања?
Have these opanci (kind of shoes) of yours been well soaked? Have your guests became jolly? Have your feelings become sentimental?
  • Туре буре ваља, була буре гура. Брже туре буре ваља но што була буре гура.
    • Latin: Ture bure valja; bula bure gura. Brže ture bure valja no što bula bure gura.
      • Variant: Ture bure valja; bula bure gura. Bolje ture bure valja nego bula bure gura.
A Turk rolls a barrel; a Turk damsel (lit. woman wearing a hijab) pushes a barrel. Turk faster (or better) rolls a barrel than Turk damsel pushes a barrel.
  • Na vrh brda vrba mrda, na vrh brda vrba mrda, na vrh brda vrba mrda...(ad nauseam).
    • Cyrillic: на врх брда врба мрда, на врх брда врба мрда, на врх брда врба мрда...
Atop the hill the willow stirs, atop the hill the willow stirs, atop the hill the willow stirs, ad nauseam.
  • Šaš devetorošaš al se razdevetorošašio.
    • Cyrillic: Шаш деветорошаш, ал' се раздеветорошашио.
  • Четири чавчића на чунчићу чучећи цијучу.
    • Latin: Četiri čavčića na čunčiću čučeći cijuču.
Four jackdaw chicks, on chimney perched, chirp.
  • Bela kuja prolajala, zalajala i odlajala.
    • Cyrillic: Бела куја пролајала, залајала и одлајала.
  • Пиле пикће док до куће не допикће.
    • Latin: Pile pikće dok do kuće ne dopikće.
Chicken clucks until /to the house/ it clucks.
  • Riba ribi grize rep.
    • Cyrillic: Риба риби гризе реп.
One fish bites another fishes tail.
  • На врх брда врба мрда.
    • Latin: Na vrh brda vrba mrda.
On top of the hill a willow swings.
  • Легитимиши ми се.
    • Latin: Legitimiši mi se.
Identify your self to me
  • Petar Petru pleo petlju pokraj puta po sto puta.
    • Cyrillic: Петар Петру плео петљу покрај пута по сто пута.
Petar made a loop for Peter by the road, hundreds of times.
  • Сједи стари Злокотлокрп и стара Злокотлокрпа и њихових двоје троје злоkоtloкрпчади.
    • Latin: Sjedi stari Zlokotlokrp i stara Zlokotlokrpa i njihovih dvoje troje zlokotlokrpčadi.
Sits an old cauldron-mender and his old cauldron-mendress (wife) and their two or three cauldron-menderlings (children)

The following is written with syllable accents although one does not normally write them down as they are usually implied by context. However, writing this sentence without accents would make it unintelligible.

  • Gȍre gȍrē gȍre gòrē, no što gȍre gòrē dolje.
    • Cyrillic, without accents: Горе горе горе горе, но што горе горе доље.
/Up there/ /worse/ mountains are burning, than mountains are burning down there.
  • Cyrillic: Mиш уз пушку, миш низ пушку.
    • (Latin: Miš uz pušku, miš niz pušku)
Down the rifle mouse goes, up the rifle mouse goes.
  • Latin: prijestolonásljednikovičičinima (longest word in Croatian language; only one accent)
to those who belong to a little throne heiress

[edit] Chinese (Cantonese)

(known as 急口令)

  • ming5 ding2 bing1 ding1 ting4 ding6 ting3 (酩酊兵丁停定聽)
The drunken soldier stopped and listened.
  • fu3 fu5 fu4 fu1 fu6 fu6 fu2 (富婦扶夫赴傅府)
A rich woman carried her husband to Fu's mansion.
  • yap9 sat9 yim6 sat1 gam6 gan2 gap7 dzai3, gwat9 gai1 gwat9 gwat7 gwat9 gai1 gwat9 (入實驗室襟緊急掣，掘雞掘骨掘雞骨)
Go to the laboratory and press the emergency button, dig for the chicken, dig for the bone, and dig for the chicken bone.
  • ling5 ding2 ying7 ming4 ging7 sing2 bing1 ding7 ting4 ding6 ting3
[translation]
  • saan1 gaan7 ngaan6 faan2 laan5 maan6 faan7 maan4 waan5 daan6 taan4
[translation]

[edit] Chinese (Mandarin)

(known as 繞口令)

  • 西施死時四十四
  • xī shī sǐ shí sì shí sì
  • Xi Shi died at age 44.

The following is Lion Eating Poet in the Stone Den, a famous tongue twister written by Yuen Ren Chao. It is a short story written exclusively with various tones of one syllable (shi), and composed in the literary Chinese style.

  • 施氏食獅史
石室詩士施氏，嗜獅，誓食十獅。氏時時適市視獅。十時，適十獅適市。是時，適施氏適是市。氏視十獅，恃矢勢，使是十獅逝世。氏拾是十獅屍，適石室。食時，始識十獅實十石獅屍。試釋是事。
  • shī shì shí shī shǐ
Shí shì shī shì shī shì, shì shī, shì shí shí shī. Shì shí shí shì shì shì shī. Shí shí, shì shí shī shì shì. Shì shí, shì shī shì shì shì. Shì shì shì shí shī, shì shǐ shì, shǐ shì shí shī shì shì. Shì shí shì shí shī shī, shì shí shì. Shí shì shī, shì shǐ shì shì shí shì. Shí shì shì, shì shǐ shì shí shí shī shī. Shí shí, shǐ shì shì shí shī shī, shí shí shí shī shī. Shì shì shì shì.
  • In a stone house, lived a poet who loved lions, he swore to eat ten lions. In the morning, he went to the market. In a coincidence, ten lions arrived at the market. When the poet spotted the lions, he shot arrows, and 10 lions died. In return he received 10 lion carcasses and returned to his house. When he ate the dead lions, he realized it was ten stone lions.

The following is tongue-twister because it's difficult to pronounce so many s and sh without mixing:

  • 四是四，十是十，十四是十四，四十是四十。你不要把十四说成四十，四十说成十四。
  • Sì shì sì, shí shì shí, shí sì shì shí sì, sì shí shì sì shí. Nǐ bú yào bǎ shí sì shuō chéng sì shí, sì shí shuō chéng shí sì.
  • Four is four, ten is ten, fourteen is fourteen, forty is forty. You shouldn't say 'fourteen' as 'forty' or 'forty' as 'fourteen'.

