"Wir mögen Babys."

Translation: We like babies.

[susy_gold]

Has this word Baby/Babys been adopted -apologies for the pun- from English in fairly recent times? It feels like the way French uses the word pon(e)y/pon(e)ys for a small horse. It's a surprise to see a word the same as we use in English but without our version of the plural.

[az_p]

Yes, it's a loan-word that is now in common use. You can also get a feeling that it's a loan-word because the pronunciation and spelling doesn't follow the typical German rules.

[MrMattyMatt]

What is the authentic German word for babies?

[mizinamo]

"Babys".

It's as authentic in German by now as the word "authentic" is authentic in English. Or "street" or "window" or "they", all of which are originally loanwords.

There are some Anglicisms which still feel foreign but others which are completely integrated.

Deliberately avoiding them will make you sound unnatural, like a foreigner.

[toast.sweat]

Don't be pedantic - perhaps they could have phrased it better, but it's clear they meant authentic as in original or previous. Which word did Baby replace?

[requin230]

Säugling

[merotzia]

Speak for yourself

[PopSixSquish]

Speak for yourself, Duo. Personally, I like dogs.

[Saryun4]

why does it have to be "like" , why not "love" ?

[2GreyCats]

Because that's what mögen means. "Love" in German is lieben, not mögen.

[SSoomia]

Like is used as more mild. Love is romantic or just stronger in general.

[Shirlgirl007]

What is the correct pronunciation for mögen? In fast mode she says muga, in the slow it is mugen...

[az_p]

The ö sound is not in English. This page is very helpful in explaining the sound (especially the audio). You can also look up recordings for individual words as spoken by native-speakers on Forvo.

[marcheslovenski]

I'm pretty sure it's safe to say that it's "mugen". That's usually how I hear it pronounced

[archedmandible]

On Youtube I found a very helpful video on a channel called 'Don't Trust the Rabbit' which is all about pronouncing those umlauts. I still struggle with the ü, but her advice was pretty good for the other ones. Was called 'GERMAN UMLAUTS for Dummies - How To Pronounce Ä, Ö, Ü'.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEpsLVKo5vg

[Dudeface34m]

The correct pronunciation would be spelt as "Mergen" in English.

[fatboymeatball]

what the heck is that g sound in "mögen"? it sounds like a little creature vibrating their throat. how do i make that sound?

[az_p]

It just sounds like a "g" to me... but if you want precise pronunciation advice, use other resources besides Duolingo, which uses a voice synthesiser. YouTube has many tutorials, Forvo has recordings from native-speakers, and if you know the phonetic alphabet you can double-check any anomalous words.

[theexileofkiem]

I kind of close off my nose airway when I say it. (Its not pinching your nose but closing off the airway??? I DONT KNOW HOW TO DESCRIBE THAT. Sorrryyyy)

[ConanDombr]

Throughout the rest of the lesson "Babys" = "babies", but for this one it wants "infants." What's the difference here?

[Dudeface34m]

Said the catholic priest.

[EsteeneGre]

I like to think that all the deleted posts were Anti-Baby, therefore i am Pro-Baby

[realstormyblue]

Huh. Me too.

[NetanelMal8]

Don't let my girlfriend hear me saying it..