German words

86,808 German words, each explained in English from the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026) and defined in German by the German Wiktionary (dump of September 1, 2026).

By first letter

The most common German words, in English

dienominative/accusative singular feminine of der
dernominative masculine singular definite article, the
undand
in[with dative] in, inside, within, at (inside a building)
dasnominative/accusative neuter singular of der: the
ichI (first person singular nominative (subject) pronoun)
istthird-person singular present of sein
nichtnot, non- (negates the meaning of a verb, adjective, or adve
zuto, towards (indicates directionality)
denaccusative masculine singular
vonfrom
mitwith (in the company of, alongside)
esit, they
eina, an
auf[with dative] on, upon (positioned at the top of)
fürfor (intended for)
imcontraction of in + dem; in the
sieshe; her
sichReflexive pronoun of the third person singular or plural: he
auchalso, too, as well (in addition to whatever or whoever has p
demdative masculine/neuter singular of der: the
desgenitive masculine/neuter singular of der: the
alsat (approximately) the same moment, when, while, as
erhe
anon, upon, at, in, against
dassthat
sothat, which, who
beiby, near
wielike
aberbut; however; though
ausout of; from (from the inside of something)
nachafter, past (later in time)
nochnor; function word introducing each except the first term or
wirwe
duyou (singular familiar), thou
warfirst-person singular preterite of sein: was
nurbut
wennwhen, whenever
oderor
waswhat; what kind of
werdenwill, to be going to, forms the future tense
einenaccusative masculine singular of ein: a, an
amacronym of Anwendungsmanagement
manone, you, they (indefinite pronoun, referring to people at l
umabout
habenforms the perfect aspect (have)
einergenitive/dative feminine singular of ein
zumcontraction of zu + dem, literally “to the; for the”
über[with accusative or dative] above, over (spatially)
dasince; as; because; given that
dannthen, after that
schonsingular imperative of schonen
habefirst-person singular present
jaobviously; certainly; of course; as you know; as is generall
mehrcomparative degree of viel: more
mirdative of ich: me, to me
seinhis
vorin front of, ahead of (relative location in space)
malsingular imperative of malen
zurcontraction of zu + der, literally “to the (feminine)”
durchby means of; by; through
hierhere; in this place; refers to an environment one is current
michaccusative of ich: me
bisuntil, to, (US) through
dochthough; yet; but; however; nevertheless
ihrher (possessive)
immerat all times without exception
jetztnow (at this moment, right now)
wurdefirst/third-person singular preterite of werden
1abbreviation of ein
wiederagain; indicates that the action taking place has happened b
allenominative/accusative singular feminine
sehrvery
könnento be able (to do or be something), to have the possibility
mussfirst/third-person singular present of müssen
2abbreviation of zweite
unsaccusative/dative of wir: us
binfirst-person singular present of sein
unterunder
vomcontraction of von + dem, literally “from the, of the”
gutwell (accurately, competently, satisfactorily)
3abbreviation of dritte
dieserthis one, this
gegenagainst
allesform of all
alsoso, therefore
vielmuch, many
zeitfor the entire time of, during
abbeginning at that time or location; from
ganzquite, rather
machento make, to produce, to create (an object, arrangement, situ
dennfor; because; since
damitso that, in order that
diralternative letter-case form of dir
einfacheasily
ohnewithout
weilbecause, given that
beimcontraction of bei + dem: at the, by the, etc
etwassome, a bit of
warenfirst/third-person plural preterite of sein: were
zweitwo (digit or figure)
meinmy
einesgenitive masculine/neuter singular of ein: a, an
keinno; not a(n); not one; not any
seitsince
sollfirst/third-person singular present of sollen
selbsteven
wowho, whom, which, that
dichaccusative of du; you, thee (direct object)
habapocopic form of habe
heutetoday
nichtsnothing
nunnow that, given that it has occurred that the circumstances
lebento live, to be alive
werwho (what person or people)
machtthird-person singular present of machen
ihmdative of er; him, to him (indirect object); for him (in som
obon account of
ihnaccusative of er; him, it (masculine, direct object)
seinergenitive/dative feminine singular
zwischenbetween
wärefirst/third-person singular subjunctive II of sein
4abbreviation of vierte
dabeipronominal adverb of bei (replaces bei + demonstrative or pe
aat (a specified price or rate of exchange per item)
dortthere, yonder
müssento have to (do something); must; to be obliged (to do someth
geradenow (at the moment)
neuestrong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
sondernrather, but (instead)
5abbreviation of fünftens
erstfirst, at first
ihrerdative/genitive feminine singular
lassento allow; to permit; to let
anderefirst-person singular present
hastsecond-person singular present of haben
warumwhy; for what reason
weissSwitzerland and Liechtenstein standard spelling of weiß
weitercomparative degree of weit
wirklichreally, actually
ihnendative of sie; them, to them
scontraction of das
wohlpossibly, probably; as I was told (modal particle expressing
dreithree (digit/figure 3)
vielleichtperhaps, maybe
dazuin addition to it, in addition, besides
euchaccusative and dative of ihr; you, yourselves
kommento come; to arrive
wollento want; to wish; to desire; to demand
bittefirst-person singular present

