Isn’t that just the German word for “noodle” (and apparently “pasta” too)?

I’m interested now! I can’t find an obvious difference in definition but it seems that pasta and noodles use different types of wheat and are prepared in different ways. Plus they tend to be used in different foods from different cultures, but I don’t think that changes what they are.

I’ve only ever heard Americans (and now Germans!) refer to pasta as noodles, is it just a cultural thing?