Tongue twisters in many languages

Arabic (Kuwaiti)

Târiq tag Taqi
Tariq hit Taqi

Khamees kumash khashim Habash
Khamees caught the nose of Habash

Bulgarian

Мишчица на Копривщица (Miščica na Koprivštica)
a mouse in Koprivštica

Петър плет плете (Petar plet plete),
през три пръта преплита (prez tri prata preplita).
Плети Петко, плета падна - Петко плети (Pleti Petko, pleta padna- Petko pleti).

Шише се суши на шосе (Šiše se suši na šose).
A bottle is drying on the road.

Сухо прасе просо пасе (Suho prase proso pase)
Dry piggy graze millet

[ contents ]

Catalan

Setze jutges d'un jutjat mengen fetge d'un penjat. Si el penjat es despengés, els setze jutges del jutjat no menjarien més fetge del penjat.
Sixteen judges from a court eat a hangman's liver. If the hangman unhangs himself, the sixteen judges wouldn't eat the hangman's liver.

Chinese (Mandarin) (绕口令)

吃葡萄不吐葡萄皮，不吃葡萄倒吐葡萄皮
Chī pútao bù tǔ pútao pí, bù chī pútao dáo tǔ pútao pí
When eating grapes don't spit out the skin, when not eating grapes spit out the skin

四是四，十是十，十四是十四，四十是四十，四十四隻不試字之石獅子是死的
sì shí sì, shí shì shí, shísì shí shísì, sìshí shí sìshí, sìshísì zhi bùshízǐ zhi shíshīzǐ shì sǐ de.
4 is 4, 10 is 10, 14 is 14, 40 is 40, 44 illiterate stone lions are dead.

山前住的颜圆眼， (shān qián zhù de yányuányǎn)
山后住的颜眼圆， (shān hòu zhù de yányǎnyuán)
两人山前来比眼， (liǎng rén shān qián lái bǐ yǎn)
也不知道颜圆眼比颜眼圆的圆眼， (yě bù zhīdào yányuányǎn bǐ yányǎnyuán de yuányǎn)
也不知道颜眼圆比颜圆眼的眼圆 (yě bù zhīdào yányǎnyuán bǐ yányuányǎn de yǎnyuán)

Croatian

Na vrh brda vrba mrda.
On the top of the riverbank the willow is swaying.

Hrvoje sa Hvara hrani hrčka
Hrvoje from Hvar island is feeding a hamster

Cvrči cvrči cvrčak na čvoru crne smrče.
A cricket sings and sings on a knobby branch of a black spruce.

Czech (Jazykolamy)

Strč prst skrz krk.
Stick your finger through your throat.

Pštros s pštrosicí a malými pštrosáčaty.
A male ostrich with a female ostrich and little baby ostriches.

Třistatřiatřicet stříbrných křepelek přeletělo přes třistatřiatřicet stříbrných střech.
Three hundred and thirty three silver quails flew over three hundred and thirty three silver roofs.

Tři tisíce třista třicet tři stříbrných stříkaček stříkalo přes tři tisíce třista třicet tři stříbrných střech
(3333 silver fire-engines squirt over 3333 silver roofs.)

Kat se bude štítiti títi ti tím mečem hlavu.
The executioner will despise to cut your head off using that sword

Smrž pln skvrn zvlhl z mlh.
Morel full of stains got wet from the fog.

Nesnese se se sestřenicí.
He cannot be in one place with his cousin.

V hlavní roli lorda Rolfa hrál Vladimír Leraus a na klavír hrála Klára Králová.
Lord Rolf played the role of Vladimír Leraus and Klára Králová played the piano.

Kmotře Petře, nepřepepřete mi toho vepře, jak mi, kmotře Petře, toho vepře přepepříte, tak si toho přepepřeného vepře sám sníte.
Godfather Petr, don't put so much pepper on that pig. If you put so much pepper on that pig, you will eat that pig by yourself.