This phrase can be used to tell if someone is drunk or not:

  • 四十四头死的石狮子
  • Sì shí sì tǒu sǐ de shí shī zi
  • Forty-four dead stone lions

[edit] Czech

Stick a finger through your throat.
  • Nesnese se se sestrou.
He doesn't get on with his sister.
  • Roli lorda Rolfa hrál Vladimír Leraus.
The role of Lord Rolf was played by VL.
  • Nenaolejuje-li koleje Julie, naolejuji je já.
If Julie doesn't oil rails, I will oil them.
  • Třistatřicetři stříbrných stříkaček stříkalo přes třistatřicet tři stříbrných střech.
Three hundred and thirty three silver fire-engines were spraying over three hundred and thirty three silver roofs.
  • Zalyžařivší si lyžař potkal lyžaře nezalyžařivšího si.
A skier who had had a fun time skiing met a skier who had not had a fun time skiing.
  • Podkopeme my ten Popocatépetl tunelem, nebo nepodkopeme my ten Popocatépetl tunelem?
Are we going to dig a tunnel under that Popocatépetl, or are we not going to dig a tunnel under that Popocatépetl?
  • Šel pštros s pštrosicí a pštrosáčaty.
There went an ostrich [male] with an ostrichess and ostrichlets.
  • Pan kaplan v kapli plakal
Mr. curate wept in a chappel.
  • Salám ála másala mlsala malá lama Amála a lláma sám.
  • Bratře Petře, nepřepepři toho vepře. Jestli ho přepepříš, tak si toho vepře, bratře Petře, sám sníš.
Brother Peter, don't overpepper the pig. If you overpepper it, so the pig, brother Peter, eat yourself.

[edit] Danish

Red pudding with cream (it is made from stewed berries and served cold with cream). Only a tongue-twister for almost anyone but native Danes because of the letter "ø" and the soft Danish "d" which are difficult to pronounce for non-Danes.
  • Fem flade flødeboller på et fladt flødebollefad
Five flat cream puffs on a flat cream puff plate
  • Bispens gipsbisps gipsgebis gisper
The dentures of the bishop's plaster bishop (statuette) clatter
  • Da de hvide kom til de vilde, ville de vilde vide hvad de hvide ville vide
When the white (man) came to the wild (man), the wild wanted to know what the white wanted to know
  • Stakit, stativ, kasket
Paling, rack, cap
  • Kæmpe kæppe knækker næppe
Giant rods hardly crack
  • Titusinde tossede troldeunger trillede til trylleteatrets trappetrin
10,000 crazy young trolls rolled to the steps (of the stairs) of the magical theatre.

[edit] Dutch

  • De poes kotst in de postkoets.
The cat pukes in the stagecoach.
  • De koetsier poetst de postkoets met postkoetspoets.
The coachman cleans the stagecoach with stagecoach cleaner.
  • De kat krabt de krullen van de trap met drie droge doeken.
The cat scratches the woodcurls of the stairs with three dry cloths.
  • De knappe kapper kapt knap, maar de knappe knecht van de knappe kapper kapt knapper dan de knappe kapper kappen kan.
The clever barber cuts hair well, but the clever helper of the clever barber cuts hair more clever than the clever barber can cut it.
  • De meid snijdt recht en de knecht snijdt scheef.
The maid cuts straight and the servant cuts crooked.
  • Liesje leerde Lotje lopen langs de lange lindenlaan.
Liesje taught Lotje how to walk along the long lime tree lane.
  • Moeder snijdt zeven scheve sneden brood.
Mother slices seven skew slices of bread.
  • Een pet met een platte klep is een plattekleppet.
A cap with a flat flap is a flat flap cap.
  • Wanneer een potvis in een pot pist heb je een pot vol met potvissenpis.
When a sperm whale pisses into a pot, one has a pot full of sperm whale piss.
  • Jeukt jouw jeukende neus ook zoals mijn jeukende neus jeukt?
Does your itching nose itch like my itching nose is itching? (when you pronounce jeukende neus jeukt incorrect you get jeukende jeus neukt which means something like itching j/nose fucks.)
  • Zeven zwarte zwanen zwemmen in de Zuiderzee.
Seven black swans swim in the Southern Sea.
  • Als vliegen achter vliegen vliegen, vliegen vliegen vliegensvlug.
If flies fly behind flies, flies will fly like lightning.
  • Als achter vliegen vliegen vliegen, vliegen vliegen vliegen achterna.
If behind flies fly flies, are flies flying in pursuit of flies.
  • Toen was was was, was was was.
When wash was wash, wash was wash.
  • Wij wouden witte was wassen waneer wij wisten waar warm water was.
We would wash white wash when we knew where warm water was.
  • Als in Graven graven gravengraven graven, graven graven gravengraven.
If counts are digging count-graves in Graven, counts dig count-graves.
  • Zeven Zaventemse zotten zwommen zes zomerse zondagen zonder zwembroek. "Ze zijn zekers zot zeg!", zei Zuster Zulma zuchtend. Ze zullen zinken.
Seven nuts from Zaventem were swimming on six sundays without bathingsuit."They are crazy for sure!", replied Sister Zulma sighing. They will sink
  • Hottentottententententoonstelling
  • Hottentottensoldatententententoonstelling

[edit] Esperanto

  • Ĉu ŝi scias, ĉu ĉi-scene la sklavo ŝtelas la sceptron?
Does she know if the slave steals the sceptre during this scene?
  • Serpo servu cin por ĉerpo el cerbo de serba cervo.
May a billhook serve thee to scoop out a Serbian deer's brain.

[edit] Estonian

  • Pagari piparkook (repeated).
Baker's ginger biscuit
  • Musta lehma saba valge lehma taga, valge lehma saba musta lehma taga (repeated).
Black cow's tail behind a white cow, white cow's tail behind a black cow.
  • Kabli klubi (repeated)
Club of Kabli
  • Habemeajaja, majarajaja ja jaamaülem (repeated, sobriety test)
Barber, house builder and stationmaster
  • Habemeajaja ja jaamaülem jalutasid honorari järele.
The barber and the station-master walked for the fee.
  • Kummikutes kummitus kummitas kummutis (repeated, sobriety test)
A ghost with rubberboots haunted in the chest of drawers
  • Eminemi esimene esinemine
Eminem's first performance
  • Jüriöö ülestõus (jokingly used to determine if a non-native speaker has mastered the difficult accented vowels)
The Jüriöö uprising, in the night of April 23, 1343 peasants in Northern Estonia rebelled against their Danish overlords and cleansed much of the country of the foreign rulers.
  • Õunapuu õitseaeg on Jüriöö ülestõusust jõululaupäevani
Blossom-time of an apple-tree is from the Jüriöö uprising until the Christmas Eve.
  • Kuulilennuteetunneliluuk
The hatch of the tunnel of ballistic trajectory
This word is also a palindrome.
  • Õueaiaäär
Edge of a yard fence
  • Jäääär
Edge of ice
  • korstnapühkija teeb kortsus korstnad korda
the chimney sweeper will fix the wrinkled chimneys
  • Kuuuurija
Explorer of the Moon
  • Töööö
Night of work, night shift
  • Südaööelu
Midnight life
  • Ööbik nöögib (repeated)
A nightingale is mocking
  • Kõueööaimdus
Surmise of thunder-night
  • Hauaööõudused
Horrors of a night in grave
  • Lampjalgadega stampvambilgi on rambikramp.
  • Roo-loorkull
Marsh harrier bird (Circus aeruginosus). Enormously hard to pronounce if you are drunk.

