Gorilla
/ɡoˈʁɪla/masculine
The German word for 'gorilla' is Gorilla.
Gorilla refers to the large primate (ape).
Meaning: ape (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
Gorilla is a masculine noun. The plural form is Gorillas. Because it is a masculine noun, it takes the accusative form den Gorilla when it functions as the direct object of a sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡoˈʁɪla/
Did you know?
- In certain German contexts, a Gorilla might be used as a nickname for a 'heavy hitter' or someone who uses brute force to solve a problem.
- In German, the word Gorilla is borrowed from English, which in turn took it from the Ancient Greek word Górillai.
- Unlike many German nouns that change their stem in the plural, Gorilla simply adds an 's', which is a common pattern for loanwords from English and Latin.
Examples in context
- Koko ist ein weiblicher Gorilla.Koko is a female gorilla.This sentence shows how to describe the gender of a Gorilla.Tatoeba #755416 by al_ex_an_der, translation #61637 by CK
- Der Gorilla war zu der Zeit ein Jahr alt.The gorilla was one year old at the time.This sentence uses the word Gorilla to discuss the age of the animal.Tatoeba #1106967 by jast, translation #50387 by CM
- Tom verkleidete sich als Gorilla, um seine Schwester zu erschrecken.Tom tried to scare his sister by dressing up in a gorilla costume.This sentence uses Gorilla in the context of a costume.Tatoeba #8773671 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #6211522 by Hybrid
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Laura are visiting the zoo.
- MaximilianSchau mal, dort ist ein riesiger Gorilla!Look, there is a huge gorilla over there!
- LauraWow, der Gorilla sieht wirklich stark aus.Wow, the gorilla looks really strong.
- MaximilianIch glaube, das ist der Anführer der Gruppe.I think that is the leader of the group.
- LauraEin Gorilla ist wirklich ein faszinierendes Tier.A gorilla is truly a fascinating animal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gorilla” translations and entries Gorilla, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Gorilla, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