Řehoři, řekni ř. Neřeknu, Řeřichu, ty by ses mi řehtal.
Řehoř, say ř. No, Řeřich, you would laugh at me. (Řehoř and Řeřich are old Czech names.)

Nenaolejuje-li mu ji Julie, naolejuji mu ji já.
If Julie is not going to put oil there, we are going to put oil there.

Od poklopu ku poklopu kyklop kouli koulí.
The cyclops rolls the ball from on trap-door to another.

Olemujeme-li mu ji nebo neolemujeme-li mu ji?
Are we going to bind that or are we not going to bind that?

Letěl jelen jetelem.
The stag was running through the shamrock.

Strýc Šusta suší švestky.
Uncle Šusta dries plums.

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

(Czech audio from: Local Lingo)

[ contents ]

Danish

Han plukker frugt med en brugt frugtplukker.
He picks fruit with a used (second-hand) fruit picker.

Dutch

Lientje leerde Lotje lopen langs de lange Lindenlaan. Toen Lotje niet wou lopen, liet Lientje Lotje lekker staan.
Lientje taught Lotje to walk along the Long Lime-tree Lane, when Lotje didn't want to walk, Lientje left Lotje standing there.

Onder de roomse kerk met drie droge doeken.
Below the Roman Catholic Church with three dry tea-cloths.

De koetsier poetst de postkoets.
The coachman cleans the coach.

De kat krabt de krullen van de trap.
The cat crabs the curls off the stairs.

Frans zegt tegen Frans in het Frans 'is Frans in het Frans Frans?' 'Nee,' zegt Frans tegen Frans in het Frans, 'Frans is in het Frans Français' .
Frans (boy's name) says to Frans in French 'is French in French French?' 'No,' says Frans to Frans in French, 'French in French is Français!'.

Als vliegen achter vliegen vliegen, vliegen vliegen vliegensvlug.
If flies fly behind flies, flies will fly like lightning.

Als een potvis in een pispot pist, heb je een pispot vol met potvispis.
If a sperm-whale pees into a piss-pot, you'll have a piss-pot full of sperm-whale piss.

Als achter vliegen vliegen vliegen, vliegen vliegen vliegensvlug.
If flies fly behind flies, flies fly rapidly.

Zeven Zaventemse zotten zwommen zeven zonnige zondagen zonder zwarte zwembroek. Zuster Zulma zaliger zei; "Ze zijn zij zeker zot ! Ze zullen zinken!"
Seven madmen from Zaventem swam seven sunny sundays without black swimmingsuit. Late sister Zulma (a name) said; "They must be mad! They will sink!"

De meid snijdt recht, de knecht snijdt scheef.
The maid cuts straight, the servant cuts crooked.

Toen hij de heide heide, heide hij de heide plat.
When he drove the heather, he drove the heather flat.

Achtentachtig prachtige Oegstgeestse grachten.
Eighy-eight marvellous canals in Oegstgeest.

Effe op 't Rijswijkseplein vijfenvijftig ijzeren schijthuispijpleidingen halen.
Just fetch fifty-five iron outhouse drainpipes from the Rijswijkseplein.

[ contents ]

English

Bill Badger brought the bear a bit of boiled bacon in a brown bag.

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,
How many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?

Seventeen slimy slugs in shiny sombreros sat singing short sad songs.

She sells seashells by the seashore.
The shells she sells are surely seashells.
So if she sells shells on the seashore,
I'm sure she sells seashore shells.

The sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick.

Six thick thistle sticks. Six thick thistles stick.

I Slit A Sheet, A Sheet I Slit. Upon This Slitted Sheet I Sit.

Thirtythree thin Finns throw fortythree frogs into four Thracian theatres.

The Awfullest Thistle: The successful thistle sifter, in sifting a sieve full of unsifted thistles, stuck three thousand thistles through the thick of his thumb.

Which witch winds white weasel wool well?