[edit] Filipino

  • Kabilugan ng buwan, buwan ng kabilugan
Fullness of the moon, month of roundness (i.e.: pregnancy).
This tongue-twister is also a Spoonerism, intending the speaker to say "kalibugan" (the state of being horny).
  • Minimikaniko ni Monico ang makina ng minicar ni Monica
Monico is working on ("mechanic-ing") Monica's mini-car's engine.
  • Pasko, paksiw
"Pasko" is the Filipino word for Christmas and "paksiw" is meat stewed in vinegar.
  • Pitumpu't pitong puting putong ipinirito ng puting patong papito-pito
Seventy-seventy white rice cakes fried by a whistling white duck.
  • Puting tupa, tupang puti
Featuring the two ways to say "white sheep" in Filipino, this Spoonerism intends the speaker to say "puta" (bitch).
  • Tumalon si Tonton sa malalim na balon sa ilalim ng talon sa taniman ng talong
Tonton jumped into the deep well under the waterfalls by the eggplant plantation.
  • Ang relo ni Leroy Rolex
Leroy's watch is a Rolex.
  • Bituka, butiki, botika
Intestine, lizard, drugstore.

[edit] Finnish

  • Alavilla mailla hallan vaaraa (This is an actual weather report)
Risk of frost on low-lying lands
  • Appilan pappilan apupapin paksuposkipiski pisti poskeensa paksun papupurkin.
The thick-cheeked dog of the deacon of the rectory of Appila (a name of a place) ate a thick bean can.
  • Appilan pappilan apupapin papupata pankolla kiehuu ja kuohuu.
Bean casserole of the deacon of the rectory of Appila (a name of a place) boils and bubbles on the oven.
  • Appilan pappilan piski paksuposki pakkas kapsäkin ja pinkaisi juoksuun.
The thick-cheeked dog of the rectory of Appila (a name of a place) packed up a travelling-bag and started running.
  • Kokoo kokoon koko kokko! Koko kokkoko? Koko kokko.
Gather up a full bonfire! A full bonfire? A full bonfire.
  • Vie fiestaan hienon miekkamiehen tie (Tie vie!)
The way of the fine swordsman leads to fiesta (Road leads!)
(from "My Fair Lady", as Finnish translation for "The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain.")
  • Lauri löysi ruplanrahan jyrkän penkereen reunalta.
Lauri (a man's name) found a one ruble coin from the brink of a steep cliff.
  • Mustan kissan paksut posket (repeated)
Black cat's thick cheeks
  • Pappilan apupapin papupata pankolla kiehuu.
The rectory's deacon's bean casserole boils on the oven.
  • Presidenttipari pariloi Floridan kolesterolitonta broileria.
The presidential couple is barbequing cholesterol-less Florida broiler.
  • Vesihiisi sihisi hississä.
The water pixie hissed in an elevator. (tease or practice for people with a lisp)
  • Yksikseskös yskiskelet? - Itsekseskös itkeskelet?
Are you coughing alone? - Are you crying by yourself?
  • Ärrän kierrän ympäri orren, ässän pistän taskuun.
I twine an 'R' around a purline, I put the 'S' into the pocket. (Tease or practice for people with problems pronouncing 'r' or 's')
  • Ääliö, älä lyö, ööliä läikkyy!
Idiot, don't hit, beer spills!
  • Yötyö vie työmiehen myöhään syömään
Night shift gets the worker late for dinner
  • Nuoret työmiehet vievät Suomen tietyöt päätökseen
Young workers finalize the Finnish road works
  • Enenenen, en enenene.
I may increase, I may not increase.
  • Gödöllön pöllö töllöttää, möllöttää, köllöttää ja ööliä löllöttää
The owl of town Gödöllő (in Hungary) watches around, sulks, idles and consumes beer.
  • Kersantti Pippuri rannalla tappeli (to tease or practice people who confuse 'r' and 'l')
Sergeant Pepper fought at beach
  • Käki söi keksiä keskellä keskioksaa
Cuckoo ate cookie in the middle of the mid-branch
  • Etsivät etsivät etsivät etsivät etsivät
Detectives who are detecting find (other) detectives who are detecting
Variant: Etsivät etsivät etsivät etsittävät etsivät etsivät
The detecting detectives detect the (other) detecting detectives to be detected
  • Ettette te tee
So that you won't do
  • Kumpi ja Kampi tappelivat - Kumpi voitti (ambiguous meaning, either a question or statement)
Which and Other (two persons) fought. The other one won. - Literally: Which and Handle fought. Which won./Which one won?
  • Puutavara? Traktori vetää, metsuri vedättää, urakoitsija vedätyttää, saha vedätätyttää
Lumber? Tractor pulls, lumberjack has it pulled, lumber company lets it have pulled and sawmill asks it to let to be pulled
(an example of indirection in the Finnish language)

[edit] Dialectal

  • - Kokko, kokkoo kokkoo koko kokko! - Koko kokkoko? - Koko kokko. Kokkookko? (Savo dialect)
Kokko (a surname), gather up the whole bonfire! - The entire bonfire? - The entire bonfire. Now will you gather it up?
Grandma, pack grandpa's suitcase - this is also almost verbatim the same in Swedish.
  • Olin sedälläni seitsemän vuotta kodossa renkinä (to tease Eastern Tavastians, who pronounce 'd' as 'l')
I was my uncle's servant at his home for seven years; mispronounced becomes "I was seven years a servant in a hole laying on my back"
  • Hieno piano (repeated) (To tease people from Finland proper, who pronounce the diphthong 'ie' as 'ia')
Fine piano
  • Fiesta Kiasmassa (to tease people from Savo, who pronounce the diphthong 'ia' as 'ie')
Fiesta in Kiasma (Helsinki museum of modern arts)

[edit] Special words

  • Lentokonesuihkuturbiinimoottoriapumekaanikkoaliupseerioppilas (The longest Finnish word, an actual military term in Air Force)
Airplane jet turbine engine auxiliary mechanic non-commissioned officer student
  • Hääyöaieuutinen
literally "Wedding night intention news"(very literally "The good night news") - something about celebrities and certainly yellow press stuff. Nine consecutive vowels.
  • Epäjärjestelmällistyttämättömyydellänsäkäänköhän
Wonder if even with his/her lack of capacity to create disorganisation
  • Pientalokolmivaihevaihtovirtakilowattituntimittari (The longest everyday Finnish word)
Small house three phase alternative current kilowatt-hour meter
  • Kaksitariffikolmivaihevaihtovirtakilowattituntimittariasennuspalvelu
Two-tariff three phase alternative current kilowatt hour meter installing service
  • Saippuakauppias
Soap vendor, 15 letters, longest everyday palindrome
  • Saippuakalasalakauppias
Soapfish smuggler, 23 letters, longest meaningful palindrome
  • Solutomaattimittaamotulos
Cell tomato laboratory report, 25 letters, longest palindrome