Order: written frequency in German (wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media)).

Spelled like an English word, meaning something else

German	In German	In English
der	nominative masculine singular definite article, the	Disdainful indication that something is obvious.
und	and	A wave.
das	who, that, which	Acronym of diacetoxyscirpenol.
ich	I (first person singular nominative (subject) pronoun)	I.
den	that; whom; accusative masculine singular of der	A small cavern or hollow place in the side of a hill, or among rocks; especially, a cave used by a wild animal for shelt
mit	with (in the company of, alongside)	Dated form of mitt
es	it, they	Initialism of environmental science.
ein	one	Initialism of Employer Identification Number.
für	for (intended for)	The hairy coat of various mammal species, especially when fine, soft and thick.
im	initialism of Inoffizieller Mitarbeiter / Inoffizielle Mitarbeiterin (“unofficial collaborator”), an informant in the Ge	Expressing negation; not.
sie	she; her	To sink; fall; drop.
des	alternative form of das	Desflurane.
als	at (approximately) the same moment, when, while, as	Initialism of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
er	he	Said when hesitating in speech.
an	on, upon, at, in, against	Used before a vowel sound.
du	you (singular familiar), thou	Initialism of depleted uranium.
war	alternative form of wäre	Organized, large-scale, armed conflict between countries or between national, ethnic, or other sizeable groups, usually
was	what	Used in phrases with existential there when the semantic subject is (usually third-person) plural.
am	acronym of Anwendungsmanagement	Initialism of anno mundi
man	one, you, they (indefinite pronoun, referring to people at large; construed as a third-person singular)	An adult male human.
um	about	Expression of hesitation, uncertainty or space filler in conversation.
über	[with accusative or dative] above, over (spatially)	Super; really; mega-.
da	there	Father.
ja	obviously; certainly; of course; as you know; as is generally known (indicates and emphasises that one is expressing an	Yes.
mir	alternative form of wir (“we”)	A traditional village community in Imperial Russia, characterised by self-government and collectivist control of local l
mal	times (indicating multiplication of two numbers)	illness, affliction.
bis	until	Twice; showing that something is, or is to be, repeated, such as a passage of music, or an item in accounts.
1	abbreviation of ein	Abbreviation of one-shot or one-shotted.
2	abbreviation of zweite	Abbreviation of to.
gut	good (acting in the interest of what is beneficial, ethical, or moral)	The alimentary canal, especially the intestine.
3	abbreviation of dritte	Clipping of 360 (“360° spin”).
also	so, therefore	In addition; besides; as well; further; too.
wo	where (at what place)	A falconer's call to a hawk.
nun	now, at this moment	A member of a Christian religious community of women who live by certain vows and usually wear a habit, (Roman Catholici
ob	Introduces an indirect question, a doubt. if, whether.	a halfpenny
wäre	goods, merchandise, ware, commodity	Goods or a type of goods offered for sale or use.
4	abbreviation of vierte	Abbreviation of for.
5	abbreviation of fünfte	Clipping of 540 (“540° spin”).
Mann	man, male human being	A fairy chess piece that can move to any adjacent square. It moves like a king but is not a royal piece.
tag	day (a 24-hour period)	A small label.

Source: the first sense of each word in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026); a pair is listed when the German meaning does not contain the word itself.