Stachelbeere
/ˈʃtaxl̩ˌbeːʁə/feminine
The German word for gooseberry is Stachelbeere.
Stachelbeere refers to the fruit known in English as a gooseberry.
Meaning: fruit (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of Stachel, meaning thorn and Beere, meaning berry, literally translating to 'thorn berry'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form is Stachelbeere, which is a feminine noun. The plural form is Stachelbeeren.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʃtaxl̩ˌbeːʁə/
Did you know?
- The word Stachel is used in German to describe everything from a cactus spine to a bee's stinger and even a 'spur' on a boot.
- The German word Beere is used botanically for many fruits that English speakers would call 'berries', but it also includes the 'banana' in biological terms.
- In Germany, Stachelbeeren are frequently used to make Kuchen, which is why you will often find 'Stachelbeerkuchen' in traditional bakeries.
Examples in context
- Jostabeeren sind ein Kreuzung aus schwarzen Johannisbeeren und Stachelbeeren und mindestens genauso lecker wie unbekannt.Jostaberries are a hybrid cross of blackcurrant with gooseberry, and they're at least as tasty as they're unknown.This sentence is useful for seeing how Stachelbeere is used when discussing hybrids like Jostaberries.Tatoeba #994647 by MUIRIEL, translation #3975139 by pullnosemans
- Die Stachelbeere ist sehr sauer.The gooseberry is very sour.
Example conversation
Laura and Maximilian are looking at fruits at a local market.
- LauraSchau mal, hier gibt es frische Stachelbeeren!Look, they have fresh gooseberries here!
- MaximilianSind Stachelbeeren im Moment in Saison?Are gooseberries in season right now?
- LauraJa, die Stachelbeere schmeckt jetzt am besten.Yes, the gooseberry tastes best now.
- MaximilianDann kaufen wir eine Packung für den Kuchen.Then we will buy a pack for the cake.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gooseberry” translations and entries Stachelbeere, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