[edit] French

  • La pie niche haut, l'oie niche bas, l'hibou niche ni haut ni bas, mais où l'hibou niche?
The magpie nests high-up, the goose nests low-down, the owl nests neither high-up nor low down, but where does the owl nest?
  • Je suis ce que je suis, et si je suis ce que je suis, qu'est-ce que je suis?
I am what I am, and if I am what I am, What am I?
  • Mon père est mon maire et mon frère est masseur.
My dad is my mayor and my brother is a massager. (sounds like my dad is my mother [mère] and my brother is my sister [ma soeur])
  • La roue sur la rue roule ; la rue sous la roue reste. listen (help·info)
The wheel on the road rolls; the road under the wheel stays.
  • Un chasseur sachant chasser doit savoir chasser sans son chien de chasse. listen (help·info)
A hunter who knows how to hunt has to know how to hunt without his hunting dog.
  • La pipe au papa du Pape Pie pue (Prévert).
Pope Pius' dad's pipe stinks.
  • Si ces saucissons sont bons, ces saucissons-ci sont aussi bons.
If those sausages are good, these sausages here are also good.
  • Le ver vert va vers le verre vert."
The green worm goes towards the green glass.
  • Kiki était cocotte et Coco concasseur de cacao. Kiki la cocotte aimait beaucoup Coco le concasseur de cacao. Or un marquis caracolant, caduc et cacochyme, conquis par les coquins quinquets de Kiki la cocotte, offrit à Kiki la cocotte un coquet caraco kaki à col de caracul. Quand Coco le concasseur de cacao comprit qu'un marquis caracolant, caduc et cacochyme conquis par les coquins quinquets de Kiki la cocotte, avait offert à Kiki la cocotte un coquet caraco kaki à col de caracul, il conclut « Je clos mon caquet, je suis cocu ! »
please translate this!
Kiki was a hen and Coco a crushing-mill of cocoa. Kiki the hen liked a lot Coco the crushing-mill of cocoa. Now, a prancing marquis, mute and feeble, conquered by the roguish eyes of Kiki the hen, offered to Kiki the hen a stylish khaki collared camisole of caraculs1. When Coco the crushing-mill of cocoa realised that a prancing marquis, mute and feeble conquered by the roguish eyes of Kiki the hen, had been offered to Kiki the hen a stylish khaki collared camisole of caraculs, he concludes “I finish my chattering, I am a cuckold2!”

A lot of these words are from Argot-French, words no longer used in the French language. 1 A breed of sheep with a special type of wool 2 A man married to an unfaithful wife

Basket piano
  • Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches ou archi sèches ? listen (help·info)
Are the archduchess's socks dry or very dry?
  • Si mon tonton tond ton tonton, ton tonton sera tondu.
If my uncle shaves your uncle, your uncle will be shaved.
  • Je veux et j'exige du jasmin et des jonquilles. listen (help·info)
I want and demand jasmin and daffodils.
  • Natacha n'attacha pas son chat qui s'échappa.
Natacha did not tie up her cat, who escaped/.
  • Un dragon gradé dégrade un dragon gradé.
A commissioned dragoon decommissions a commissioned dragoon.
  • Je suis un original qui ne se désoriginalisera jamais.
I am an original who will never de-originalise.
  • Spock s'pique avec du speed ? Mais c'est stupide! Spock spécule et s'perd dans des spleens sporadiques.
Spock takes speed by intravenous? That's stupid? Spock speculates and loses himself into sporadic melancholy.
  • Les salauds salissent Solaar cela me lasse. Mais laisse les salir Solaar, sur ce, salut ! (MC Solaar - L'histoire de l'art)
The bastards dirty [make fun of] Solaar, this annoys me. But let them dirty this, bye!
  • Fruits cuits, fruits crus (repeated).
Cooked fruits, raw fruits.
  • Si six scies scient six cyprès, six cents six scies scient six cents six cyprès.
If six saws saw six cypresses, six hundred and six saws saw six hundred and six cypresses. (Was written in a Finnish book as "si si si si si si prä, si si sang si si sang si prä".)
  • Napoleon, céda Sedan, céda ses dents.
Napoleon, lost Sedan, lost his teeth.
  • Poisson sans boisson est poison.
Fish without drink is poison.
  • Didon dîna, dit-on, du dos d'un dodu dindon.
Dido ate, it is said, from the back of a fat turkey.
  • Tas de riz, tas de rats. Tas de riz tentant, tas de rats tentés. Tas de riz tentant tenta tas de rats tentés. Tas de rats tentés tâta tas de riz tentant!
Mount of rice, bunch of rats. Tempting mount of rice, tempted bunch of rats. Tempting mount of rice has tempted bunch of tempted rats. Bunch of tempted rats touched tempting mount of rice!
  • Tonton, ton thé t'a t'il ôté ta toux ?
Uncle, did your tea remove your cough?
  • Dis-moi gros gras grand grain d'orge, quand tu dégrogragrangraindorgeras-tu? Je me dégrogragrangraindorgerai quand tous les gros gras grands grains d'orge se seront dégrogragrangraindorgés.
Tell me, big fat large grain of barley, when you will un-big-fat-large-grain-of-barley yourself? I will un-big-fat-large-grain-of-barley myself when all the big fat large grains of barley are un-big-fat-large-grain-of-barley-ed.
  • l'abeille coule (à répéter plusieurs fois rapidement)
the bee runs (to be said several times rapidly)
  • Dieu sait qu'elle sait quelles séquelles.
God knows that she knows some sequels.

[edit] German

  • ...den Zündschlüssel ins Zündschloss stecken.
  • Es klapperten die Klapperschlangen, bis ihre Klappern schlapper klangen. listen (help·info)
The rattlesnakes rattled until their rattles rattled less vigorously.
  • Fischers Fritz fischt frische Fische, frische Fische fischt Fischers Fritz. listen (help·info)
Fischers' boy Fritz fishes for fresh fish, for fresh fish fishes Fischer's boy Fritz.
  • Brautkleid bleibt Brautkleid, und Blaukraut bleibt Blaukraut. listen (help·info)
Bride's dress remains bride's dress, and blue cabbage remains blue cabbage.
  • Konstantinopolitanische Dudelsackpfeifenmachergesellschaft
(Bagpipe-pipe maker company of Constantinople)
  • Der Potsdamer Postkutscher putzt den Potsdamer Postkutschkasten. listen (help·info)
The driver of the Potsdam stage coach cleans the case of the Potsdam stage coach.
  • Im Potsdamer Boxclub boxt der Potsdamer Postbusboss. listen (help·info)
At the Potsdam boxing club, the boss of the Potsdam post bus is boxing. (almost works in English too)
  • Der Whiskeymixer mixt den Whiskey mit dem Whiskeymixer. listen (help·info)
The whiskey mixer (barman) mixes whiskey with the whiskey mixer (device). (The fun here lies in the most probable mistake: wichsen is a vulgar German term for "to masturbate".)
  • Im dichten Fichtendickicht nicken dicke Fichten tüchtig. listen (help·info)
In a dense thicket of spruces, thick spruces are heavily nodding. (German ficken means "to fuck" and Nichten equals nieces - n<->f).
  • Der Kaplan klebt Pappplakate an die Plakatwand. listen (help·info)
The chaplain is sticking posters made of cardboard to the notice board.
  • Wenn hinter Fliegen Fliegen fliegen, fliegen Fliegen Fliegen nach. listen (help·info)
If flies fly behind flies, then flies fly after flies.
  • Bismarck biss Mark, bis Mark Bismarck biss.
Bismarck bit Mark, until Mark bit Bismarck.
  • Zwei Ladenjungen, die vor den Schokoladenladen Laden laden, laden Schokoladenladenladenmädchen zum Tanze ein.
Two salesboys, who load crates in front of the chocolate shop, invite chocolate shop salesgirls to the dance.
  • Diesen Morgen haben sieben Schwaben einen gelben Hasen gesehen.
This morning seven Swabians have seen a yellow rabbit.
  • Die, die die, die die Steinkohlen stahlen, dingfest machen, erhalten eine Belohnung.
Those, who arrest those who steal the coals, earn a reward.
  • Bringst du Opi Opium, bringt Opium Opi um.
If you give Grandpa Opium, Opium is going to kill Grandpa.
  • Wir Wiener Wäscheweiber würden weiße Wäsche waschen, wenn wir wüssten, wo weiches warmes Wasser wäre.
We Viennese laundry women would wash white laundry if we knew where we could find soft warm water.
  • Zwischen zwei Zwetschgenzweigen sitzen zwei zwitschernde Schwalben.
Two twittering swallows are sitting between two plum twigs.
  • Wenn Griechen hinter Griechen kriechen, kriechen Griechen Griechen nach.
When Greeks creep behind Greeks, Greeks creep after Greeks.
  • Heut kommt der Hans nach Haus, freut sich die Lies. Ob er aber über Oberammergau, oder aber über Unterammergau, oder aber überhaupt net kommt, ist nicht g'wiß!
Today Hans comes home, and Lies is pleased. But whether he comes via Oberammergau, or via Unterammergau, or if he even arrives at all, is not certain!
  • Der Inder in der Inderin.
The Indian(man) in the Indian(woman). It is pronounced, Dea Inda in dea Indarin.
That's what you answer if someone asks you to make a sentence in German out of the words der (the, masculine) and in (in).

