Γλωσσοδέτες

Από τη φράση ‘Around the rugged rock, the ragged rascal ran’ στην ‘red leather, yellow leather’, μια πτυχή της τελειοποίησης μιας γλώσσας είναι να έχει κανείς τον έλεγχο των γλωσσοδετών της, που είναι πάντα σαφώς παράξενες προτάσεις:


Η αρχική ιδέα και τα παραδείγματα που εμφανίζονται σε αυτή την σελίδα έχουν δοθεί από τον Adam Jacot de Boinod


  • Combien de sous sont ces saucissons-ci? Ces saucissons-ci sont six sous (French): “How much are these sausages here? These sausages here are six cents”.

  • Zwei schwarze schleimige Schlangen sitzen zwischen zwei spitzen Steinen und zischen (German): “Two black slimy snakes sit between two pointed stones and hiss”.

 

Other favourites in the European arena include:

  • Měla babka v kapse brabce, brabec babce v kapse píp. Zmáčkla babka brabce v kapse, brabec babce v kapse chcíp (Czech): ”Grandma had a sparrow in her pocket and the sparrow made a sound. Grandma pressed the sparrow and it died”.

  • Als vliegen achter vliegen vliegen, vliegen vliegen vliegensvlug (Dutch): ”If flies fly behind flies, flies will fly like lightning”.

  • Król Karol kupił Królowej Karolinie korale koloru koralowego (Polish): ”King Karl bought Queen Caroline coral-colored bead”.

  • Far, Får får får? Nej, inte får får får, får får lamm (Swedish): ”Father, do sheep have sheep? No, sheep don't have sheep, sheep have lambs”.

  • W Szczebrzeszynie chrząszcz brzmi w trzcinie (Polish): "In the town of Szczebrzeszyn a beetle buzzes in the reeds".

    As for the English language, we are provided with the following:

  • How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? A woodchuck would chuck all the wood that he could if a woodchuck could chuck wood
  • Sister Sue sells sea shells. She sells sea shells on shore. The shells she sells. Are sea shells she sees. Sure she sees shells she sells
  • You've known me to light a night light on a light night like tonight. There's no need to light a night light on a light night like tonight, for a night light's a slight light on tonight's light night

Some short words or phrases ‘become’ tongue-twisters when repeated, a number of times fast (try it!):

  • Thin Thing
  • French Friend
  • Red Leather, Yellow Leathe
  • Unique New York
  • Sometimes Sunshine
  • Irish Wristwatch
  • Big Whip

Some suggestions from visitors:

Portuguese

O tempo perguntou ao tempo quanto tempo o tempo tem. O tempo respondeu ao tempo que o tempo tem tanto tempo quanto tempo o tempo tem.

Time asked time how much time time has. Time replied to time that time has as much time as time has.


Portuguese

Três tristes tigres.

Three sad tigers.


Georgian

თეთრი თრითინა თეთრ თოვლზე თრთოდა

A white weasel was shivering on white snow.


Italian

Sopra la panca la capra campa, sotto la panca la capra crepa.

Above the bench the goat lives, under the bench the goat cracks.


Romanian

Un vultur sta pe pisc cu un pix in plisc.

An eagle sits on a peak with a pen in its beak.


Croatian

Na štriku se suši šareni šosić.

Colorful skirt is drying on a drying rack.


Romanian

Oaia aia e a ei, eu i-o iau.

That sheep is hers, I will take it.


Serbian

На врх брда врба мрда.

(Na vrh brda vrba mrda) On top of the hill a willow is moving.


Greek

Μια πάπια μα ποια πάπια μια πάπια με παπιά.

A duck but what a duck, a duck with a duckling.


Greek

Μια τίγρη μα ποια τίγρης - Μια τίγρη με τρία τιγράκια.

A tiger, but which tiger? A tiger with three tiger cubs.


Greek

Ανεβαίνω, κατεβαίνω, μπαινοβγαίνω κι ανεβομπαινοβγαινοκαταβαίνω. Βρίσκω πόρτες κλειδωτές, κλειδωμένες και κλειδαροαμπαρωμένες.

