Ton
/toːn/masculine
The German word for clay is Ton or Lehm.
Meaning: mineral substance (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ton | /toːn/ | masculine |
| Lehm | /leːm/ | masculine |
In German, the term you choose depends on whether you are discussing art and ceramics or earth and construction. Ton is the word used when referring to clay intended for pottery, ceramics or artistic modeling. Lehm refers to clay in the sense of loamy soil or earth used in gardening or construction.
Which one should you use?
Use Ton when you are talking about the material used for making pottery or decorative objects. For example, a potter uses Töpferton (potter's clay). Use Lehm when you are referring to the mineral substance found in the ground as soil or for building purposes.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both Ton and Lehm are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/toːn/
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Wir machten Statuen aus Ton.We made statues out of clay.This sentence shows how to use Ton when describing objects made from the material.Tatoeba #12817790 by andrej, translation #7803583 by CK
- Du musst die Tontaube treffen.You need to hit the clay pigeon.This sentence demonstrates how Ton is used in the compound word for a clay pigeon.Tatoeba #2226475 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2156252 by Hybrid
- Tom hat die Tontaube getroffen.Tom shot the clay pigeon.This sentence shows an example of using the compound word for a clay pigeon.Tatoeba #7028171 by brauchinet, translation #7028161 by Hybrid
- Die Töpferin benutzt verschiedene Tonarten für ihre Keramik.The potter uses different types of clay for her ceramics.
- Diese Tonmasse ist besonders gut für Skulpturen geeignet.This clay is particularly well-suited for sculptures.
- Der Lehmboden in der Region eignet sich gut für den Weinanbau.The clay soil in the region is suitable for viticulture.
- Ich finde es toll, dass du mit Lehm arbeitest – das ist ein sehr kreatives Material.I think it's great that you work with clay – it's a very creative material.
- In Franken gibt es eine traditionelle Töpferei, in der noch mit Plack gearbeitet wird.In Franconia, there is a traditional pottery where they still work with clay.
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Julia are at a pottery workshop.
- FelixIst dieser Ton hier weich genug?Is this clay soft enough?
- JuliaJa, Felix, er ist perfekt für die Vase.Yes, Felix, it is perfect for the vase.
- FelixIch nehme mir eine große Portion Ton.I will take a large portion of clay.
- JuliaGut, dann fangen wir jetzt an, Julia.Good, then we start now, Julia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “clay” translations and entries Ton, Lehm, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Lehm, Ton, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