How Much Wood Would A Woodchuck Chuck If A Woodchuck Could Chuck Wood?
A Woodchuck Would Chuck As Much Wood As A Woodchuck Could, If A Woodchuck Could Chuck Wood.

Theophilus Thistle, the successful thistle sifter
In sifting a sieve full of unsifted thistles,
Thrust three thousand thistles through the thick of his thumb.
If Theophilus Thistle, the successful thistle sifter,
Can thrust three thousand thistles through the thick of his thumb,
See thou, in sifting a sieve full of unsifted thistles,
Thrust not three thousand thistles through the thick of thy thumb.

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.

[ contents ]

Finnish

Mustan kissan paksut posket.
Black cats' fat cheeks.

Appilan pappilan apupapin papupata pankolla kiehuu ja kuohuu.
The curates' beanpot is boiling and boiling over on the stove in the rectory of the parents-in-law.

Vesihiisi sihisi hississä.
A water troll was hissing in the elevator.

Kärpänen sanoi kärpäselle: tuu kattoon kattoon ku kaveri tapettiin tapettiin.
A Fly said to another fly: come to the ceiling to see as our friend was killed on the wallpaper.

Ruislaari, ohralaari, kauralaari
Rye bin, barley bin, oat bin

French - Virelangues

Les chaussettes de l'archi-duchesses sont-elles sèches, arch-sèches?
Are the archduchess' socks dry, very dry?

Un chasseur sachant chasser sait chasser sans son chien.
A hunter who knows how to hunt knows how to hunt without his dog.

Si six scies scient six-cent-six scies, ces six-cent-six scies seront sciées.
If six saws saw six hundred six saws, those six hundred six saws will be sawed.

Rose Sélavy et moi esquivons les ecchymoses des Esquimaux aux mots exquis. (Marcel Duchamp)
Rose Sélavy and I tell lies to eskimos in exquisite words.

[ contents ]

Georgian

ბაყაყი წყალში ყიყინებს (baqaqi cqalši qiqinebs)
The frog is croaking in the water

German - Zungenbrecher

Fischers Fritz fischt frische Fische.
The Fischer's son Fritz is fishing for fresh fish.

Kluge kleine Katzen kratzen keine Krokodile.
Clever little cats don't scratch crocodiles.

Esel essen Nesseln nicht, Nesseln essen Esel nicht.
Donkeys don't eat nettles, and nettles don't eat donkeys.

Mäh'n Äbte Heu? Äbte mäh'n nie Heu. Äbte mäh'n Gras.
Do Abbots mow hay? Abbots never mow hay, they mow grass

Wenn hinter Fliegen Fliegen fliegen, fliegen Fliegen Fliegen hinterher.

In Ulm und um Ulm und um Ulm herum.

Die Katze tritt die Treppe krumm.

Der Cottbusser Postkutscher putzt den Cottbusser Postkutschkasten.

Der Barmixer mixt mit Whisky.

Wachmaske, Meßwechsel, Meßwechsel, Wachsmaske

Greek - Γλωσσοδέτες (Glossodetes)

Ἄσπρη πέτρα ξέξασπρη κι ἀπ᾿ τὸν ἤλιο ξεξασπρώτερη
(Áspri pétra xéxaspri ke ap ton ílio xexaspróteri)
A white stone, very white, whiter than the sun.

Μιὰ πάπια μὰ ποιά πάπια;
(Miá pápia ma piá pápia)
A duck but which duck).

[ contents ]

Hebrew

(Nachash nashach nachash) נָחָשׁ נָשַׁךְ נָחָשׁ
a snake bit a snake

(titita tata? - lo tititi tata, tetate oto ata!) טיאטאת ת'תא? - לא טאטאתי ת'תא, תטאטא אותו אתה!
Did you clean the locker? - I didn't clean the locker, you clean it!

