Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Müll | /mʏl/ | masculine |
| Abfall | [ˈapfal] (narrow) | masculine |
The most common way to say garbage in German is Müll. You can use the compound noun Mülltonne to refer specifically to a garbage bin or can, and Müllabfuhr to refer to the garbage collection service. If you are referring to residual waste, use the specific term Restmüll. Other words like Schrott (junk), Dreck (dirt or filth) and Kram (stuff) can be used informally to describe various types of unwanted items or garbage.
Which one should you use?
While Müll is the everyday term for garbage, Abfall is used when referring to waste or refuse in a more technical sense. Schrott is used for junk, while Dreck specifically refers to dirt or filth and Kram is a way to refer to useless stuff.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both Müll and Abfall are masculine nouns. In a sentence, they take the masculine articles der in the nominative case and den in the accusative case.
How do you pronounce it?
/mʏl/
Did you know?
- Germany is world-famous for its strict Mülltrennung or waste separation system where households sort garbage into multiple bins for paper, organic waste, and plastics.
- The English word 'offal' (meaning organ meats) is a linguistic relative of the German Abfall, sharing the same roots of 'falling away'.
- In Germany, the Biomüll bin is strictly for organic waste and using it for non-compostables can lead to the waste collection service refusing to empty the bin.
Examples in context
- Bring den Müll raus.Put the garbage outside.This sentence is useful for practicing how to say to put the garbage outside using Müll.Tatoeba #1856140 by Zaghawa, translation #56406 by CK
- Schaff den Müll raus.Take the garbage out.This sentence is useful for practicing how to say to take the garbage out using Müll.Tatoeba #3563758 by Manfredo, translation #1841187 by CK
- Bring den Müll hinaus.Take out the garbage.Tatoeba #12426954 by Naina, translation #12419698 by CK
- Der Müll wird regelmäßig abgeholtThe garbage is collected regularly
- Die richtige Trennung von Abfällen ist wichtigProper separation of waste is important
- Das ist doch alles SchrottThat's all garbage
- Wirf den Dreck in den MülleimerThrow the garbage in the trash bin
- Ich muss meinen Kram ausmistenI need to declutter my junk
- 84 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Julian are cleaning their kitchen.
- JuliaIst die Tonne für den Müll schon voll?Is the bin for the garbage already full?
- JulianJa, ich muss den Müll jetzt wegwerfen.Yes, I have to throw the garbage away now.
- JuliaKannst du auch den Bio-Müll mitnehmen?Can you take the organic waste with you too?
- JulianKlar, ich mache das sofort, Julia.Sure, I'll do that right away, Julia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “garbage” translations and entries Müll, Abfall, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Abfall, Müll, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
