Vocabulary
Foreign words in English: 12 everyday examples
English uses words from many languages. You may order a menu, play the piano, or send a karaoke song without thinking about where the words began.
Recognize twelve English words borrowed from other languages and use each one naturally in a sentence.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
karaoke /ˌkær.iˈəʊ.ki/
The short answer
English has borrowed many everyday words from other languages. Café, piano, kindergarten, tsunami, algebra, and shampoo are familiar English words with word histories outside English.
We chose a quiet café near the station.
Why it works: Café is used as an ordinary English noun for a small place that serves food and drinks.
3 more examples
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The café posted its lunch menu by the door.
Café and menu are everyday English nouns. Both came into English through French.
Not this:The café posted its
lunch lessonby the door. What changes: A menu lists food choices. A lesson is a time for learning, so it does not fit this context. -
Mina practiced the piano before the concert.
Piano is an English noun for the musical instrument. It entered English from Italian.
Not this:Mina practiced
the balconybefore the concert. What changes: A balcony is part of a building. You can practice a piano because it is an instrument. -
The children walked to kindergarten with their teacher.
In many English-speaking places, kindergarten names an early school class. The word entered English from German.
Not this:The children walked to
karaokewith their teacher. What changes: Karaoke is singing with recorded music. It is not the name of an early school class.
Read the full guide
Do not try to guess a word's history from its spelling. Use a reliable dictionary when you need the full story. A word can pass through more than one language before it reaches English, so this lesson gives a helpful starting language for each example, not a complete history.
Words from French and Italian
The problem: I see a familiar English word, but I do not know how to use it in a simple sentence.
Many borrowed words feel completely ordinary in English. The table gives six common examples. Read the English word first, then notice the original sentence that shows its job.
| English word | Starting language | Original example |
|---|---|---|
| café | French | We met at a café after work. |
| ballet | French | Her sister goes to ballet on Tuesday. |
| menu | French | Please check the menu before you order. |
| souvenir | French | He bought a small souvenir for his aunt. |
| piano | Italian | The piano needs tuning before the show. |
| umbrella | Italian | Take an umbrella because rain is forecast. |
Words from other languages
The problem: I think a foreign-looking word needs special grammar or a special pronunciation in English.
English also uses words that entered from German, Japanese, Arabic, and Hindi. Say them in the English way that your dictionary gives. Their earlier language does not change the grammar of your English sentence.
| English word | Starting language | Original example |
|---|---|---|
| kindergarten | German | The kindergarten class planted beans today. |
| rucksack | German | Her rucksack was full of books. |
| tsunami | Japanese | The news report explained the tsunami warning. |
| karaoke | Japanese | They sang karaoke at the birthday party. |
| algebra | Arabic | We started algebra after lunch. |
| shampoo | Hindi | This shampoo has a light scent. |
Use an article, plural, or verb as English requires.
I packed two rucksacks for the trip.
The source language does not set the grammar of your English sentence.
I packed two rucksack for the trip.
Use English forms
The problem: I know the word, but I am unsure about articles and plurals.
Borrowed words follow English patterns once they are part of English. Say a café and two cafés. Say a menu and three menus. Some words are usually used without an article in a general sense, such as I study algebra.
-
Not this:
We chose a menus.Say: We chose a menu.
Use the singular noun after a.
-
Not this:
She has two umbrella.Say: She has two umbrellas.
Use the English plural after two.
Talk about word history
The problem: I want to explain a word's history, but I make the history sound simpler than it is.
Use careful language when you mention origins. You can say that English borrowed karaoke from Japanese or that café came into English through French. For a full history, check a reliable dictionary entry because a word may have several earlier steps.
-
English uses karaoke as a noun for singing with recorded music.
Why it works: This explains the current English use before it mentions history.
-
The word algebra entered English through a longer history that dictionaries describe in detail.
Why it works: This wording leaves room for more than one stage.
-
The café menu included soup, sandwiches, and tea.
Why it works: Borrowed words can appear together in a normal English phrase.
Choose the useful word
The problem: I remember where a word came from, but I cannot choose it for a real situation.
Use the meaning to choose the word. Bring an umbrella for rain. Buy a souvenir as a reminder of a trip. Go to a café for a drink or a light meal. You do not need to mention the word's history when you use it.
- Ava
Do you want to wait in that café?
- Noah
Yes, and I need to check the menu first.
- Ava
Good idea. The train leaves in twenty minutes.
Before you go
Remember this
English borrowed many useful words, then gave them English grammar and use. Start by learning what each word means today. Use a dictionary when you want the fuller word history.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Foreign words in English: 12 everyday examples"
What is a borrowed word in English?
A borrowed word is a word English adopted from another language. English speakers use it with English spelling, grammar, and pronunciation rules.
The café posted its lunch menu by the door.
Are café and menu English words?
Yes. Café and menu are ordinary English words today. Both entered English through French, but you use them with normal English grammar.
The café posted its lunch lesson by the door.
Do borrowed words keep their original pronunciation?
Usually, no. A borrowed word often changes its sound as English speakers use it. Learn the English pronunciation shown in a reliable learner dictionary.
Mina practiced the piano before the concert.
Can borrowed words have English plurals?
Yes. Many borrowed words take regular English plurals. For example, you can say two cafés, several menus, and two umbrellas.
Mina practiced the balcony before the concert.
Why can one word have several source languages?
A word may move through more than one language before it enters English. A dictionary etymology can show those steps, so a short language label is only a starting point.
The children walked to kindergarten with their teacher.
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