I go up, down, in and out and up and out and down. I find doors locked, locked and padlocked.


Lithuanian

Šešios žąsys su šešiais žąsyčiais.

Six geese with six goslings.


Greek

Άσπρη πέτρα ξέξασπρη κι από τόν ήλιο ξεξασπρότερη (aspri petra xexaspri ki apo ton ilio xexasproteri).

White rock, really white, and because of the sun whiter than before.


Danish

Rød grød med fløde.

Red pudding with cream.


German

Fischer‘s Fritz fischt frische Fische, frische Fische fischt Fischer‘Fritz.

Fisherman Fritz fishes fresh fish, fresh fish is fished by a fisherman Fritz.


Estonian

Kummikutega kummitus kummitas kummutis.

A ghost wearing wellies was haunting in the chest of drawers.


Lithuanian

Gervė gyrūnė gyrėsi gerą girą gėrusi geroj girioj gerai gėrusi.

A good drinker boasted a good drink of good wood.


French

Un chasseur sachant chasser sans son chien est un bon chasseur.

A hunter that knows how to hunt without his dog is a good hunter.


Polish

Stół z powyłamywanymi nogami.

A table with broken legs.


Hungarian

Egy icike-picike pocok pocakon pöckölt egy másik icike-picike pockot, erre a pockonpöckölt icike-picike pocok pocakon pöckölte a pocakon pöckölő icike-picike pockot.

A teeny-weeny vole flicked another teeny-weeny vole on its stomach, so the stomach-flicked teeny-weeny vole flicked the stomach-flicking teeny-weeny vole on its stomach.


English

Betty bought some butter, but the butter Betty bought was bitter, so she bought some better butter than the bitter butter Betty bought before.

Irish

Na bac le mac an mbacaigh, 'gus ní bacaigh mac an mbacaigh leat!

Don't bother the baker's son and the baker's son won't bother you!


Danish

Fem flade flødeboller på et fladt flødebollefad.

Five flat cakes on a flat cakeboard.


Croatian

Riba ribi grize rep, pa joj odgrize rep.

Fish bite fish`s tail, then she bites it off.


Spanish

¿Cómo quieres que te quiera si el que quiero que me quiera no me quiere como quiero que me quiera?

How can I love you if the one I want to love me doesn't love me the way I want him to love me?


Slovak

Podstata podstaty je v podstate nepodstatná.

The essence of the essence is essentially non-essential.


Slovak

Strč prst skrz krk.

Put your finger through your neck.


Portuguese

Há quatro quadros três e três quadros quatro. Sendo que quatro destes quadros são quadrados, um dos quadros quatro e três dos quadros três. Os três quadros que não são quadrados são dois dos quadros quatro e um dos quadros três.

There are four frame three and three frame four. Four of these frames are squares, one of frames four and three of frames three. The three frames that are not squares are two of frames four and one of frames three.


Portuguese

Concluímos que chegamos à conclusão que não concluímos nada. Por isso, conclui-se que a conclusão será concluída quando todas tiverem concluído que já é tempo de concluir uma conclusão.

We conclude that we have reached the conclusion that we have concluded nothing. Therefore, it is concluded that the conclusion will be completed when everyone has concluded that it is time to complete a conclusion.


Portuguese

O doce perguntou pro doce qual é o doce mais doce que o doce de batata-doce. O doce respondeu pro doce que o doce mais doce que o doce de batata-doce é o doce de doce de batata-doce.

The candy asked the candy which candy is sweeter than the sweet potato candy. The candy replied to the candy that the candy sweeter than the sweet potato candy is the sweet potato candy.


Portuguese

Sabendo o que sei e sabendo o que sabes e o que não sabes e o que não sabemos, ambos saberemos se somos sábios, sabidos ou simplesmente saberemos se somos sabedores-

Knowing what I know and knowing what you know and what you don't know and what we don't know, we'll both know if we're wise, wise, or we'll simply know if we're wise.


Portuguese

Se percebeste, percebeste. Se não percebeste, faz que percebeste para que eu perceba que tu percebeste. Percebeste?

