List of tongue-twisters

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Contents

List of tongue-twisters in English

Rhymes and poems

Sarah, Sarah, sits in her Chevrolet.
When she shifts she sips her Schlitz,
and when she sips her Schlitz she shifts.
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)
A canner can can anything that he can,
But a canner can't can a can, can he?
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"

(This is a limerick that turns into a tongue-twister at the last phrase.)

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))

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck
If a woodchuck would chuck wood?
A woodchuck would chuck all the wood he could chuck
If a woodchuck would chuck wood.
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
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 pluckers come.

The most common mistake here involves a spoonerism of pheasant plucker and derivative phrases.

One smart fellow, he felt smart
Two smart fellows, they felt smart
Three smart fellows, they all felt smart
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
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?
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?"
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!

Phrases to be repeated rapidly

  • A cricket critic
  • A black bug's blood
  • Air Hockey
  • Irish wristwatch
  • Legend tripping
  • Liril
  • Red lorry, yellow lorry
Variants: Red leather, yellow leather; Red welly, yellow welly
  • Road-roller
  • Upper roller, lower roller
  • Rubber baby buggy bumpers
  • Stupid Superstition
  • Toy boat
  • Unique New York
  • X, X, X, etc. (a schoolyard trick: the intent of which is to force someone to say "sex".)

Other phrases

  • Ken Dodd's dad's dog's dead.
  • "Are you copper-bottoming 'em my man?" "No, I'm aluminuming 'em ma'am."
  • The black bloke's back brake block broke.
  • 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.
  • "We reweave rips" (A sign in the window of a tailor's shop.)
  • The winkle ship sank and the shrimp ship swam.
  • An old seabear sits on the pier and drinks a pint of beer. [ən əυld si:beər 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 was a racehorse, Two was one too. One won a race, Two won one too.
  • She sells sea shells on the sea shore. The shells she sells are sea shells, I'm sure.

One woman wore one hundred wippy wrist watches

Tongue twisters in languages other than English

Albanian

  • Karikaturisti karikaturon karikatura karakteristike. (listen)
The caricaturist caricaturates characteristic caricatures. (Coincidentally kari is the definitive form of a vulgar term for penis.)
  • Kupa me kapak kupa pa kapak (listen)
The cup with a lid the cup without a lid
  • Polli pula e Lleshit në kaçile t'leshit. (listen)
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.

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

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.
  • Petur plet plete, prez tri pruta preplita. Pleti, Petre, pleta.

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

  • 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.

Catalan

  • Setze jutges d'un jutjat menjant fetge de penjat
Sixteen judges from a court eating hanged man's liver

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?
    • Cyrillic: Раскиселише ли ти се ти опанци? Развеселише ли ти се гости?
Have these opanci (kind of shoes) of yours been well soaked? Have your guests became jolly?
  • 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.
A Turk brat rolls a barrel; a Turk damsel pushes a barrel. Turk brat faster rolls a barrel than Turk damsel pushes a barrel.
  • Šaš devetopošaš al se pazdevetorošašio.
    • 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.
  • Vela 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.
  • 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 злотокрпчади.
    • 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.

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.

Chinese (Mandarin)

(known as 繞口令)

  • xī shī sǐ shí sì shí sì (西施死時四十四)
Xi Shi (a famous woman) 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.

The following tongue-twister is based on the fact that the word "four" sounds like the word "ten":

  • 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)

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 přez třistatřicet tři stříbrných střech.
Three hundred and thirty three silver fire-engines were spraying over three hundred and thirty three silver roofs.

Danish

Red pudding with cream (it is made from stewed berries and served cold with cream)
  • 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

Dutch

  • 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 tree lane
  • Moeder snijdt zeven scheve sneden brood
Mother slices seven skew slices of bread
  • Een pet met een platte klep is en 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 potvissen pis

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.

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)
Kabli's club
  • Asjaajaja, majarajaja ja jaamaülem (repeated, sobriety test)
Procurator, house builder and stationmaster
  • Kummikutes kummitus kummitas kummutis (repeated, sobriety test)
A ghost with rubberboots haunted in the chest of drawers
  • 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 also is a palindrome.
  • Õueaiaäär
Edge of a yard fence
  • Jäääär
Edge of ice
  • Südaööelu
Midnight life
  • Ööbik nöögib (repeated)
A nightingale is mocking

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?
Are you coughing alone?
  • 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 Gödöllö (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

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 diphtong '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)

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.

