Which branch of the Indo-European language family includes English, German, and Dutch?

Show answer

Germanic

The Germanic branch is a major group of the Indo-European language family that originated in Northern Europe and is divided into North, West, and East branches. English belongs to the West Germanic group, making it more closely related to Dutch and German than to Romance languages like French. A defining feature of this family is 'Grimm’s Law,' a set of sound shifts that explains why Germanic words often start with 'f' where Latin words use 'p', such as 'father' versus 'pater'.

Also asked as:

To which major group of the Indo-European family do English, Dutch, and German belong?

Would you remember this in 6 months?

Trivia Forge uses spaced repetition so facts stick. Free, no signup needed.

Practice Language questions →

More Language trivia

Which constructed language was created by L. L. Zamenhof to serve as a universal second language?
Which 'dead' language served as the liturgical language of the Roman Catholic Church and the basis for Romance languages?
Which East Asian language uses a complex system of honorifics called 'keigo' to denote social status and politeness?
Which English word is often cited as the longest in the language and refers to opposition to withdrawing state support from an established church?
Which language family, consisting of the modern descendants of Latin, includes French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese?
Which language family do English, Spanish, and Hindi all belong to?

See all 222 →