Franconian Dialect

  • A Mamaladaaama hamma daham aa.

(Alternatively, as heard in Erlangen, outside of Nuremberg: A Mamaladenhammala hamma aa daham)

(High German): Ein Marmeladeneimerchen haben wir daheim auch.
(English): A marmalade can, we have at home, too.

Swiss German Eastern varieties:

  • De Papscht hät s'Schpäck-Bschteck zschpaat bschtellt.
(High German): Der Papst hat das Speck-Besteck zu spät bestellt.
The pope was late ordering the cutlery for the bacon.

Western varieties:

  • Der Paapscht het z Spiez ds Bsteck z späät bstellt.
(High German): Der Papst hat in Spiez das Besteck zu spät bestellt.
The pope has ordered the cutlery too late in Spiez.

Phrases to be repeated rapidly

  • Hirsch heisst mein Vater.
Hirsch is my father's name.
(what you get if repeated too rapidly): Hier scheisst mein Vater.
Here my father is taking a shit

[edit] Greek

  • Ἄσπρη πέτρα ξέξασπρη, κι ἀπ᾿ τὴν ἥλιο ξεξασπρότερη! listen (help·info)
áspri pétra xéxaspri, ki apó ton ílio xexaspróteri!
White rock, whitest rock - even whitest than sun (sunshine)!
  • Μιὰ πάπια, μὰ ποιά πάπια; Μιὰ πάπια μὲ παπιά!
miá pápia, ma piá pápia; miá pápia me papiá!
A duck, but which duck? A duck with ducklings!
  • Ὁ παπὰς ὁ παχὺς ἔφαγε παχιὰ φακή. Γιατί παπὰ παχὺ ἔφαγες παχιὰ φακή;
O papas o pahis efage pahia faki. Giati papa pahi efages pahia faki?
The fat priest ate a fat lentil. Fat priest, why did you eat a fat lentil?
  • Καπνὸς παντοπάγκαπνος, καπνὸς καὶ παντοκαπνισμένος.
Kapnos pantopankapnos, kapnos ke pantokapnismenos.
Tobacco of all tobaccos, smoke and allsmoked.
  • Καλημέρα καμηλιέρη, καμηλιέρη καλημέρα!
Kalimera kamilieri, kamilieri kalimera!
Good morning camel driver, camel driver good morning!

[edit] Greenlandic

  • Kaffit karsit qassit?
How many boxes with coffee?
  • Nalunaarasuartaatilioqatigiiffissualiornialeraluarpunngooq
We are going to build a clockhouse
  • Tuttut tututtut tuttutuutut
There are dirty reindeers and they eat reindeers

[edit] Hebrew

  • גנן גידל דגן בגן, דגן גדול גדל בגן
Ganan geedel dagan bagan, dagan gadol gadal bagan
A gardner grew a cereal in the garden, a large cereal grew in the garden.
  • שרה שרה שיר שמח, שיר שמח שרה שרה
Sara shara shir sameh'ach, shir sameh'ach shara Sara
Sarah sings a happy song.
  • שרה שמה שום בסושי
Sara sama shum basushi
Sarah puts garlic in the Sushi.
  • נחש נשך נחש
Nachash nashach nachash
A snake bit a snake.
  • בקבוק בלי פקק
Bakbuk bli pkak
A bottle without a plug.
  • אני לא מהמתמהמהים, אני מהמתמהמהות
Ani lo me'ha'mitmahamehim, ani me'ha'mitmahamehot
I am not a from the procrastinating men, I am from the procrastinating women.
Variation: מהממהרים, מהממהרות me'ha'memaharim, me'ha'memaharot (I am not from the men in a hurry...).
  • אישה נעלה נעלה נעלה נעלה את הדלת בפני בעלה
Isha na'ala na'ala na'ala na'ala et hadelet bifnei ba'ala
A noblewoman put on a her shoe, locked the door in her husband's face. (This is a game with the conjugation rules that allow construction of identical words (in spelling and pronunciation) with different meanings. Such twisters exist in Arabic too.)
  • זה אני me-זה מי ו who-זה הוא ו he-זה היא ו she
She ze hi ve-he ze hu ve-who ze mi ve-me ze ani
This one translates words from English to Hebrew. Translating all the Hebrew words to English would give "She means she, and he means he, and who means who, and me means me." Each Hebrew word is pronounced like the English word of the next couple.
  • עכו כוסתה טל, צפת אף היא כוסתה טל
Akko kusta tal, Tsfat af (h)i kusta tal
Acre was covered with dew, Safed was covered with dew too.
Variation: שלג sheleg (snow) instead of טל tal (dew). This is more of an ear twister, you are supposed to pronounce it with no spaces, leaving the listener to guess what the קוקוס kokus (coconut) and the פיקוס fikus (ficus) are doing there.
  • טיטאת את התא? לא, לא טיטאתי את התא, תטאטא את התא אתה
Titeta et hata? Lo, lo titeti et hata, tetate et hata ata
Did you sweep the chamber? No, I didn't sweep the chamber, you sweep the chamber.
This is both hard to pronounce and hard to understand when pronounced without spaces ("Titeta-ta-ta - lo titeti-ta-ta, tetate-ta-ta-ata").
  • ששי וסשה שיסו את שיניהם בשישה שסקים, סשימי וסושי, בשש-עשרה לשישי בשעה שש ושש-עשרה
"Sasi VeSasha shisu et shineihem beshisha shesakim, sashimi vesushi, bashesh-esre lashishi besha'a shesh veshesh-esre"
Sasi and Sasha set their teeth on six loquats, sashimi and sushi, on the sixteenth of june at six and sixteen minutes