If you understand, you understand. If you don't understand, make sure you understand so I can understand that you understand. Did you understand?


Slovak

Levy sa váľali dolu lávou do válova.

The lions rolled down the lava into the rampart.


Swedish

Sex laxar i en laxask.

Six salmons in a salmon box.


Greek

Ο παπάς ο παχύς έφαγε παχιά φακή. Γιατί παπά παχύ έφαγες παχιά φακή;

The overweight priest ate thick lentils. Why did you overweight priest ate thick lentils?


Czech

Řek mi řek, abych mu řek, kolik je v řecku řeckých řek, a já mu řek že nejsem řek, abych mu řek kolik je v řecku řeckých řek.

Greek told me to tell him how many Greek rivers are there in Greece and I told him, I'm not Greek to tell him how many Greek rivers there are in Greece.


German

Blaukraut bleibt Blaukraut und Brautkleid bleibt Brautkleid.

Red cabbage is red cabbage and a wedding dress is a wedding dress.


Croatian

Petar Petru plete petlju.

Peter ties a knot to Peter.


Bulgarian

Шише се суши, на шосе се суши.

A bottle is drying, on a road, is drying.


Slovak

Šašo suší osušku.

The clown dries a towel.


Slovenian

Pes spí, psi spia.

Dog sleeps, dogs sleep.

Italian

Dietro a quel palazzo c'è un povero cane pazzo. Data un pezzo di pane a quel povero pazzo cane.

Behind that building there is a poor crazy dog. Give a piece of bread to that poor crazy dog.


Albanian

Kali kalon kanalin kembët e kalit kërcasin kërc kërc kur kalon kanalin.

The horse passes the ditch the horses feet go kërc kërc when he passes the ditch.


Polish

Kto liryczny flirt filmuje, figle z filtrem afirmuje.

Whoever films the lyrical flirting, affirms the tricks with the filter.

 


English

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a pack of pickled pepers, where´s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?


Slovenian

Pešec pešači čez cestišče.

Walker walks across the road.


Portuguese

O rato roeu a rolha da garrafa do rei da Rússia.

The rat chewed the cork out of the king of Russia's bottle.


Polish

W czasie suszy szosa sucha.

During the drought the road is dry.


French

Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches ? Archi-sèches.

Are the archduchess shocks dry? Super dry.


Bosnian

Cvrči, cvrči, cvrčak na čvoru crne smrče.

Chirp, chirp, cricket on a black spruce knot.


Estonian

Pagari piparkook.

Baker`s gingerbread.


Dutch

Liesje leerde Lijsje lopen langs de lange Lindelaan.

Liesje (name) learned Lijsje (name) to walk along the long Lindelaan (name of a street).


Croatian

Klokan klupu klopa i veliku rupu kopa.

The kangaroo is eating a bench and digging a big hole.


Bosnian

Pitala metla metlu, gdje je metla metlu. Metla metla metlu iza vrata.

The broom asked the broom, where did she put the broom. The broom put the broom behind the door.


Polish

Leży Jerzy na wieży i nie wierzy, że na wieży leży dużo jeży.

George is lying on a tower and he doesn't believe that on a tower are a lot of hedgehogs lying.


Polish

W Szczebrzeszynie chrząszcz brzmi w trzcinie.

In Szczebrzeszyn a beetle buzzes in the reed.


Catalan

En Pere, Peret, pintor, premiat per Portugal, porta pots i potinguetes per posar pebre picant.

Peter, little Petter, painter, awarded by Portugal, brings pots and little pots to put hot pepper in.


Spanish

Tres tristes tigres tragaban trigo en un trigal, sentados tras un trigal, en tres tristes trastos, tragaban trigo, tres tristes tigres.

Three sad tigers gulped wheat in a wheat field, sitting behind a wheat field on three sad pieces of junk, three sad tigers gulped wheat.


Catalan

Setze jutges d'un jutjat mengen fetge d'un penjat; si el penjat es despengés els setze jutges menjarien fetge d'un despenjat.

