Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Land | /lant/ /lɑnt/ |
neuter |
| Staat | /ʃtaːt/ | masculine |
| Vaterland | /ˈfaːtɐˌlant/ | neuter |
Land is the standard term for a nation-state or a specific territory. It is also the word used to refer to the countryside or rural areas. If you want to add specificity, you can use das Land hier for "this country" or das Land dort for "that country".
Which one should you use?
Land can mean a nation-state or the countryside. In contrast, Staat refers specifically to a political state, government entity or sovereign institution rather than the geographical territory. Vaterland is a much more emotive and patriotic term, typically used in poetic or highly nationalistic contexts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of Land is Länder. The plural of Staat is Staaten. When indicating movement toward the countryside, use the phrase aufs Land, whereas auf dem Land indicates being located in the countryside.
How do you pronounce it?
/lant/
Did you know?
- Because Germany is a federal republic, Land also refers to one of the sixteen constituent states of Germany, such as Bavaria or Saxony.
- The word Vaterland was modeled after the Latin word patria to create a specific sense of ancestral home.
- German has no single word that perfectly captures the English distinction between 'country' as a landscape and 'country' as a political sovereign.
Examples in context
- Was für ein Land!What a country!Tatoeba #7451655 by Yorwba, translation #2254524 by CK
- Ich fuhr aufs Land.I went for a drive in the country.This sentence is useful for describing movement toward the countryside.Tatoeba #2144767 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #259608 by CK
- Das ist unser Land.This is our country.Tatoeba #7057391 by quicksanddiver, translation #4494857 by CK
- Deutschland ist ein wunderschönes Land.Germany is a beautiful country.
- Frankreich ist ein europäischer Staat.France is a European country.
- Japan ist eine wirtschaftlich starke Nation.Japan is an economically strong country.
- Das Land hier hat eine faszinierende Kultur.This country has a fascinating culture.
- 1132 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Laura are talking about travel plans.
- LukasIn welches Land möchtest du reisen?Which country would you like to travel to?
- LauraIch möchte in ein warmes Land reisen.I want to travel to a warm country.
- LukasIst das Land sehr weit weg?Is the country very far away?
- LauraJa, es ist ein Land in Südamerika.Yes, it is a country in South America.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “country” translations and entries Land, Staat, Vaterland, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Land, Staat, Vaterland, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
