All I can say is that they do eventually become more automatic with use.

There's also the -stoff ending: Wasserstoff is hydrogen, Sauerstoff is oxygen, and Kohlenstoff is carbon.

I do like how German words are easy to break down and work out from their components. Permeability is through-letting-ness (Durchlässigkeit) and transparent is through-seeable (durchsichtig oder durchschaubar). I can do that with the English terms, having studied Latin, but German is, well, much more transparent. :-)

BTW I'd be happy to exchange German PMs if you want. Though a native speaker would of course be much better.