[edit] Hindi

  • ऊँट ऊँचा, ऊँट की पीठ ऊँची, पूँछ ऊँची ऊँट की
There is a tall camel, the tail of the camel is higher, but the back of the camel is even higher.
  • कच्चा पापङ पक्का पापङ
Uncooked lentil wafer, cooked lentil wafer.

lala gop gapangam das

[edit] Hungarian

  • Fekete bikapata kopog a pepita patika fekete kövein.
The heel of a black bull knocking on the black-and-white-checked floor tiles of a pharmacy.
  • A vonaton egy őrült, mellette egy őr ült. Örült az őrült, hogy mellette egy őr ült.
A lunatic was on the train; a guard sat beside him. The lunatic was happy that a guard sat beside him.
  • Öt török öt görögöt dögönyöz örökös örömök között. listen (help·info)
Five Turks are massaging [or beating up] five Greeks amid everlasting delights.
  • Szerb húsz, öt cseh, öt török öt görög, öt a földön hömpörög, hány ember?
Twenty Serbs, five Czechs, five Turks and five Greeks, five people are rolling on the floor, how many people are there? (The trick here is that "Szerb húsz, öt cseh" can be pronounced almost the same as "Szervusz öccse!" meaning "Hello brother!". Using this latter interpretation, the answer is fifteen, while the correct answer is forty.)
  • Mit sütsz, kis szűcs? Sós húst sütsz, kis szűcs?
What are you frying, little furrier? Are you frying salted meat, little furrier?
  • Te tetted e tettetett tettet? Te tettetett tettek tettese, te!
Did you do this pretended act? You, doer of pretended acts, you!
  • Két pék két szép kék képet kér.
Two bakers are asking for two nice blue pictures.
  • Megrövidebbítendő
Must be shorten. (trick is that Í is difficult to most people to say)
  • Azt mondják a hatalmasok,hogy akinek hat alma sok, az már elég hatalmas ok, hogy ne legyen a hatalma sok.
The powerful nobles say that if six apples is too much for a people, this is far enough reason to him/her not to have more power.
  • Nem minden tarka fajta szarka farka tarkabarka, csak a tarkabarka fajta szarkafajta farka tarkabarka.
Not all kinds of magpies have motley tails, only motley kind of magpies have motley tails.
  • Megszentségteleníthetetlenségeskedéseitekért (This is often thought of as the longest Hungarian word.)
(most exact possible meaning) For your constant mentioning of the fact that [something] is unprofanable [cannot be profaned/desecrated](approximate) For the impossibility of you [plural] committing multiple acts of desecration.
(tentative).
  • A similar word is "Elkelkáposztásítottalaníthatatlaníttathatnátok!", never used in spoken lanuage.
.(Entirely meaningless word, never used in spoken language.)
You[plural] would have removed from some savoy-cabbage containing thing.
  • Legeslegmegszentségteleníttethetetlenebbeiteknek (48 letters)
For to those of you who can the very least be made descreated.(also meaningless, never used word)
  • Széttöredezettségmentesítőtleníttethetetlekedhetnétek. (65 letters)
"you[plural] could constantly mention the lack [eg. a software or disc] that makes it impossible to have anyone make something free of a defragmenter"
  • Egy kupac kopasz kukac meg még egy kupac kopasz kukac az két kupac kopasz kukac.
A pile of bald maggots and another pile of bald maggots make two piles of bald maggots.
  • Jamaika a jamaicai jamaikaiaké.
Jamaica belongs to jamaican Jamaicans.
  • A szecsuáni síncsiszoló sínt csiszol Szecsuánban.
The rail-polisher of Sichuan polishes rails in Sichuan.
  • Lenin alumíniummauzóleumának lelinóleumozása.
Linoleuming Lenin's Mausoleum, made of aluminium.
  • Az ibafai papnak fapipája van, ezért az ibafai papi pipa papi fapipa.
The priest of Ibafa has a wooden pipe, so the priestly pipe of Ibafa is a priestly wooden pipe.
  • Ede, de bedezodoroztad magad!
Edward, you've put on pretty much deodorant!
  • Stresszes, strasszos strucc-sztreccscucc.
Stressing, rhinestone-studded spandex clothes for ostriches (or clothes with ostrich design).
  • Csinos, csíkos cinkcsészében kilenc cukros csirkecomb.
Nine sugar-sprinkled chicken legs in a pretty, striped zinc cup.
  • Egy picike pocakú picike pocok pocakon pöckölt egy picike pocakú picike pockot, mire a pocakon pöckölt, picike pocakú pocok pocakon pöckölte az őt pocakon pöckölő, picike pocakú pockot. listen (help·info)
A tiny vole with a tiny tummy flipped a tiny vole with a tiny tummy on the tummy, at which the vole with a tiny tummy flipped on the tummy flipped the vole with a tiny tummy on the tummy who flipped him on the tummy.
  • Q: Hogy hívták a híres lengyel tábornokot? A: Lompompolevimenicki Szaniszló!
Q: What was the name of the famous Polish general? A: as seen above. (This is a test for drunkenness.)
  • Láttam szőrös hörcsögöt. Éppen szörpöt szörcsögött. Ha a hörcsög szörpöt szörcsög, rátörnek a hörcsöggörcsök.
I saw a hairy hamster. It was sipping syrup. When a hamster sips syrup, it'll be seized by hamster-cramps.
  • Cserszömörcés sört szürcsöl Csörsz.
Csörsz is sipping smoketree beer.
  • Legkedvesebb megegészségesedésedre! (the second word is a nonce word)
For your kindest healthy-getting!
  • Agostyánban agg atyák a gatyáikat aggatják.
Aged fathers [monks] in Agostyán are hanging their briefs.
  • Jobb egy lúdnyak két tyúknyaknál.
A goose-neck is better than two hen-necks.
  • A Moszkvics-slusszkulcs luxusszükséglet.
Moskvitch ignition keys are luxury goods.
  • Minden kiskakas kikukorékolásáig él. (the third word is a nonce word)
Every cockerel lives until they cockadoodledoo their last.
  • Meggymag! Szelídmeggymag vagy, vagy vadmeggymag vagy?
Sour cherry seed: are you a seed of a wild [uncultivated] sour cherry or a seed of a tame [cultivated] sour cherry?
  • Szükségem sincs szájsebészre.
I don't even need an oral surgeon.
  • Bedezodorozott Moszkvics-slusszkulcs
A deodorised Moskvitch ignition keys
  • Luxusmoszkvicskisbusz-slusszkulcs
Luxury-Moskvitch-minivan ignition keys
  • Répa, retek, mogyoró. Korán reggel ritkán rikkant a rigó.
Carrots, turnips, hazelnuts. Thrushes rarely whistle early in the morning.
  • Sárga bögre, görbe bögre
Yellow mug, bent mug
  • Rokkó a rumos rabló rácsapott egy drágakő-rakományra, de rettentően ráfaragott.
  • Meguntam gyönyörű Győrnek gyöngyvárában laktomat, mert a Duna, Rába, Rábca rákja rágja lábomat.