French

  • La roue sur la rue roule ; la rue sous la roue reste.
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)
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.
  • 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!
  • Panier piano (repeated; listen)
Basket piano
  • Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches ou archi sèches ? (listen)
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)
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 intraveinous? That's stupid? Spock speculates and loses himself into sporadic melancholy.
  • Les salauds salissent Solaar cela me lasse. Mais laisse les salir sur ce, salut! ("Caroline", MC Solaar)
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 scies scient six cents cyprès.
If six saws saw six cypresses, six hundred saws saw six hundred 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!
Please translate this...

German

  • Es klapperten die Klapperschlangen, bis ihre Klappern schlapper klangen. (listen)
The rattlesnakes rattled until their rattles began to sound exhausted.
  • Fischers Fritz fischt frische Fische, frische Fische fischt Fischers Fritz. (listen)
The Fischers' boy Fritz is fishing for fresh fish, for fresh fish Fischer's boy Fritz is fishing.
  • Brautkleid bleibt Brautkleid, und Blaukraut bleibt Blaukraut. (listen)
Bride's dress remains bride's dress, and blue cabbage remains blue cabbage.
  • Konstantinopolitanischer Dudelsackpfeifenmachergeselle
(Bagpipe-pipe maker apprentice from Constantinople)
  • Der Potsdamer Postkutscher putzt den Potsdamer Postkutschkasten. (listen)
The driver of the Potsdam stage coach cleans the case of the Potsdam stage coach.
  • Im Potsdamer Boxclub boxt der Potsdamer Postbusboss. (listen)
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)
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)
In a dense thicket of spruces, thick spruces are heavily napping. (German ficken means "to fuck" and Nichten equals nieces - n<->f).
  • Der Kaplan klebt Pappplakate an die Plakatwand. (listen)
The chaplain is sticking posters made of heavy card to the notice board.
  • Wenn hinter Fliegen Fliegen fliegen, fliegen Fliegen Fliegen hinterher. (listen)
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 for the chocolate shop, ask chocolate shop salesgirls to the dance.
  • Diesen Morgen haben sieben Schwaben einen gelben Hasen gesehen.
This morning seven Schwabians 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.
  • Ich sage Ihnen das, dass das "das, dass", das das Kind geschrieben hat, richtig ist.
Ich sage Ihnen jenes, dass dieses "das, dass", welches das Kind geschrieben hat, richtig ist.
I tell you that, that this "that, which" which the child has written, is correct.
  • 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.
  • Wenn Nietzsche scheißte, schwamm er in Angstschweiß
When Nietzsche shat, he swam in agony sweat

Franconian Dialect

  • A Mamaladaaama hamma daham aa.
(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.
The pope was late ordering the cutlery.

Western varieties:

  • Der Paapscht het z Spiez ds Bsteck z späät bstellt.
The pope has ordered the cutlery too late in Spiez.

Greek

  • Άσπρη πέτρα ξέξασπρη, κι από τον ήλιο ξεξασπρότερη!
áspri pétra xéxaspri, ki apó ton ílio xexasprótesi!
(translation is missing)
  • Μια πάπια, μα ποια πάπια; Μια πάπια με παπιά!
miá pápia, ma piá pápia; miá pápia me papiá!
A duck, but which duck? A duck with ducklings!

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
Ahni loh meh'hamitmahamehim, ahni meh'hamitmahamehot
I am not a from the procrastinating men, I am from the procrastinating women.
Variation: מהממהרים, מהממהרות meh'hameh'maharim, meh'hameh'maharot (I am not from the men in a hurry...).
  • אישה נעלה נעלה נעלה נעלה את הדלת בפני בעלה
Esha naala naala naala naala eht hadelet befnei baala
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 to construct 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 zeh hee veh-he zeh hoo veh-who zeh mi veh-me zeh ahni
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 hi 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
Titehta et hata? Loh, loh titehti et hata, tehtateh 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 ("Titehta-ta-ta - lo titehti-ta-ta, tehtateh-ta-ta-ata").

Hungarian

  • Öt török öt görögöt dögönyöz örökös örömök között.
Five Turks are massaging five Greeks amid everlasting delights.
  • 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.
  • Nem mindenfajta 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, kind of untranslatable.)
(most exact possible) 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) Unmightfulnessliyourslidownbefallingsly
    • Legeslegmegszentségteleníttethetetlenebbeiteknek (48 letters)
to those of you who can the very least be made profaned / desecrated
  • 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 jamaikaiaké.
Jamaica belongs to Jamaicans.
  • A szecsuáni síncsiszoló sínt csiszol Szecsuánban.
The rail-polisher of Sichuan polishes rails in Sichuan.
  • Lenin mauzóleumának lelinóleumozása.
Linoleuming Lenin's Mausoleum.
  • 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!
  • Fekete bikapata kopog a pepita patikaköveken.
There are black bull's hooves clattering on the checked pharmacy stones.
  • Stresszes, strasszos strucc-sztreccscucc.
Stressing, rhinestone-studded spandex clothes for ostriches.
  • Csinos, csíkos cinkcsészében cukros csirkecomb.
A sugar-sprinkled chicken leg 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.
A tiny vole with a tiny tummy flipped a tiny vole with a tiny tummy on the tummy, when 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.