Sixteen judges of a court eat the liver of a hanged man; if the hanged man was unhanged the sixteen judges would eat the liver of an unhanged man.


Slovenian

Pikčasta ptička v pikčasti kletki.

The dotted bird in the dotted cage.


German

Der Cottbuser Postkutscher putzt den Cottbuser Postkutschkasten mit Cottbuser Postkutschkastenpaste.

The Cottbus mail coach cleans the Cottbus mail coach box with Cottbus mail coach box paste.


Romanian

Şase saşi în şase saci.

Six Saxons in six bags


Irish

Tá bean ag Joe, tá banjó ag Joe, agus tá banjó ag bean Joe. Fearr go deo Joe ar an mbanjó ná bean Joe ar an mbanjó go deo!

Joe has a wife, Joe has a banjo, and Joe's wife has a banjo. Joe on the banjo is better than Joe's wife on the banjo!


Czech

Tři sta třicet tři stříbrných stříkaček stříkalo přes tři sta třicet tři stříbrných střech.

Three hundred and thirty-three silver syringes sprayed over three hundred and thirty-three silver roofs.


Lithuanian

Šešios žąsys su šešiais žąsyčiais.

Six geese with six goslings.


French

Trente-trois tortues trottent sur un trottoir très étroit.

Thirty-three turtles trot along a very narrow pavement.


Maltese

Toni tagħna tani tina talli tajtu tuta tajba.

Our Tony gave me a fig because I gave him a delicious blackberry.


French

Si, six scies scient six cyprès, six cent six scies scient six cent six cyprès.

If, six saws saw six cypress-trees, (so) six hundred saws saw six hundred cypress-trees.


Catalan

En Panxo li va dir al Pinxo: "Vols que et punxe amb un punxó?" El Pinxo li va dir al Panxo: Punxa'm, però a la panxa no.

Panxo said to Pinxo: "Do you want me to poke you with an awl?" Pinxo said to Panxo: "Poke me, but not in the stomach."


English

Moses supposes his toeses are roses, But Moses supposes erroneously; For nobody's toeses are posies of roses, As Moses supposes his toeses to be.


Serbian

Чокањчићем ћу те, чокањчићем ћеш ме.

I'll hit you with a čokanj, you'll hit me with a čokanj. (Čokanjčićem ću te, čokanjčićem ćeš me. Čokanj is a small bottle used for serving Serbian brandy).


Russian

Ехал Грека через реку, видит Грека - в реке рак. Сунул Грека руку в реку, рак за руку Греку - цап!

Greka was walking across the river, Greka saw a lobster in the river; Greka put his hand in the river, and the lobster snatched Greka's hand.


Dutch

Frans zei tegen Frans in het frans: "Is frans in het frans ook frans?". "Nee.", zei Frans, "Frans in het frans is français.".

Frans said to Frans in French: "Is French in French also French?". "No.", said Frans, "French in French is français." (Frans is a name).


English

You've known me to light a night light on a light night like tonight. There's no need to light a night light on a light night like tonight, for a night light's a slight light on tonight's light night


Spanish

Cuando cuentes cuentos, cuenta cuántos cuentos cuentas, porque si no cuentas cuántos cuentos cuentas, no sabrás cuántos cuentos habrás contado.

When you tell stories, count how many stories you tell, because if you do not count how many stories you tell, you would never know how many stories you have told.


Estonian

Viska õlu üle Ülo õe õla.

Throw the beer over the Ülo's sister's shoulder.


Slovakian

Išiel pštros s pštrosicou a pstrosíčatami pštrosou ulicou.

Male ostrich and female ostrich were walking down the Ostrich Street with little ostriches.


Slovenian

Pešci ščistite cestišče.

Pedestrians are cleaning the roadway.


Turkish

Kırk kartal kalkar kırk kartal konar, kırk kartal kırkının da kanadı kırık kartal.

Forty eagles take off, forty eagles land, forty eagles all with broken wings.


Spanish

De generación en generación las generaciones se degeneran con mayor degeneración.

From generation to generation the generations degenerate with greater degeneration.


