beer
/beːr/masculine
The English word bear (the mammal) is translated into Dutch as beer. Wiktionary also lists berin.
Meaning: large mammal of family Ursidae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| beer | /beːr/ | masculine |
| berin | /beːˈrɪn/ | feminine |
The word refers to the large mammal of the family Ursidae.
Which one should you use?
beer is the masculine form, while berin is the feminine form.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
beer is a masculine noun. berin is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/beːr/
Did you know?
- In Dutch, the phrase beer can be used in the idiom een beer van een man to describe a very large and strong man.
- The linguistic history of the Dutch word for the animal, beer, is linked to a Proto-Germanic root meaning 'the brown one'.
- The word beer is a homonym in Dutch, meaning both the animal and the alcoholic beverage.
Examples in context
- Zie je de beer?Do you see the bear?This sentence is useful for asking if someone sees the beer.Tatoeba #7682481 by MarijnKp, translation #6994060 by CarpeLanam
- Is dat een beer?Is that a bear?This sentence is useful for asking if something is a beer.Tatoeba #6946668 by Micsmithel, translation #6005628 by mailohilohi
- De beer is zwart.The bear is black.This sentence is useful for describing the color of the beer.Tatoeba #6946547 by Micsmithel, translation #5894557 by captcrouton
- Deze indrukwekkende beer is een symbool van kracht en schoonheid.This impressive bear is a symbol of strength and beauty.
- Kijk, daar is een grote beer in het bos!Look, there is a big bear in the forest!
- Mijn dochter slaapt altijd naast haar favoriete knuffelbeer.My daughter always sleeps next to her favorite teddy bear.
- 48 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Daan are looking at a picture book in a museum.
- JuliaKijk, een grote beer!Look, a large bear!
- DaanJa, die beer ziet er indrukwekkend uit.Yes, that bear looks impressive.
- JuliaIs de beer ook bruin?Is the bear also brown?
- DaanNee, deze beer is heel licht van kleur.No, this bear is very light in color.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bear” translations and entries beer, berin, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries beer, berin, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