(Sarah shara shir same'ach) שָׂרָה שָׁרָה שִׂיר שָׁמְחַ
Sarah is singing a happy song

(bakbuk bli pkak) בַּקְבּוּק בְּלִי פְּקָק
a bottle without a cork

Hindi

चंदू के चाचा ने चंदू की चाची को चाँदनी-चौक मे चाँदनी रात मे चाँदी के चम्मच से चतनी चताई
(caṅdū ke cācā ne caṅdū kī cācī ko caṃdanī-cauk me caṃdanī rāt me caṃdanī ke cammac se catnī catāī)
Chandus' uncle asked Chandus' aunt to taste a relish/sauce with the help of a silver spoon in full moon night at Chandani Chowk (a place in New Delhi).

Hungarian - Nyelvtörő

Fekete bikapata kopog a patika pepita kövezetén
A black bull-hoof knocks on the pharmacy's tesselated pavement.

Mit sütsz, kis szűcs? Sós húst sütsz, kis szűcs?
What do you bake, little furrier? Do you bake salty meat, little furrier?

Sárga bögre, görbe bögre.
Yellow mug, crooked mug.

Egy kupac kopasz kukac, meg még egy kupac kopasz kukac, az két kupac kopasz kukac.
One heap of bald maggots plus another heap of bald maggots makes two heaps of bald maggots.

Nem minden tarka szarka farka tarkabarka, csak a tarkabarka fajta szarka farka tarkabarka.
The tails of not all dappled magpies are calico, only the tails of the calico magpies are calico.

Az ipafai papnak fapipája van, ezért az ipafai papi pipa papi fapipa.
The priest of Ipafa has a wooden pipe, therefore the priest-pipe of Ipafa is a priest-woodpipe.

Te tetted e tettetett tettet? Tettetett tettek tettese, te!
Did you do this feigned deed? You doer of feigned deeds!

[ contents ]

Icelandic

Ái á Á, á á í á.
Grandfather from "Á" farm has a sheep in a river.

Indonesian

Ular melingkar-lingkar di pagar bundar-bundar.
A snake rounds on the fence really circularly.

Saya sebal sama situ sebab situ suka senyum-senyum sama suami saya sehingga sekarang suami saya suka senyum-senyum sendiri sembari sama saya.
I hate you because you used to smile at my husband; now he likes to smile for no obvious reason when he is with me.

Irish (Gaelic)

Ná bac le mac an bhacaigh is ní bhacfaidh mac an bhacaigh leat!
Don't bother with the son of the beggarman and the son of the beggarman won't bother you!

An bhfacha tú an bacach, nó an bhfacha tú a mhac? Ní fhaca mé an bacach is ní fhacha mé a mhac, ach dá bhfeicfinnse an bacach nó dá bhfeicfinnse a mhac, ní bhacfainn leis an bacach is ní bhacfainn lena mhac!
Did you see the oaf or did you see his son? I didn't see the oaf nor did I see his son, but if I should see the oaf or should I see his son, I'd ignore the oaf and I'd ignore his son!

Italian - Scioglilingua

Sopra la panca la capra campa, sotto la panca la capra crepa.
On the bench the goat lives, under the bench the goat dies.

Trentatré trentini entrarono a Trento tutti e trentatré trotterellando.
Thirty-three dwellers of Trent came into Trent, all thirty-three trotting and toddling.

Tre tigri contro tre tigri.
Three tigers against three tigers.

Se l'arcivescovo di Costantinopoli si disarcivescoviscostantinopolizzasse, vi disarcivescoviscostantinopolizzereste voi come si è disarcivescoviscostantinopolizzato l'arcivescovo di Costantinopoli?
If the archibishop of Constantinople debishopconstantinoplized himself, would you debishopconstantinoplize yourselves in the same way as the archibishop of Constantinople debishopconstantinoplized?

Dietro a quel palazzo c'è un povero cane pazzo, date un pezzo di pane a quel povero pazzo cane.
Behind that palace there is a poor mad dog. Give a piece of bread to that poor mad dog.