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 would un-archbishop-of-Constantinople-ize himself, would you un-archbishop-of-Constantinople-ize too?

Milan dialect

  • Ti che te tachet i tac, tacum i tacc! Mi tacat i tac a ti? Tacheti ti i to tacc, ti che te tachet i tacc!
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

Japanese

  • 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 shimasu. (貴社の記者は汽車で帰社します。)
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 imasu. (庭には二羽鶏がいます。)
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.

Korean

  • Ganjanggongjang gongjangjang-eun Jang gongjangjang-igo doenjanggongjang gongjangjang-eun Gang gongjangjang-ida. (간장공장 공장장은 장 공장장이고 된장공장 공장장은 강 공장장이다.)listen ▶(?)
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 (경찰청 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 ▶(?)
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.

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.

Latvian

  • Šaursliežu dzelzceļš
Narrow gauge railroad
  • Šis žagaru saišķis ir mans žagaru saišķis.
This bundle of sticks is my bundle of sticks.

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.

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.)

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.

Maltese

  • Ħija taġhni 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 Gharghur).

Marathi

  • Kachaa paapaD, pakkaa paapaD (repeated)
Cooked lentil wafer, raw lentil wafer
  • chataila tachni tochli
  • LuLi mule baaLe
  • chinchaachi chatni (The 2nd and 4th 'ch' sounds are pronounced as 'ts', something difficult for a non-Marathi speaker.)

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

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 1
To cóż że ze Szwecji So what that it's from Sweden? listen
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
Szedł Sasza suchą szosą, suszył sobie spodnie. Sasza (name) was going along a dry road while drying his trousers. listen
Stół z powyłamywanymi nogami A table with legs broken out listen
Wyindywidualizowaliśmy się z rozentuzjazmowanego tłumu. We isolated ourselves from the enthusiastic crowd. listen 3
Król Karol kupił królowej Karolinie korale koloru koralowego. King Charles bought for Queen Charlotte coral-coloured corals. listen 4
Grzegorz Brzęczyszczykiewicz (a name) 5
Przyszedł Herbst z pstrągami i słuchał oszczerstw z wstrętem przeszukując otwory w strzelnicy. Herbst came with the trouts and he started to listen to calumnies while repulsively searching through the holes in the firing ground.
Czy tata czyta cytaty Tacyta? Does dad read quotations from Tacitus?

Notes:

  1. The most popular Polish tongue-twister, these are the first two lines from Chrząszcz, a poem by Jan Brzechwa, in which almost all of the consonants make some kind of buzzing noise. Often, only the first line is used, which is hard enough as a tongue-twister.
  2. In a fast speech the latter mention of oak soup (zupa dębowa) is often mispronounced as dupa, a slightly vulgar word in Polish.
  3. The phonemes themselves are not difficult to pronounce, but long words (the first one has 11 syllables) make accents rare, resulting in flat, accentless, robotic speech. Note, that it is much easier to read it, than to repeat it by ear.
  4. The k, r, and l letters are used as often in the full phrase as in the last three words of the English translation (which themselves work almost as well as in Polish).
  5. This is a fictitious though possible full name in Polish, from the 1969 Polish comedy How I Unleashed World War II (Jak rozpętałem drugą wojnę światową) directed by Tadeusz Chmielewski, where it was used by the main character to confuse Gestapo officers asking for his name. When asked about his birthplace he replied with gmina Chrząszczyżeboszyce, powiat Łęgołody (commune Chrząszczyżeboszyce in the powiat of Łęgołody), which is even harder to pronounce.