[edit] Icelandic

  • Hnoðri úr norðri verður að veðri þó síðar verði.
A northern cloud will be weather in the end. The different order of r and ð make it hard not to mix them up.
  • Árni á Á á á á beit (við á).
Árni (name) on the farm Á (means river) owns a sheep which's biting grass (by a river).
  • Stebbi stóð á ströndu og var að troða strý, en strý var ekki troðið nema Stebbi træði strý. Eintreður Stebbi strý, tvítreður Stebbi strý, þrítreður Stebbi strý...
Stebbi (malename) stood on the beach, stuffing straw, but straw can't be stuffed except if Stebbi stuffs straw. Once Stebbi stuffs straw, twice Stebbi stuffs straw, thrice Stebbi stuffs straw...
  • Frank Zappa í svampfrakka.
Frank Zappa in a sponge coat.
  • Rómverskur riddari réðst inn í Rómarborg, rændi þar og ruplaði rabbabara og rjóma. Hvað eru mörg R í því?
A Roman knight invaded into Rome, robbed and rumbled rubarb and cream. How many R are in that? Also intended as a riddle, asking how many R's are in that. When the answer 15 is replied it is considered wrong, as there is no R in the word that.
  • Barbara Ara bar Ara araba bara rabbabara.
Barbara Ara (Barbara, the daughter of Ari) brought only rubarb to Ari the Arab. Note how the sentence consists entirely of the three letters A, B and R.
  • Það fer að verða verra ferðaveðrið
The travel weather is about to get worse.The different order of r and ð make it hard not to mix them up.
  • Það er langur gangur fyrir hann svanga Manga að bera þang í fangi fram á langa tanga.
It's a long walk for the hungry Mangi (name) to carry seaweed in his arms over the long spit.
  • Barði barði Barða á Barði.
Barði (name) pinched Barði (name) at the farm Barð.

[edit] Irish

  • Ná bac le mac an bhacaigh is ní bhacfaidh mac an bhacaigh leat.
Don't bother the lame man's son, and the lame man's son won't bother you.
  • Bhí banjó ag Joe, agus bhí banjó ag bean Joe - b'fhearr go deo Joe ar an mbanjó ná bean Joe go deo.
Joe had a banjo, and Joe's wife had a banjo - Joe was much better on the banjo than Joe's wife (deo, banjó and Joe all rhyme, and "bean Joe" sounds the same as banjó)

[edit] Italian

  • Un pezzo di pizza che puzza nel pozzo del pazzo di pezza.
A piece of pizza that stinks in the well of the ragged fool.
  • Sopra la panca la capra campa, sotto la panca la capra crepa
On the bench, the goat lives, under the bench the goat dies
  • Apelle, figlio di Apollo, fece una palla di pelle di pollo. Tutti i pesci vennero a galla, per vedere la palla di pelle di pollo fatta da Apelle, figlio di Apollo.
Apelle, son of Apollo, made a ball out of chicken skin. All the fishes came to the surface to see the ball made of chicken skin by Apelle, son of Apollo.
  • Tre tigri contro tre tigri, tre tigri contro tre tigri ...
Three tigers against three tigers ... (ad nauseam)
  • Trentatre trentini entrarono a Trento tutti e trentatre trotterellando
Thirty-three Trentines did enter in Trento trotting all thirty-three
  • Se l'arcivescovo di Costantinopoli si disarcivescoviscostantinopolizzasse, ti disarcivescoviscostantinopolizzeresti anche tu?
If the archbishop of Constantinople un-archbishop-of-Constantinople-ized himself, would you un-archbishop-of-Constantinople-ize too?
  • Tre fette di fegato fritto in tre strette tasche stanno
Three slices of fried liver are in three tight poaches

Milan dialect

  • Tì che te tacchet i tacch, taccom i tacch! Mi taccatt i tacch a tì? Taccheti tì i to tacch, tì che te tacchet i tacch!
phonetic: [ti ke te taket i tak takum i tak mi takat i tak a ti taketi ti i to tak ti ke te taket i tak]
You, who's job is to stick on heels (to a shoe), stick my heels on! I should stick the heels for you? Stick your own heels since you stick heels on

[edit] Japanese

  • Uriuri ga uri uri ni kite uri urezu uriuri kaeru uriuri no koe(瓜売りが瓜売りに来て瓜売れず売り売り帰る瓜売りの声)
A melon seller came to sell melons but no melon was sold. A voice of melon seller [is heard], who goes back , selling melons.
  • Basu gasu bakuhatsu (バスガス爆発)
Bus gas explosion
  • Tōkyō tokkyo kyoka kyoku (東京特許許可局)
Tokyo Patent Licensing Office (No such office exists.)
  • Kisha no kisha wa kisha de kisha. (貴社の記者は汽車で帰社。)
Your company's reporter is returning to the office by steam train.
  • Nama mugi nama gome nama tamago (生麦生米生卵)
Raw barley, raw rice, raw egg
  • Niwa ni wa niwa niwatori ga iru. (庭には二羽鶏がいる。)
There are two chickens in the garden.
  • Tonari no kyaku wa yoku kaki kū kyaku da. (隣の客はよく柿食う客だ。)
The guest beside me is a guest who often eats persimmons.
  • Bōzu ga byōbu ni jōzu ni bōzu no e o kaita. (坊主が屏風に上手に坊主の絵を書いた。)
A monk skillfully drew a picture of a monk on a folding screen.
  • Sumomo mo momo mo momo no uchi (すももも桃も桃のうち)
Plums and peaches are in the peach family [of fruits]