[ contents ]

Japanese

豚は豚の歌を歌う。
Buta wa buta no uta o utau.
The pig sings the pig's song.

にわの庭には、二羽の鶏はにわかにわにを食べた
Niwa no niwa ni wa, niwa no niwatori wa niwaka ni wani o tabeta.
In (Mr) Niwa's garden, two chickens suddenly ate a crocodile.

生麦生米生卵
Nama mugi, nama gome, nama tamago
Raw wheat, raw rice, raw egg

Javanese

Kala kula kelas kalih, kula kilak kalo kalih kuli-kuli kula, kalo kula kéli, kali kilén kula, kalo kula kampul-kampul, kula kelap kelip kala-kala keling-keling.
When I was in the 2nd grade, I bought kalo* with my servant, my kalo's down to the river, the river west of my home, my kalo's flowing in the river, I use my eyes when the kalo is looking.

[ contents ]

Korean

간장공장 공장장은 강 공장장이고,
된장공장 공장장은 공 공장장이다
kan-jang-kong-jang kong-jang-jang-eun kang kong-jang-jang-ee-go,
dwen-jang-kong-jang kong-jang-jang-eun kong kong-jang-jang-ee-da.
The president of the soysauce factory is president Kang,
and the president of the bean paste factory is president Kong.

육통 통장 적금통장은 황색 적금통장이고
팔통 통장 적금통장은 녹색 적금통장이다
Yug-tong tong-chang cheog-geum-tong chang-uen hwang-saeg cheog-geum-tong-chang-i-go
p'ar-tong tong-chang cheog-geum-tong chang-uen nog-saeg cheog-geum-tong-chang-i-da
6 dong bank book savings book is the yellow bank savings book
8 dong bank book savings book is the green bank savings book

고려고 교복은 고급 교복이고
고려고 교복은 고급 원단을 사용했다
Gohryeogoh gyo-pog-eun go-geub gyo-pog-i-go
Gohryeogoh gyo-pog-eun go-geub won-dan-eur sa-yong-haess-da
Gohryeogoh uniforms are high quality uniforms
Gohryeogoh uniforms are high quality materials

목동 로얄 뉴로얄 레스토랑 뉴메뉴
미트소시지소스스파게티, 크림소시지소스스테이크
Mokdong ro-yal nyu-ro-yar re-seu-t'o-rang nyu-me-nyu
Mi-teu-so-shi-chi-so-seu-seu-p'a-ge-t'i, k'eu-rim-so-shi-chi-so-seu-seu-t'e-i-keu
Mokdong Royal New Royal Restaurant new menu
Meat sausage sauce spaghetti, cream sausage sauce steak

민주주의의 의의
min-ju-ju-ee-eh oi-ee
Democracy's significance

[ contents ]

Latvian

Maziņš eža puskažociņš uz šaursliežu dzelzsceļa.
A little half-length, hedgehog fur coat on a narrow-gauge railroad track.

[ contents ]

Maltese

Toni tagħna tani tina talli tajtu tuta tajba
Our Tony gave a fig because I gave him a good berry.

Manx - Cass-ockle (teeth breakers)

Ta'n bear gaih gee burgeyr
The teddy bear is eating a burger

[ contents ]

Navajo

Dii dii thii Billy Lee bilii.
These four horses are Billy Lee's horses.

Norwegian

Ibsens ripsbærbusker og andre buskevekster.
The redcurrant bushes of Ibsen and other bushy trees. (bokmål)

Pappa pakker pappesker fort.
Dad's packing cardboard boxes fast.

Høyesterettsjustitiarius.
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

[ contents ]

Polish - łamaniec językowy

W Szczebrzeszynie chrząszcz brzmi w trzcinie.
I Szczebrzeszyn z tego słynie.
Wół go pyta: „Panie chrząszczu,
Po cóż pan tak brzęczy w gąszczu?ˮ

In the town of Szczebrzeszyn a cricket buzzes in the reeds
And that is why Szczebrzeszyn is famous.
An ox asks him: "Mister cricket,
Why are you buzzing in the bushes?