Portuguese

  • Sabia que a sábia sabiá sabia assobiar?
Did you know that the wise robin knew how to whistle?
  • Três pratos de trigo para três tigres tristes (repeated)
Three plates of wheat for three sad tigers
  • Um tigre, dois tigres, três tigres (quickly).
One tiger, two tigers, three tigers.
  • Três tigres tristes trituram três pratos de trigo.
Three sad tigers triturate thress wheat plates.
  • O rato roeu a rolha da garrafa de rum do rei da Rússia.
The mouse gnawed the cork of the bottle of rum of the king of Russia.
  • O rato roeu a roupa do rei de Roma.
The mouse gnawed the clothes of the king of Rome.
  • O rato roer roía e, a Rosa Rita Ramalho, do rato a roer se ria!
The mouse gnaw gnawed and, Rosa Rita Ramalho, of the mouse that gnaws laughs!
  • A pia pinga, o pinto pia, pinga a pia, pia o pinto,o pinto perto da pia, a pia perto do pinto.
The sink drips, the young chicken chirps, drips the sink, chirps the young chicken, the young chicken close to the sink, the sink close to the young chicken.
  • O Papa papa o papo do pato.
The Pope eats the duck's crop.
  • Pedro tem o peito preto. Preto é o peito de Pedro. Quem disser que o peito de Pedro não é preto, tem o peito mais preto que o peito de Pedro.
Peter has the black chest. Black is the chest of Peter. Who says that the chest of Peter is not black, has the chest more black than the chest of Peter.
  • O peito do pé de Pedro é preto.
The top of Peter's foot is black.
  • Pedreiro da catedral está aqui o padre Pedro? - Qual padre Pedro? - O padre Pedro Pires Pisco Pascoal. - Aqui na catedral tem três padres Pedros Pires Piscos Pascoais. Como em outras catedrais.
Mason of the cathedral is the priest Peter here? - Which priest Peter? - the priest Peter Pires Pisco Pascoal. - Here in the cathedral it has three priests Peters Pires Piscos Pascoais. As in other cathedrals.
  • A aranha arranha a rã, a rã arranha a aranha.
The spider scratches the frog, the frog scratches the spider.

Romanian

"Încurcături de limbă" – "Tongue-twisters"

