sprachgefuhl

9.9

A natural feel for what sounds right in a language

noun
/ʃprɑːkɡəˈfuːl/

Specialized

: sentido idiomático

She seemed to have remarkable sprachgefuhl, always choosing just the right expression in every situation.

Examples

Developing sprachgefuhl takes years of reading, listening, and speaking with native speakers.
A good translator relies on sprachgefuhl as much as on dictionaries and grammar books.
She has a strong sprachgefuhl for German.
His sprachgefuhl helps him write beautifully.
A good translator relies on sprachgefuhl as much as on dictionaries and grammar books.
Developing sprachgefuhl takes years of reading, listening, and speaking with native speakers.
She seemed to have remarkable sprachgefuhl, always choosing just the right expression in every situation.

Surface Forms

sprachgefuhl singular

sprachgefuhle plural

Etymology

Sprachgefuhl comes from German parts sprach- ('language' or 'speak') and -gefühl ('feeling'), so it literally means a 'feeling for language' and describes the natural sense that tells you what sounds correct in a language.