- a poem by Jan Brzechwa that's famous for being one of the most difficult Polish texts to pronounce.

W czasie suszy szosa sucha.
A way is dry when there's drought.

Król Karol kupił Królowej Karolinie korale koloru koralowego.
King Karl bought Queen Caroline coral-colored bead.

Stół z powyłamywanymi nogami.
A table with broken legs.

We szwy płaszcza się zaszywszy w szyku marsza trzy wszy weszły
Hidding in seams of a coat, three lice entered in a marching formation

Co wydrze wydrzę wydrze? Wydrzę wydrze wydrze wydrzę.
What will extort a small otter from an otter? The small otter will extort a small otter from the otter.

Portuguese - travalínguas

O doce perguntou pro doce qual doce que era mais doce.
O doce respondeu pro doce que o doce mais doce era o doce de batata doce.
The sweet asked the sweet which sweet was sweeter.
The sweet answered the sweet that the sweeter sweet was the sweet potato sweet.

Sabia que o sabiá sabia assobiar?
Did you know that the thrush could wistle?

O rato roeu a roupa do rei de Roma.
The rat nibbled the King of Rome's clothes.

O rato roeu a rolha da garrafa de rum do rei da Rússia.
The rat nibbled the cork of the bottle of rum of the king of Russia.

Um prato de trigo para três tigres.
One dish of wheat to three tigers

Três tristes tigres.
Three sad tigers

Um sábio soube saber que o sabiá sabia assobiar.
A wise man knew to know that a bird knew to whistle.

Xico xereta chupava chupeta chutou a caixinha puxou a gaveta.
Curious Xico sucked the pacifier, kicked the box pulled the shelf.

[ contents ]

Romanian - Încurcături de limbă

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.

Russian

Карл у Клары украл кораллы, а Клара у Карла украла кларнет.
Karl u Klary ukral korally, a Klara u Karla ukrala klarinet.
Carl stole corals from Clara, and Clara stole a clarinet from Carl.

Корабли лавировали, лавировали, да не вылавировали.
Korabli lavirovali, lavirovali, da ne vylavirovali.

Шла Саша по шоссе и сосала соску
Šla Saša po šosse i sosala sosku
Sasha was walking down the highway and had a pacifier in her mouth.

У перепела и перепёлки пять перепелят
U perepela i perepëlki pjat' perepeljat
A quail and a female quail have five little quails

У Сашки в кармашке шишки да шашкУ Сашки в кармашке шишки да шашки
U Saški v karmaške šiški da šaški
Sasha has cones for checkers in his packet

В семеро саней семеро Семёнов с усами уселись в сани сами
V semero sanej semero Semëenov s usami uselis' v sani sami
Seven Semens with moustaches got in the sleigh themselves

На мели мы налима лениво ловили,
Меняли налима вы мне на линя.
О любви не меня ли вы мило молили,
И в туманы лимана манили меня?

Na meli my nalima lenivo lovili,
Menjali nalima vy mne na linja.
O ljubvi ne menja li vy milo molili,
I v tumany limana manili menja?

[ contents ]

Scottish Gaelic - Rannan-teangaidh / Amalaidhean cainnte

Cha robh laogh ruadh luath a-riamh, is cha robh laogh luath a-riamh reamhar.
A brown calf was never swift, and a swift calf was never fat.

Ged a mholadh tu am mol, chan fhàs am mol molach.
Even though you praise the shingle beach, the shingle beach won't become hairy.

Serbian

Бела кера пролајала (Bela kera prolajala)
White dog started to bark.