  • Capra neagră-n piatră sare, piatra crapă-n patru, crapă capul caprei negre precum piatra crapă-n patru. Piatra crapă capul caprei în patru, cum a crăpat şi capra piatra-n patru. (The chamois jumps on the stone, the stone splits in four, may the chamois' head split as the stone splits in four. The stone splits the chamois' head in four, as the chamois had split the stone in four too.)
  • Capra calcă piatra. Piatra crapa-n patru. Crăpa-i-ar capul caprei cum a crapat piatra-n patru. (The goat walks on the stone. The stone breaks in four. I wish the goat's head would break, as did the stone in four.)
  • Capra neagră calca-n piatra, piatra mare crapă-n patru. Aşa să crape capul caprei, cum a crapat piatra-n patru.
  • S-a suit capra pe piatră şi a spart-o-n patru, de s-ar sparge capul caprei ca şi piatra-n patru. (The goat climbed upon a stone, so that the stone broke in four pieces; May the goat's head break in four pieces as the stone broke in four.)
  • Piatra crapă capra, capra crapă piatra. (The stone, breaks the goat, the goat breaks the stone.)
  • Bucură-te cum s-a bucurat Bucuroaia de bucuria lui Bucurel când s-a întors bucuros de la Bucureşti. (Enjoy yourself, as well as Bucuroaia enjoyed the joy of Bucurel when returned joyful form Bucharest.)
  • Retevei de tei pe mirişte de mei. (Linden cudgel on millet stubble.)
  • Ciritei de tei pe mirişte de mei. (Linden bush on millet stubble.)
  • Saşiul stă pe şasiu şi şuşoteşte. (Whispering, the cross-eyed is sitting on the chassis.)
  • Prin Vulturi vântul viu vuia. (In Vulturi the wind strongly howled.)
  • Stanca stă-n castan ca Stan. (Stanca is sitting in a chestnut tree like Stan.)
  • Şase saşi în şase saci. (Six Saxons in six sacks.)
  • Sase sute saizeci si sase de sasi in sase sute saizeci si sase de saci. (Six hundred sixty-six Saxons in six-hundred sixty-six sacks)
  • Şase saşi cosaşi cos şase saci săseşti. ()
  • Şase saşi cosaşi cosesc în şase saci săseşti. ()
  • Şapte sape late jos şi-alte şaptezeci şi şapte de sape late-n spate. (Seven broad hoes down and other seventy-seven broad hoes on the shoulders.)
  • Doisprezece cocostârci pe casa lui Kogălniceanu. (Twelve storks on Kogălniceanu's house.)
  • Cerce cei ce cer cercei.
  • Oaia aia e a ei, eu i-o iau. (That sheep is hers I take it.) (A sentence of vowels)
  • Domnule Dudău, dă-mi două dude din dudul dumitale de dincolo de drum. (Used only "d"-words)
  • Domnule Dudescu, daţi-mi două dude din dudul dumneavoastră de dincolo de drumul dinspre Dudeşti. (Used only "d"-words)
  • Dirijabilul descreştea depărtându-se. Distanţa dela depozitul de demaraj devenea deosebit de demonstrativă. Damian dormita. Decând dorea dânsul deplasări diabolice. Dogoreala dumnezeiască daurea deşertul dedesubtul dirijabilului... (Grigore Cugler: "Drumul dragostei")
  • Florica, fata fierarului Fănică, fierbe fasole fără foc, fiindcă focul face fum. (Used only "f"-words)
  • Fata fostului funcţionar francez fierbe fasolea fără foc fiindcă focul face fum. (Used only "f"-words)
  • Vara, vineri-de-vineri, venerabilul veteran vrâncean, Vartolomeu Velisarie-Vulturescu vinde vanitos, vechi vindiacuri vătuite, veroşilor vânători vasluieni, vociferând vehement validitatea vânării vulpilor vârstnice. (Used only "v"-words)
  • Un vultur stă pe pisc c-un pix în plisc. (An eagle sits on a mountaintop with a pen in its beak.)
  • Cel ce ştie că nu ştie, ştie mai mult decât cel ce nu ştie că nu ştie.
  • Pe cap un capac, pe capac un ac. (On the head a lid, on the lid a needle.)
  • Cupă cu capac, capac cu cupă.
  • Dă-mi un pic de Pic să pic pe picătura de pe plic.
  • E pestriţă prepeliţa pestriţă, dar mai pestriţi sunt puii prepeliţei pestriţe din neamul prepeliţelor pestriţe.
  • E pestriţă prepeliţa pestriţă, dar mai pestriţi sunt puii prepeliţei pestriţe. (The mottled quail is mottled but the little quail chickens are more mottled than the mottled quail.)
  • O găină porumbacă în porumbar s-a urcat. În porumbar, porumbaca, tot porumbul l-a mâncat.
  • Hrib fiert, hrib fript, hrib nefript, hrib nefiert, tot una-i.
  • Când mă gândesc că te gândeşti la mine, gândeşte-te că mă gândesc că te gândeşti la mine.
  • Ştiu că ştiu şi mai ştiu că ştiuca-i peşte. Ştiu că ştii că ştiuca-i peşte, dar mai ştiu că ştiuca-i ştiucă.
  • O babă bălană mănâncă o banană babană. (A blonde old lady eats a huge banana.)
  • Într-o zi am visat că visam, şi în visul visului visam că visam.
  • Pimpirel cu pila lungă, şi-a pilit pila pe pungă. Punga-n pilă, pila-n pungă, Pimpirel cu pila lungă !
  • Eu pup poala popii, popa pupă poala mea. (I kiss the priest’s skirt, the priest kisses my coat’s skirt.) (It's easy to mispronounce words "poala" or "pila" as a trivial word denoting the male sexual organ.)
  • La curbe şinele troznesc. (At the curb, the rails thunder; ambiguous: at the bottom farts thunder.)
  • De ce-ai zis tu c-am zis eu c-a zis ăla nu stiu ce? N-am zis şi-ai zis c-am zis; când oi zice tot oi zice, ca să zici c-am zis c-oi zice.
  • Nici n-a zis şi zici c-am zis, când oi zice chiar oi zice ca să zici c-am zis ce-oi zice.
  • Tot ce-am zis c-am zis c-oi zice. Dar de zis eu n-am mai zis; Nici n-am zis, nici n-oi mai zice c-am să zic c-am zis c-oi zice !
  • Toată lumea are nare numai popa n-are nare.
  • Fusu-i ici, fusu-i colea, fusu-n poală la lelea.
  • Vânturai vara mălai, vânturungă pungă lungă.
  • O barză brează face zarvă pe-o varză.
  • Cred c-ai spus c-ai doi cai la Tokay.
  • Papucarul papucăreşte papucii papucăresei, dar papucăreasa nu poate papucări papucii păpucarului.
  • Cărămidarul cărămidăreşte pe cărămidăreasă, dar cărămidăreasa nu poate cărămidări pe cărămidar.
  • Dacă şi cu Parcă se plimbau cu-o barcă. Dacă Dacă nu era parcă Parcă se-îneca !
  • Dacă şi cu Poate s-au dus să înoate. Dacă Dacă nu era, poate Poate se îneca !
  • Dacă şi cu Oare, s-au dus să se însoare. Dacă Dacă nu era, oare Oare se însura?
  • Danilă îi dă lui Nilă dalta dată de Daniela ca să dăltuiască-n dale dalii dantelate.
  • Clientul: Bună Ziua!
Vânzătorul: Bună Ziua!
C: Aveţi "Ziua"?
V: Avem "Ziua"!
C: Daţi-mi "Ziua"!
V: Poftim "Ziua"!
C: Bună Ziua!
V: Bună Ziua!
  • Un băiat cuminte nu minte ci, cu minte cuminţeste celui care minte.
  • Ei îi fu frică de a-i fi frică şi lui îi fu frică de a nu-i fi fost frică.
  • Un caricaturist caricaturizează o caricatură caricaturistică.
  • O întâmplare întâmplătoare s-a'ntâmplat din întâmplare.
  • S-a'ntâmplat o'ntâmplare pe strada'ntâmplării: tâmplarul s-a lovit cu tâmpla de tâmpla tâmplăresii
  • În tâmplăria unui tâmplar s-a întâmplat o întâmplare. Alt tâmplar, care, din întâmplare, auzise de întâmplarea întâmplată tâmplarului, s-a dus să vadă ce i s-a întâmplat tâmplarului în tâmplărie şi, din întâmplare, s-a lovit cu tâmpla de tâmpla tâmplarului si a tâmpit.
  • În trecut, un trecător cu trecere, neîntrecut, s-a oprit în treacăt, să treacă printr-o trecătoare neîntrecută până atunci decât de o trecătoare cam trecută.
  • Rică nu reuşea să zică râu, răţuşcă, rămurică. Dar de când băiatu-nvaţă poezia despre raţă, Rică a-nvăţat să zică râu, răţuşcă, rămurică.
  • Soră Sară, n-ai sărit asară să vezi carnea cum se sară? (Sister Sarah, didn't you stopped by last night to see how the meat is being salted?)


