How to Say "Ham" in German - How To Say Guide

Schinken

/ˈʃɪŋkən/masculine

The German word for ham is Schinken.

Schinken is a masculine noun referring to the thigh and buttock of any animal slaughtered for meat.

Meaning: thigh and buttock of any animal slaughtered for meat (noun)

Which one should you use?

Hinterschinken is a more specific term used to describe ham that comes specifically from the hind leg of a pig.

/ˈʃɪŋkən/

The use of Schinken to describe a book originated in 18th-century student slang because many academic volumes were bound in pigskin leather.
The word Schinken can be used colloquially to refer to a person's own thighs or buttocks in a humorous or slightly crude way.
In Germany, you will often find Schinken categorized by the method of curing, such as Rohschinken for raw cured ham and gekochter Schinken for cooked ham.

Nimm dir von dem Schinken.
Have some ham.
This sentence is useful for practicing the use of Schinken in an imperative context.
Tatoeba #4943240 by Hans_Adler, translation #1283284 by Scott
Tom mag Schinken und Eier.
Tom likes ham and eggs.
This sentence is useful for describing food preferences using Schinken.
Tatoeba #7636151 by wolfgangth, translation #5478203 by CK
Geben Sie mir ein Schinkenbrötchen.
Give me a ham sandwich.
This sentence is useful for seeing how Schinken is used in the compound noun Schinkenbrötchen.
Tatoeba #9165422 by driini, translation #8981393 by CK
Ist der Schinken gekocht oder roh?
Is the ham cooked or raw?
Könntest du bitte etwas Bierschinken für das Abendessen besorgen?
Could you please get some Bierschinken for dinner?
22 more sentences on Tatoeba

Felix and Sarah are in the kitchen preparing breakfast.

Sources

Wiktionary, “ham” translations and entries Schinken, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
Word origins: Wiktionary entries Schinken, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

⭐Share⭐ to appreciate human effort 🙏