[edit] Korean

  • Ganjanggongjang gongjangjang-eun Jang gongjangjang-igo doenjanggongjang gongjangjang-eun Gang gongjangjang-ida. (간장공장 공장장은 장 공장장이고 된장공장 공장장은 강 공장장이다.) listen (help·info)
The manager of the soy sauce factory is Manager Jang and the manager of the soy paste factory is Manager Gang.
  • Gyeongchalcheong soechangsal oecheolchangsal, geomchalcheong soechangsal ssangcheolchangsal (경찰성 쇠창살 외철창살, 검찰청 쇠창살 쌍철창살)
The police headquarters' iron window bar (has) single-layer iron bars; the public prosecutor's office's iron window bar (has) double-layered iron bars.
  • An chokchokhan chokochip nara-e saldeon an chokchokhan chokochibi chokchokhan chokochip nara-ui chokchokhan chokochibeul bogo chokchokhan chokochibi doego sipeoseo chokchokhan chokochip nara-e ganneunde chokchokhan chokochip nara-ui munjigiga "neon chokchokhan chokochibi anigo an chokchokhan chokochibinikka an chokchokhan chokochip nara-eseo sara" rago haeseo an chokchokhan chokochibeun chokchokhan chokochibi doeneun geoseul pogihago anchokchokhan chokochip nararo dora gatda. (안촉촉한 초코칩 나라에 살던 안촉촉한 초코칩이 촉촉한 초코칩 나라의 촉촉한 초코칩을 보고 촉촉한 초코칩이 되고 싶어서 촉촉한 초코칩 나라에 갔는데 촉촉한 초코칩 나라의 문지기가 "넌 촉촉한 초코칩이 아니고 안촉촉한 초코칩이니까 안촉촉한 초코칩 나라에서 살아"라고해서 안촉촉한 초코칩은 촉촉한 초코칩이 되는것을 포기하고 안촉촉한 초코칩 나라로 돌아갔다.) listen (help·info)
A non-moist chocolate chip cookie that lived in non-moist chocolate chip cookie land saw a moist chocolate chip cookie from moist chocolate chip cookie land and wanted to become a moist chocolate chip cookie and so went to moist chocolate chip cookie land, but the gate-keeper of moist chocolate chip cookie land said, "You are not a moist chocolate chip cookie, but a non-moist chocolate chip cookie, so live in non-moist chocolate chip cookie land," so the non-moist chocolate chip cookie gave up on becoming a moist chocolate chip cookie and went back to non-moist chocolate chip cookie land.
  • Jeobuneun baekbeophakbaksaigo ibuneun bakbeophakbaksaida. (저 분은 백 법학박사이고 이 분은 박 법학박사이다.)
That is Mr. Baek, a doctor of laws, and this is Mr. Park, also a doctor of laws.

[edit] Latin

  • Summergimurne?
Are we sinking?
  • O, Tite, tute, Tati, tibi tanta tyranne tulisti!
O you tyrant, Titus Tatius; such things you made happen! (By the poet Ennius)
  • Si itis cum Iesuitis, non cum Iesu itis.
If you go with the Jesuits, you are not going with Jesus.
  • Te te, ro Ro, ma ma, nu nu, da da, te te, la la, te te!
    (properly: Te tero, Roma, manu nuda, date tela, latete!)
I will destroy you, Rome, with my bare hands, arm yourselves and hide!
  • In mari meri miri mori muri necesse est.
In a sea of delightful wine a mouse may only die.
  • Mimi numinum niuium minimi munium nimium uini muniminum imminui uiui minimum uolunt.
The smallest mimes of the gods of snow do not wish at all in their life that the great duty of the defences of the wine be diminished.

[edit] Latvian

  • Šaursliežu dzelzceļš
Narrow gauge railroad
  • Šis žagaru saišķis ir mans žagaru saišķis.
This bundle of sticks is my bundle of sticks.
  • Kas to kociņ` apkapāja ?
Who chopped that little tree? (must be pronounced as fast as possible)
  • Strēbu stipru pupu putru
I gulped hard bean porridge (must be pronounced as fast as possible)

[edit] Lithuanian

  • Šešios žąsys su šešiais žąsyčiais
Six geese with six goslings
  • Geri vyrai geroj girioj gerą girą gerdami gyrė
Good guys in good forest drank good kvass while praising it.

[edit] Malay

  • Kakakku kata kuku kaki kiriku kaku; kukikis-kikis kuku kaki kiriku.

(My sister says my left toenail is numb; i scrape my left toenail.)

  • Buaya buaian biawak

(Crocodile cradle small crocodile)

Rather nonsensical, but the fun lies in trying to pronounce the words without faltering. Even the most proficient native speakers of Malay stumble after only two or three attempts.

[edit] Maltese

  • Ħija tani ħawħa u qalli: "Ħa, ħi, ħudu u ħawilla fil-ħamrija ħamra taħt il-ħitan ta'Ħararaw".
My brother gave me a peach and said to me : "Here, brother, take it and plant it in the red soil under the walls of Hararaw" (archaic name for the village of Għargħur).
  • Toni tagħna tani tina talli tajtu tuta tajba; talli tajtu tuta tajba, Toni tagħna tani tina.
Our Tony gave me a date because I gave him a good berry; because I gave him a good berry, our Tony gave me a date. (Not proper English if translated directly from Maltese to English).

[edit] Marathi

  • कच्चा पापड, पक्का पापड (repeated)
Cooked lentil wafer, raw lentil wafer
  • चटईला टाचणी टोचली
The mattress was pricked with a pin
  • लुळी मुले बाळे
Handicapped children and babies
  • चिंचाची चटणी (The 2nd and 4th 'ch' sounds are pronounced as 'ts', something difficult for a non-Marathi speaker.)
Tamarind Chutney
  • काका काकूवर कावले कारण काल काकूने काकांचे कचेरीच्या कामाचे कागद कपाटातून काढून कोऱ्या कातरीने कराकरा कापले. (Each word in this sentence begins with K)
Uncle got angry at Aunty because yesterday Aunty took Uncle's legal papers from the cupboard and cut them with a pair of brand new scissors and they went, Karaa...Karaa...
  • दढद
daDhad (This Marathi word, which means 'difficult', is quite difficult to pronounce)
  • कॢप्ती
klR^uptI (This Marathi word means 'idea'. Seldom used, most people use युक्ती (yuktI), I wonder why.)

[edit] Norwegian

  • Djerv bjergdvergbjerk
Brave dwarf mountain birch
  • Ibsens ripsbusker og andre buskvekster
The redcurrant bushes of Ibsen and other bushy trees
  • Veggpapp, takpapp, tapet
Wall board, ceiling board, wallpaper
  • Upoppa popcorn, papp og papir
Unpopped popcorn, cardboard and paper
  • Stekt torsk, kokt torsk
Fried cod, cooked cod
  • E det dét det e? Det e dét det e.
Is that what it is? That is what it is (North-norwegian dialect)

[edit] Polish

Polish tongue-twisters
Original Translation Example Notes
W Szczebrzeszynie chrząszcz brzmi w trzcinie
I Szczebrzeszyn z tego słynie.		 In [the town of] Szczebrzeszyn a beetle buzzes in the reed, for which Szczebrzeszyn is famous. listen (help·info) 1
To cóż że ze Szwecji So what that it's from Sweden? listen (help·info)
Ząb, zupa zębowa. Dąb, zupa dębowa. A tooth, a teeth soup. An oak, an oak soup. 2
Spod czeskich strzech szło Czechów trzech Three Czechs came from where Czech thatches are. listen (help·info)
Szedł Sasza suchą szosą, suszył sobie spodnie. Sasza (name) was going along a dry road while drying his trousers. listen (help·info)
Stół z powyłamywanymi nogami A table with legs broken out Stol bez nog.ogg (help·info)
Wyindywidualizowaliśmy się z rozentuzjazmowanego tłumu. We isolated ourselves from the enthusiastic crowd. listen (help·info) 3
Król Karol kupił królowej Karolinie korale koloru koralowego. King Charles bought for Queen Charlotte coral-coloured corals.