From Romanian literature:

  • D-na Smith: Nu muşca de undeva !
Dl. Martin: Nu mişca de undeva !
Dl. Smith: Nu muşca de unde mişti, nu mişca de unde muşti !
D-na Martin: Musca mişcă !
D-na Smith: Mişcă musca !
Dl. Martin: Muşti mişcaţi !
Dl. Smith: Muştele muşcă muşcata !
D-na Martin: Musca muşcă muşcata ta !
D-na Smith: Muşca-ţi-ar musca muşchiul !
Dl. Martin: Domnule Smith, eşti muşchiul muşcat !
Dl. Smith: Domnule Martin, mustul musteşte !
D-na Martin: Doamnă Smith, muştele mustesc în muşchiul muşcat.
D-na Smith: Doamnă Martin, muşcă musca muşcată, muşchiul musteşte. (Eugen Ionescu: "The Lesson - Englezeşte fără profesor")
  • Maică-ta de-i vie, bine-ar fi să vie pân' la noi la vie. (C. Negruzzi: "Cum am învăţat româneşte"
  • Mama-i vie şi-i în vie, vie cine-o fi să vie. (Titus Popovici: "Setea")
  • E bun ! Bine că m-ai liniştit... Păi, eu aşa chibzuiesc. Dacă s-o întâmpla să se întâmple întâmplător vreo întâmplare şi ne-am întâmpla de faţă la întâmplarea care s-o întâmpla să se întâmple, o să zicem că s-a întâmplat o întâmplare întâmplătoare şi din întâmplare nu s-a întâmplat să oprim ce era să se întâmple. (Victor Ion Popa: "Cuiul lui Pepelea")
  • N-am venit că am venit, am venit că n-am venit. (Păstorel Teodoreanu)

