Ziegel
/ˈt͡siːɡəl/masculine
The German word for brick is Ziegel.
Ziegel refers to a building material, specifically a brick made of fired clay.
Meaning: a building material (noun)
Which one should you use?
While Ziegel refers to the material or the brick itself, it specifically implies a brick made of fired clay. Another common word for brick is Backstein, which literally means 'baked stone'. Additionally, the compound noun Ziegelstein is a very common synonym used when referring to a single physical brick.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtsiːɡəl/
Did you know?
- The German word Ziegel is also used to describe the specific shape of a roof tile. While English uses 'tile' for both walls and roofs, Ziegel frequently refers to the clay tiles covering a house.
- While Ziegel is the general term, the word Backstein emphasizes the process of firing. It is often used in architectural contexts to describe the 'Backsteingotik' or Brick Gothic style of Northern Germany.
- The word Ziegel is an inherited term from Proto-West Germanic *tigulā.
Examples in context
- Toms Wohnung hat nackte Ziegelsteinwände.Tom's apartment has exposed-brick walls.This sentence is useful for describing exposed-Ziegel walls.Tatoeba #9847416 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #7537247 by Hybrid
- Der Schornstein besteht aus Ziegelsteinen.The chimney is made of brick.This sentence shows how a chimney can be made of Ziegel.Tatoeba #784929 by al_ex_an_der, translation #49472 by CK
- Das ist zweifelsohne eine Ziegelsteinwand.This is unquestionably a brick wall.This sentence is useful for identifying a Ziegel wall.Tatoeba #3596710 by al_ex_an_der, translation #3597838 by karloelkebekio
- Der Bauarbeiter stapelte die Ziegelsteine aufeinander.The construction worker stacked the bricks on top of each other.
- Das Gebäude wurde aus den robusten Ziegelsteinen errichtet.The building was constructed from sturdy bricks.
- Ich denke daran, einige Backsteine für unser neues Gartenprojekt zu kaufen.I'm thinking of buying some bricks for our new garden project.
- Lass uns ein Feuer mit ein paar Backsteinen im Hinterhof machen!Let's make a fire with a few bricks in the backyard!
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Hannah are looking at a house under construction.
- JulianWelche Farbe hat der Ziegel?What color is the brick?
- HannahDer Ziegel ist dunkelrot.The brick is dark red.
- JulianDas sieht sehr stabil aus.That looks very stable.
- HannahJa, das ist ein guter Ziegel.Yes, that is a good brick.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “brick” translations and entries Ziegel, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Ziegel, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