Чоканјчићем ћу те, чоканјчићем ћес ме (Čokanjčićem ću te, čokanjčićem ćeš me)
I hit you with a čokanj, you hit me with a čokanj.
(a čokanj is a small bottle used for serving serbian brandy)

На врх брда врба мрда (Na vrh brda vrba mrda)
On top of the hill a willow is moving

Риба риби гризе реп (Riba ribi grize rep)
A fish is biting another fish's tail

Горе горе горе горе! (Gore gore gore gore!)
Forest fire is much worse uphill

Slovenian

Škof v škaf skoči.
The bishop jumps into a tub.

Iz Jež'ce cez cesto v Stož'ce po rož'ce.
From Jež'ca across the road to Stož'ce to get some flowers.
- Jež'ca and Stož'ce are a parts of the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana

Soutern Sotho

Paqama ke o qoqele moqoqo o qabolang.
Ke tla o qalla qalong ke o qetelle qetellong.
Ke tla o qalla ka Qabane oa Quthing ke o qetelle ka Nqoko oa Qoqolosing.
Lie back and let me tell you a funny story.
I'll start from the beginning and stop at the end.
I'll start with Qabane of Quthing and finish with Nqoko of Qoqolosing.

Spanish - trabalenguas

El cielo está enladrillado. ¿Quién lo desenladrillará?
El desenladrillador que lo desenladrille, ¡buen desenladrillador será!
The sky is full of bricks. Who will put them out now?
The "unbricker" who could put them out, will be such a good "unbricker"!

El perro de San Roque no tiene rabo porque Ramón Rodríguez se lo ha robado.
Saint Roque's dog has no tail because Ramón Rodríguez has stolen it.

Tres tristes tigres tragaban trigo en tres tristes trastos en un trigal
Three sad tigers were eating wheat in three sad (lousy) dishes in a wheat field.

Parangaricutirimícuaro
Parangaricutirimicuaro or Nuevo San Juan Parangaricutiro is a town in Mexico

Mi mamá me mima mucho.
Mum spoils me a lot.

El bebé bebe bebidas.
The baby drinks sodas.

Pedro Pérez Pereira, pobre pintor portugués, pinta preciosos paisajes por poco precio para poder pasar por parís.
Pedro Perez Pereira, poor Portuguese painter, he paints low cost landscapes at low price so he can pass by Paris

Pablito clavó un clavito, un clavito clavó pablito.

Swahili

Watu watu wa watu wawili watu.
Those people from the Watu region eat boiled rice.

Swedish

Sex laxar i en laxask.
Six salmon in a salmon-box.

Packa pappas kappsäck.
Pack daddy's suitcase.

Sju sjösjuka sjömän sköttes av sju sköna sjuksköterskor.
Seven seasick sailors were nursed by seven beautiful nurses.

Klockan sju sitter en sjuk katt på skivan och sjunger.
At 7 o'clock a sick cat is sitting on a disc and singing.

Ebbas pappa, pappas Ebba. Min pappa och min bror bor på Parkgatan i Bårgå.
Ebbas' father, fathers' Ebba. My father and my brother are living on Park Road in Borgå/Porvoo.

Far, Får får får? Nej, inte får får får, får får lamm.
Father, do sheep have sheep? No, sheep don't have sheep, sheep have lambs?

Knut stod vid en knut och knöt en knut, så knöt Knut knuten och så var knuten knuten.
Knut stood by a corner and knotted a knot, so knotted Knut the knot and the knot was knotted

Droskkusken Max kuskar med fuxar och fuskar med droskkusktaxan
The horse cab driver Max drives with chestnut horses and cheats with the horse cab fee

Kvistfritt kvastskaft
Knag-free broomstick

Ställ det i stället i stället
Put it in the rack instead

Flyg, fula fluga flyg, och den fula flugan flög.
Fly, ugly fly, and the ugly fly flew.

Hear all these tongue twisters

[ contents ]

Tagalog

Minekaniko nang mekaniko ni Monico ang makina nang Minica ni Monica.
Monico's mechanic mechanically fixed the Minica of Monica.

Ginago nang gago ang gaga na nagpagago sa gago.
Idiot 1 fooled idiot 2 who let idiot 1 fool himself.