Russian

  • Шла Саша по шоссе и сосала сушку.
  • (Shla Sasha po shossie sosala sushku.)
Sasha was coming down a highway and sucking on a bread-ring.
  • На дворе трава, на траве дрова. Не руби дрова на траве двора.
  • (Na dvorie trava, na travie drova. Nie rubi drova na travie dvora.)
In the yard there is grass and on the grass there is firewood. Don't chop firewood on the grass of the yard.
  • Карл у Клары украл кораллы, а Клара у Карла украла кларнет
  • (Karl u Klary ukral korally, a Klara u Karla ukrala klarniet.) (listen)
Karl stole corals from Klara and Klara stole a clarinet from Karl.
  • Ехал Грека через реку, видит Грека — в реке рак. Сунул Грека руку в реку, рак за руку Греку цап.
  • (Yekhal Greka cheriez rieku, vidit Grieka v rieke rak. Sunul Grieka ruku v rieku, rak za ruku Grieku tsap.)
Greka (a Greek) was riding across a river, and saw that there was a lobster in the river. Greka put his hand in the river and the lobster bit his hand.
  • Тридцать три корабля лавировали, лавировали, да не вылавировали.
  • (Tridtsat' tri korablia lavirovali, lavirovali, da nie vylavirovali.)
Thirty-three ships tacked, tacked, but didn't tack out.
  • Сшит колпак не по-колпаковски. Надо бы колпак переколпаковать, надо перевыколпаковать.
  • (Sshit kolpak nie po-kolpakovski. Nado by kolpak pieriekolpakovat', nado pierievykolpakovat'.)
The cap is sewn noncapways. One has to re-cap the cap, to over-recap it.
  • Цапля чахла; цапля сохла; цапля сдохла.
  • (Tsaplia chakhla; tsaplia sokhla, tsaplia sdokhla.)
Heron had been withering, heron had been pining away, heron kicked the bucket. Repeat quickly multiple times, with the emphasis shifting from the first word over to the second, the fourth, and the sixth.
  • "Расскажите про покупки!" "Про какие про покупки?" "Про покупки, про покупки, про покупочки свои!"
  • ("Rasskazhite pro pokupki!" "Pro kakiye pro pokupki?" "Pro pokupki, pro pokupki, pro pokupochki svoi!")
"Tell me about your purchases!" "What about what purchases?" "About your purchases, your purchases, about your little purchases!"

Slovak

  • Strč prst skrz krk.
Stick a finger through your throat.
  • Guľôčka v jamôčke
A little ball in a little hole
  • Na klavíri hrala Klára Kráľová
Klára Kráľová was was playing the piano
  • štvrťvrstva / v štvrťvrstve
quarter (i.e. 1/4th) layer/in a quarter layer
  • Rolu Lorda Rolfa hral Vladimír Leraus
Vladimír Leraus was playing the role of Lord Rolf

Slovenian

  • Pešec čez cestišče ( /'pe.ʃəʦ ʧɛs ʦɛ.'sti.ʃʧɛ/)
"A pedestrian (goes) over a driveway." If spoken repetedly, one gets lost in the flurry of "s", "sh", "ts" and "ch" sounds.
  • Čmrlj ( /ʧmərlj/)
"A bumble bee" Pronounced as a single syllable, starting with "chm-", followed by an "uh" vowel, and concluded with "rly", where r is rolled and y is pronounced similarly as in the English word "yes". (not considered a tonguetwister for native speakers)
  • Čmrljščina ( /ʧmərlj.'ʃʧi.na/}
"The bumble-bee language" This is a made-up word, but it is perfectly understandable and pronounceable in Slovenian as "čmrlj" above, followed by two syllables: "shchi-na".
  • Iz Jež'ce čez cesto v Stož'ce po rož'ce. (IPA ?)

From Ježica over the road in Stožice to get flowers.

  • Marko/komar (repeat)

Marko is a personal name, komar means mosquito. If you repeat quickly you don't know anymore which one is which.

Spanish

  • El arzobispo de Constantinopla se quiere desarzobispoconstantinopolitanizar y el arzobispo que lo desarzobispoconstantinopolitanice buen desarzobispoconstantinopolitanizador será.
The archbishop of Constantinople does not want to be the archbishop of Constantinople, and the archbishop who un-archbishop-of-Constantinople-izes him will be a good un-archbishop-of-Constantinople-ifier.
  • Tres tristes tigres tragan trigo en un trigal.
Three sad tigers swallow wheat in a wheat field.

(This is especially difficult for non-native speakers because of the pronunciation of the Spanish "r" and the sound of "tr" and "t". )

  • Tres tristes tigres tragan trigo y se atragantan.
Three sad tigers swallow wheat and they choke themselves.
  • Pablito clavó un clavito, ¿ qué clavito clavó Pablito ?
Pablito nailed a little nail, which little nail nailed Pablito ?
  • Erre con erre cigarro, erre con erre barril, rápido ruedan los carros, por los rieles del ferrocarril.
r with r cigar, r with r barrel, fast the cars go, through the rails of the train.

