Kalifornien
/kaliˈfɔrni̯ən/neuter
California in German is Kalifornien.
The word refers to the US state of California.
Meaning: US state (name)
How does it change in a sentence?
Kalifornien is a neuter noun. In most contexts, it is used without an article, such as when saying in Kalifornien (in California).
How do you pronounce it?
/kaliˈfɔrni̯ən/
Did you know?
- The German word Kalifornien is derived from the Spanish 'California', which was originally the name of a fictional island in a 16th-century Spanish novel.
- In German, using Kalifornien without an article is the norm, whereas adding an article like das Kalifornien usually implies a specific era, such as 'the California of the 1960s'.
- The suffix -ien in Kalifornien is a common German pattern for naming distant lands, also seen in Italien and Indien.
Examples in context
- Sie kommt aus Kalifornien.She comes from California.This sentence is useful for expressing someone's place of origin using Kalifornien.Tatoeba #1765876 by Zaghawa, translation #310689 by CK
- Wie ist es so in Kalifornien?What is it like in California?This sentence is useful for asking about the conditions or atmosphere in Kalifornien.Tatoeba #8269359 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #6584885 by Hybrid
- In Kalifornien herrscht Dürre.There's a drought in California.This sentence is useful for describing a specific environmental condition in Kalifornien.Tatoeba #4892738 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #4474954 by Hybrid
- Ich habe vor, in Kalifornien Urlaub zu machen.I plan to go on vacation in California.
- Der Staat Kalifornien hat viele Sehenswürdigkeiten.The state of California has many attractions.
- 51 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Felix are talking about a travel plan.
- JuliaMöchtest du mal nach Kalifornien reisen?Would you like to travel to California sometime?
- FelixJa, Kalifornien ist mein Traumziel.Yes, California is my dream destination.
- JuliaDann sollten wir bald buchen.Then we should book soon.
- FelixDas mache ich gerne, Julia.I would love to do that, Julia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “california” translations and entries Kalifornien, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Kalifornien, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