Bababa ba? Bababa!
Will we go down? Yes, we will go down!

Ngumunguya at nangunguyakoy nang paa si Ka Ngarding.
A man is chewing and moving his feet all at the same time.

Nagprito ng pitumpu'tputong puto ang pumipitong puting pato.
The whistling whit duck fried seventy seven white rice cakes.

Pitumpú't pitóng putíng patíng.
77 white sharks

Bumilí ako ng bituka ng butikì sa botika.
I bought lizard's guts in the boutique

Nakakapágpabagábag kapág kinakábag ka.
It is disturbing when with gas

Notebook at aklát, notebook at aklát, notebook at aklát.
Notebook and book

Kuku kaki kakak kakekku kaku.
My great uncle's toenails are rigid

Palakang Kabkab, kumakalabukab, kaka-kalabukab pa lamang, kumakalabukab na naman.

Sumasaway ng pasaway ang nagsasaway na sanay magsaway.

Thai

ยักษ์ใหญ่ไล่ยักษ์เล็ก ยักษ์เล็กไล่ยักษ์ใหญ่ (yakyai laiyak lekyak lek lai yakyai)
a big ogre chases a small ogre, a small ogre chases a big ogre

เช้าฝาดผัดฟัก เย็นฟาดฟักผัด (chao fāt phat fak yen fāt fak phat)
eat stir-fried pumpkin in the morning, eat pumpkin stir-fried in the late afternoon

Turkish

Bir berber bir berbere gel beraber Berberistanda bir berber dükkanı açalım demiş.
One barber said to another barber, "Come, let's go together and open a barber shop in [the mythical country of] Barberia."

Kartal kalkar dal sarkar, dal sarkar kartal kalkar.
The eagle takes off, the branch bends; the branch bends, the eagle takes off.

Çekoslovakyalılaştıramadıklarımızdan mısınız, yoksa çekoslovakyalılaştırdıklarımızdan mısınız?

Are you one of the ones that we couldn't turn into Czechoslovakians, or are you one of the ones that we did turn into Czechoslovakians?

Mükemmeliyetçileştiricileştiriveremeyebileceklerimizdenmişsinizcesine

[ contents ]

Ukrainian

Галасливі ґави й галки в гусенят взяли скакалки. Гусенята їм ґелґочуть, що й вони скакати хочуть.
Galaslyvi gavy y galky w goosenyat vzyaly scacalky. Goosenyata yim gelgochutj, scho y wony scacaty hochutj.

Не турбуйте курку - клює курка крупку.
Ne tourbuyte courcu - cluye courca croupcu.

На узліссі довелося наполохать Лесі лося. Лось - у ліс, а з лісу - лис.
Na uzleessi dovelosya napolokhatj Lessi losya. Losj - u lees, a z leesu lis.

[ contents ]

Welsh

Mae Llewellyn y llyfrgellydd o Lanelli wedi llyfu llawer o lyfaint.
Llewellyn, the librarian from Llanelli, licked many toads.

Oer yw eira ar Eryri.
Cold is the snow on Snowdon.

Caseg winau, coesau gwynion,
Croenen denau, carnau duon;
Carnau duon, croenen denau,
Coesau gwynion caseg winau.
Bay mare, white legs,
Scraggy skin, black hooves;
Black hooves, scraggy skin,
White legs, bay mare.

Tarw corniog, torri cyrnau,
Heglau baglog, higlau byglau;
Higlau byglau, heglau baglog,
Torri cyrnau tarw corniog.

Xhosa

Iqaqa lazi qikaqika eqikeni lazi laqhawuka uqoqoqo.
The skunk rolled down the hill and broke his windpipe.

Qaqambile likuqale nini iqhakuva emqaleni? Gqhirha iqhakuva emqaleni lindiqale ngomqhibelo ndaqonda ukuba mandiqale kuwe kuqala.

[ contents ]