(This is especially difficult for non-native speakers because of the pronunciation of the Spanish "r")

  • La madre y la hija van a misa. La madre pisa paja; la hija paja pisa.
"The mother and her daughter are on her way to attend a mass. The mother steps on straw; the daughter on straw steps." Devised to make the speaker say "la hija pasa pija" (the daughter passes pija; the last word being either an insult or a colloquial word meaning 'penis').
  • Sobre el triple trapecio de Trípoli trabajaban, trigonométricamente trastrocados, tres tristes triunviros trogloditas, tropezando atribulados contra trípodes, triclinios y otros trastos triturados por el tremendo tetrarca trapense.
Over the triple trapeze of Tripoli there worked, trigonometrically switched over, three sad troglodyte triumvirs, afflictedly bumping into tripods, triclinia and other gear crushed by the terrible Trappist tetrarch. Probably by Ramón del Valle Inclán (?)
  • María Chuzena techaba su choza y un techador que por allí pasaba le dijo: «Maria Chuzena, ¿tú techas tu choza o techas la ajena? — No techo mi choza, ni techo la ajena; yo techo la choza de María Chuzena» dijo Maria Chuzena al techador que por allí pasaba.
Maria Chuzena was repairing her hut's roof, and a roof repairman that was passing by asked her: "Maria Chuzena, do you repair your hut's roof, or do you repair another person's?" "I don't repair my hut's roof or another person's; I repair Maria Chuzena's roof," said Maria Chuzena to the roof repairman who was passing by.
  • Pedro Perez Pereira, pobre pintor Portugues, empaca poquitas copitas en poquitos paquetes para poder partir para Paris.
Pedro Perez Pereira, a poor Portuguese painter, packs a few cups in a few packets in order to travel to Paris.

Another version

  • Pedro Perico Pereira, pobre pintor Portugués, pinta paisajes preciosos, por poca plata y papel.
Pedro Perico Pereira, a poor Portuguese painter, paints beautiful ladscapes for little money and paper.

Swedish

  • Sex laxar i en laxask listen ▶(?)
Six salmons in a salmon-box
  • Packa pappas kappsäck. listen ▶(?)
Pack daddy's suitcase.
    • (Variant): Mamma, packa pappas kappsäck!
Mom, pack daddy's suitcase!
  • Sju sjösjuka sjömän sköttes av sju sköna sjuksköterskor. listen ▶(?)
Seven seasick seamen were cared for by seven beautiful nurses.
    • (Variant): Sju sjösjuka sjömän på skeppet Shanghai sköljde sju skjortor i sjön.
Seven seasick seamen on the ship 'Shanghai' washed seven shirts in the sea.
    • (Finnish variant): Sju söta sköna sjösjuka sjuksöterskor seglar med segelskepp till Shanghai
Seven cute beautiful seasick nurses sail on sailing-ship to Shanghai
  • Plocka pepparkorn i en kopparpanna listen ▶(?)
To pick peppercorns in a copper pan
  • Västkustskt listen ▶(?)
"West Coastish" (The double occurrence of 'st' followed by consonant clusters containing hard k's make this very awkward to pronounce correctly.)
  • Flyg, fula fluga, flyg! Och den fula flugan flög. listen ▶(?)
"Fly, ugly fly, fly! And the ugly fly flew." (Three rounded vowels, "u", "y", and "ö" occur in seven out of nine words, making it hard not to mix them up.)
  • Ö, ö, Höö, Höös mö.
Island, island, Grassy island, Grassy island's bride.
  • Å, å, Råå, Råån ä' då
River, river, river Rå (a river in Scania), river Rå is there
  • Kvistfritt kvastskaft.
"Splinterless broomstick". The complex consonant cluster combinations usually makes the speaker end up with something like "squish squash".

Dialectal

  • I åa ä e ö, å i öa ä e å (Dialect of Värmland region)
(Standard Swedish): I ån finns det en ö, och på ön finns det en å.
(English): In the stream there is an island, and on the island there is a stream.

Tagalog/Pilipino

  • Bababa ba? Bababa.
Will it descend? It will descend. (As with an elevator.)

Tatar

  • Miç başında biş mäçe, biş mäçeneñ biş başı. /miʆ baʃɨn`dɑ biʃ mæ`ʆe biʃ mæʆen`eŋ biʃ ba`ʃɨ/
Five cats at stove's head, five heads of five cats

Vietnamese

  • Lặt rau rồi luộc.
Pick/cut the vegetables and boil them.

Võro

  • Hõbõhõdsõlõ hõhvakõsõlõ.
To the silver heifer.
  • Süäüüelläi.
Midnight animal (human being or ghost who is active at midnight).
  • Kon um tuu lump', kon kunnaq ummaq?
Where is the pond where the frogs are?
  • Kakk ikk raah.
The owl is crying in the willow.
  • Hähn tsäks' pähnä.
The woodpecker is pecking the lime tree.

isiXhosa

  • Iqaqa laziqikaqika kwaze kwaqhawaka uqhoqhoqha.
The skunk rolled down and ruptured its larynx.

External links

Retrieved from "http://en.freepedia.org/List_of_tongue-twisters.html"


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