Ohr
/oːr/neuter
The German word for "ear" is Ohr.
Ohr is the most common and universal term used to refer to the organ of hearing. In technical contexts, you may encounter the term Hörorgan, which is a less common, more technical way to describe the ear.
Meaning: organ of hearing (noun)
Which one should you use?
While Ohr is the standard term, Öhrchen and Öhrle are affectionate diminutives of the word. In very old or archaic contexts, the related verb pflügen can mean "to plough", but this is unrelated to the anatomy of the ear.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Ohr is a neuter noun. The plural form is Ohren. In the singular, the genitive form (meaning "of the ear") is des Ohres and the dative form (meaning "to the ear") is dem Ohr.
How do you pronounce it?
/oːr/
Did you know?
- In German idioms, the phrase auf die Ohren bekommen can mean to get a scolding or to be physically slapped across the face.
- The German Ohr is a linguistic cousin of the English 'ear' and the Latin 'auris', both stemming from the ancient Proto-Indo-European root *h₂ows-.
- When a German says someone has ein gutes Ohr, they are not talking about anatomy but praising a person's ability to recognize musical pitches or languages.
Examples in context
- Der Hase blutet am Ohr.The hare is bleeding from its ear.This sentence shows the use of Ohr regarding an injury to a hare.Tatoeba #560191 by kroko, translation #1239410 by xellugis
- Er flüsterte in ihr Ohr.He whispered in her ear.This sentence demonstrates the phrase "in her ear" using Ohr.Tatoeba #13449964 by noog, translation #13448183 by mraz
- Schrei mir nicht ins Ohr.Don't shout in my ear.This sentence shows how to use Ohr when someone is shouting too close to you.Tatoeba #5487363 by brauchinet, translation #11049383 by sundown
- Der Arzt untersucht ihr linkes Ohr.The doctor is examining her left ear.
- Hast du dir am Öhrchen gekratzt?Did you scratch your ear?
- 103 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Laura is telling Felix about a problem with his earring.
- LauraDu hast ein Ohrring am linken Ohr.You have an earring on your left ear.
- FelixOh, ich habe es vergessen!Oh, I forgot about it!
- LauraEs sieht aber gut an deinem Ohr aus.It looks good on your ear, though.
- FelixDanke, Laura!Thanks, Laura!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ear” translations and entries Ohr, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Ohr, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