Ukranian

Бабин біб розцвів у дощ — буде бабі біб у борщ.

Baba bean blossomed in the rain - there will be baba bean in borscht.


Catalan

Plou poc però pel poc que plou, plou prou.

It doesn't rain much but for the little it rains, it is rains enough.


Albanian

Kali ka katër këmbë, këmbët e kalit kërcasin kur kali kalon kanalin.

The horse has four legs, the horse’s legs crack when the horse passes the canal.


English

Red lorry, yellow lorry, red lorry, yellow lorry.


Italian

Se oggi seren non è, doman seren sarà, se non sarà seren si rasserenerà.

If today seren is not, it will be doman seren, if it is not seren it will be reassured.


Greek

Η συκιά μας η διπλή, η διπλογυριστή, κάνει τα σύκα τα διπλά, τα διπλογυρι-γυριστά. Πάει ο σκύλος ο διπλός, ο διπλογυριγυριστός, να φάει τα σύκα τα διπλά, τα διπλογυριγυριστά.

Our fig tree, our double fig tree, the double-rounded fig tree, grows double, double-rounded figs. The double, double-rounded dog goes to eat the double, double-rounded figs.


Spanish

El perro de San Roque no tiene rabo porque Ramón Ramírez se lo ha robado.

Saint Roque´s dog has no tail because Ramón Ramírez has stolen it.


Czech

Královna Klára na klavír hrála a u toho se smála.

Queen Clara played the piano and was laughing at the same time.


Italian

Trentatré Trentini tutti e trentatré trotterellando a Trento.

Thirty-three inhabitants of Trento, all thirty-three trotting in Trento.


Italian

Cio' che è, è. Cio' che non è, non è. Cio' che è non è cio' che non è. Cio' che non è non è cio' che è.

What is, is. What is not, is not. What is is not what is not. What is not is not what is.


Danish

Rød grød med fløde.

Red pudding with cream.


Greek

Ανεβαίνω, κατεβαίνω, μπαινοβγαίνω κι ανεβομπαινοβγαινοκαταβαίνω. Βρίσκω πόρτες κλειδωτές, κλειδωμένες και κλειδαροαμπαρωμένες.

I go up, down, in-and-out and up-and-in-and-out-and-down. I find doors locked, locked and padlocked.


Albanian

Kupa me kapak, kupa pa kapak.

A cup with a lid, a cup without a lid.


Finnish

Vesihiisi sihisi hississä.

The water heater hissed in the elevator.


Occitan

Joan a ja jogat jos Jaume, jogaba totjorn lo Dijòus e jamai en genièr.

John has played with James, he always played on Thursday and never in January.


English

Which witch switched the Swiss wristwatches?


Greek

Κοραλί ψιλοκόραλο και ψιλοκοραλακι.

Coral, little coral, tiny weenie coral.


English

If two witches were watching two watches which witch would watch which watch?


Hungarian

Nem mindenfajta szarka farka tarka, csak a tarka fajta szarka farka tarka.

Not all kinds of magpies are spotted, only the spotted kind of magpies are spotted.


Romanian

S-a-ntamplat o-ntamplare-ntamplatoare oe Strada Întâmplării când tamplaru-a dat cu tampla-n tâmpla tamplaresei, tamplareasa se-ntampla sa fie-n tâmplărie.

One day an accidentally accident happened in the Accident Street when the carpenter bumped his temple into the carpenter's temple, the carpenter happened to be in the carpentry shop.


Greek

Καλημέρα καμηλιέρη,καμηλιέρη καλημέρα.

Good morning camel driver, camel driver good morning.


Slovak

Naša pumpa tako pumpa da nobena pumpa tako ne pumpakot naša pumpa pumpa.

Our pump pumps so well that no pump pumps as well as our pump pumps.


Finnish

Paksun kissan paksut posket.

Fat cats, fat cheeks.


Slovak

Poslali ma naši k vašim, aby prišli vaši k našim. Ak neprídu vaši k našim, tak nepôjdu naši k vašim.

My folks have sent me to your folks to ask your folks to come to our folks. If your folks don't come to our folks, then our folks won't come to your folks.


