Which one should you use?
While Flasche Wasser is the standard term, you might use Wasserflasche in formal settings. For a more playful or affectionate tone, you can use the term Wasserfläschchen, which literally means a little bottle of water.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Austrian German, Wasserflascherl is used as an affectionate and playful way to say a bottle of water.
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing a general sense of "a bottle of water", you can use the phrase with or without an indefinite article, such as eine Flasche Wasser. If you are using the dative case, the indefinite article eine changes to einer, as in mit einer Flasche Wasser (with a bottle of water). To express the plural "bottles of water", only the word for bottle is pluralized, resulting in Flaschen Wasser.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈflaʃə ˈvasər/
Did you know?
- In Germany, if you order Wasser in a restaurant, you will likely receive sparkling water by default unless you specify 'still'.
- Germany has a sophisticated 'Pfand' system where customers pay a deposit on the Flasche and return it to a machine at the supermarket to get their money back.
- The word Flasche is a doublet of the words Fiasko and Flakon.
Examples in context
- Tom reichte Maria eine Flasche Wasser.Tom handed Mary a bottle of water.This sentence shows the use of Flasche Wasser when handing something to someone.Tatoeba #5304285 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #5301587 by CK
- Nick hat eine Flasche Wasser im Schrank.Nick has a bottle of water in the cupboard.This sentence demonstrates the use of Flasche Wasser to indicate possession or location.Tatoeba #12975421 by Tom9358, translation #12975420 by Tom9358
- Ich hätte gerne eine Flasche Wasser, bitte.I would like a bottle of water, please.
- Kann ich noch eine Wasserflasche haben?Can I have another bottle of water?
- Hast du vielleicht eine Flasche Sprudel für mich?Do you happen to have a bottle of sparkling water for me?
- Ein Wasserfläschchen zum Mitnehmen bitte.A little bottle of water to go, please.
- Ich brauche eine Flasche Wasser.I need a bottle of water.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Hannah are at a train station.
- HannahLukas, hast du eine Flasche Wasser für mich?Lukas, do you have a bottle of water for me?
- LukasJa, hier ist sie.Yes, here it is.
- HannahDanke, das ist sehr nett von dir.Thanks, that is very kind of you.
- LukasGerne, Hannah.You're welcome, Hannah.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (Flasche, Wasser) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Flasche, Wasser, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
