Can You Pronounce These ‘Longest Words’ From Languages Around the World?

Did you know that the longest English word ever (a chemical name for titin) is 189,819 letters long and takes approximately three and a half hours to pronounce!

Thankfully not all words are as long or complicated. Some are significantly lower with as little as 24 letters.

Here is a list of the longest words in 13 languages from all around the globe.

Spanish

The 24-letters Spanish word electroencefalografistas meaning electroencephalograph technicians is considered as the usual longest word in the Spanish language. Humorously, the longest Spanish word is often cited to be “arroz” (rice), because it “starts with an ‘a’ and ends with a ‘z’, the first and last letters of the Spanish alphabet (also most traditional alphabets).

English

The 45-letter word ‘pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis’ is the longest English word that appears in a major dictionary. It is an invented long word, said to mean a lung disease caused by inhaling very fine ash and sand dust. It is referred to as “P45” by researchers. Luckily for you, there is no need to check grammar with this word every time you write your 101 English essays, Easyessay service can just do it for you.

Arabic

أفإستسقيناكموها, or “’afa’istasqaynakumuha,” meaning “did we ask you to give it to us to drink.’’ is the longest Arabic word with 20 alphabets.

French

With 25 letters, the longest French word ‘anticonstitutionnellement’ literally means anti-constitutionality.

Russian

Most likely one of the longest originally Russian words is ‘‘превысокомногорассмотрительствующий’’ (prevysokomnogorassmotritelstvuyushchy) which contains 35 letters, in its dative singular form which can be an example of the excessively official vocabulary of the 19th century.

German

“donaudampfschiffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft,” is a 79-letter word meaning “association for subordinate officials of the head office management of the Danube steamboat electrical services,”. It is the longest published German word.

Tagalog

“Pinakanakapagpapabagabag-damdamin” is a word constructed from 32 letters and is the longest word in Tagalog, meaning “the most emotionally disturbing (or upsetting) thing.”

Swedish

The longest word to appear in the official Swedish spelling Bible is the 28-letter ‘realisationsvinstbeskattning’ which means capital gains taxation.

Afrikaans

The Total Book of South African Records has Afrikaans’ longest word as ‘tweedehandsemotorverkoopsmannevakbondstakingsvergaderingsameroeperstoespraakskrywerspersverklaringuitreikingsmediakonferensieaankondiging’ (136 letters), meaning “issuable media conference’s announcement at a press release regarding the convener’s speech at a second-hand car dealership union’s strike meeting.”

Finnish

“Lentokonesuihkuturbiinimoottoriapumekaanikkoaliupseerioppilas” (61 letters), meaning “airplane jet turbine engine auxiliary mechanic under officer student” in the Finnish language.

Icelandic

“Vaðlaheiðarvegavinnuverkfærageymsluskúraútidyralyklakippuhringur” (64 letters), meaning “A ring on a key chain for the main door of a tool storage shed used by road workers on (the hill) Vaðlaheiði” in Icelandic language.

Maori

“Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikomaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu” (85 letters). This hill in New Zealand boasts the longest name in the Maori language and the largest geographical place name in the world.

Polish

The 173-letter word “dziewięćsetdziewięćdziesiątdziewięćmiliardówdziewięćsetdziewięćdziesiątdziewięćmilionówdziewięćsetdziewięćdziesiątdziewięćtysięcydziewięćsetdziewięćdziesięciodziewięcioletni” means “999,999,999,999 years old’’ is the longest word in the Polish language.


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