Welsh

Chwaraeasoch chwe chwn chwaraegar chwe chwibanau chwedlonol i chdi.

Six playful dogs played six fabulous whistles to you.


Swedish

Sju sjösjuka sjömän sköts av sju sjösjuka sköterskor på sjukhuset.

Seven seasick sailors are taken care of by seven seasick nurses in hospital.


Romanian

Bucură-te cum s-a bucurat Bucuroaia de bucuria lui Bucurel care s-a întors bucuros de la Bucureşti.

Be happy as Bucuroaia was happy for Bucurel who happily returned from Bucharest.


Dutch

De kat krabt de krullen van de trap.

The cat scratches the shavings from the stairs.


Finnish

- Kokko, kokoa koko kokko! - Koko kokkoko? - Koko kokko. Kokko kokosi koko kokon.

Kokko [here a first name, not in common use], build the whole bonfire! - The whole bonfire? - The whole bonfire. Kokko built the whole bonfire.


German

Zehn zahme Ziegen zogen zehn Zentner Zucker zum Zoo.

Ten tame goats brought a ton of sugar to the zoo.


Bulgarian

Шестдесет и шест шишета се сушат на шестдесет и шест шосета.

Sixty-six bottles are drying on the sixty-six roads.


Estonian

Võib võid võtta või ei või võid võtta?

May I take some butter, or may I not?


Greek

Φίλος έδωσε σε φίλο τριαντάφυλλο με φύλλο. Φίλε φύλαγε το φύλλο, μην το δώσεις σε άλλο φίλο.

A friend gave a friend a rose with a leaf. "Friend, keep the leaf, don't give it to another friend".


Greek

Eκκλησιά μολυβδωτή, μολυβδοκοντυλοπελεκητή ποιός τη μολυβδοκοντυλοπελεκούσε; O γιός του μολυβδοκοντυλοπελεκητή. Nα'χα κι εγώ τα σύνεργα τα μύνεργα του γιού του μολυβδοκοντυλοπελεκητή να τη μολυβδοκοντυλοπελεκούσα καλύτερα απ΄το γιο του μολυβδοκοντυλοπελεκητή.

A leaded church, hit with lead; who hit it with lead? The leadmonger's son. I wish I had the tools, the tools of the leadmonger's son so as to hit it with lead better than the leadmonger's son.


Slovak

Nemá Peter ani meter,meria meter ten náš Peter?

Peter doesn't even have a meter, does our Peter measure up to a meter?


Hungarian

Jobb egy lúdnyak hat tyúknyaknál.

One goose's neck is better than six hen's necks.


Polish

Szedł Sasza suchą szosą.

Sascha walked along the dry road.


Hungarian

Sárga bögre, görbe bögre.

Yellow mug, crooked mug.


French

La pie niche haut, l'oie niche bas, mais où niche l'hibou ? L'hibou niche ni haut ni bas, l'hibou niche au chaud ou niche pas.

The magpie nests high, the goose nests low, but where does the owl nest? The owl nests neither high nor low, the owl nests warm or does not nest at all.


English

Fuzzy wuzzy was a bear, fuzzy wuzzy had no hair, fuzzy wuzzy wasn't very fuzzy, was he?


English

How many boards could the Mongols hoard if the Mongol hordes got bored ?


Spanish

Juan tuvo un tubo, pero el tubo que tuvo se le rompió. Para recuperar el tubo que tuvo, tuvo que comprar un tubo igual al tubo que tuvo.

Juan had a tube, but the tube he had broke. To get back the tube he had, he had to buy a tube equal to the tube he had.


Spanish

¡Compadre, coco no compro!, porque el que poco coco come, poco coco compra y como yo poco coco como, poco coco compro!

Compadre, I don't buy coconut! Because whoever eats little coconut, buys little coconut, and since I eat little coconut, I buy little coconut!


Turkish

Bu yougrdu sarimsaklasak dami saklasak ,sarimsaklama saklama saklasak.

Should we put garlic in this yogurt?or should we leave it plain?

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