Griechenland
/ˈɡʁiːçənˌlant/neuter
Greece in German is Griechenland.
Griechenland is the name for the country in Southeastern Europe.
Meaning: country in Southeastern Europe (name)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of Griechen (Greeks) and Land (country/land).
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing movement toward Greece, use the preposition nach instead of in (e.g., nach Griechenland). Griechenland is a neuter noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡʁiːçənˌlant/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the article das before Griechenland, but the name is used without an article in most contexts.
Did you know?
- In Middle High German, the country was referred to as Kriechenlant, which sounds quite different from the modern version.
- The preposition nach is used for Griechenland because it is a country without a definite article, unlike in die Schweiz for Switzerland.
- German speakers distinguish between Griechenland as the modern state and das antike Griechenland when referring specifically to Ancient Greece.
Examples in context
- Griechenland hat viele Inseln.Greece has many islands.This sentence shows that Griechenland can be the subject of a sentence regarding its geography.Tatoeba #2112033 by freddy1, translation #2122300 by freddy1
- Italien ist nicht Griechenland.Italy isn't Greece.This sentence shows how to use Griechenland to express a comparison between countries.Tatoeba #1231233 by al_ex_an_der, translation #2113411 by CM
- Griechenland ist ein altes Land.Greece is an old country.This sentence uses Griechenland to describe the historical nature of the country.Tatoeba #3935530 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3935488 by CM
- Ich werde nächste Woche nach Griechenland reisen.I will travel to Greece next week.
- Griechenland hat eine reiche Geschichte und Kultur.Greece has a rich history and culture.
- Die Hauptstadt von Griechenland ist Athen.The capital of Greece is Athens.
- 87 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their travel plans in a cafe.
- HannahMöchtest du nach Griechenland reisen?Would you like to travel to Greece?
- JulianJa, ich liebe Griechenland sehr.Yes, I love Greece very much.
- HannahJulian, hast du schon ein Hotel gebucht?Julian, have you already booked a hotel?
- JulianNein, das mache ich morgen.No, I will do that tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “greece” translations and entries Griechenland, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Griechenland, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
