Hubschrauber
/ˈhuːpˌʃraʊ̯bər/masculine
The English word "helicopter" is translated into German as Hubschrauber. Wiktionary also lists Helikopter.
Meaning: aircraft (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Hubschrauber | /ˈhuːpˌʃraʊ̯bər/ | masculine |
| Helikopter | /heliˈkɔptər/ | masculine |
Both Hubschrauber and Helikopter are masculine nouns used to describe this type of aircraft.
Which one should you use?
Hubschrauber is the more common, standard German term. Helikopter is a loanword from Greek and Latin that is used frequently in modern or technical contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of Hubschrauber is identical to its singular form.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈhuːpˌʃraʊ̯bər/
Did you know?
- The word Hubschrauber describes the machine as a 'lift screw', reflecting an early engineering view of the rotor as a screw that bores through the air to create lift.
- Because Hubschrauber ends in -er, it follows the same grammatical pattern as words for people who do things, like Lehrer for 'teacher' or Bäcker for 'baker'.
- The word Hubschrauber is a 'gender-neutral' compound in its parts, but as a whole, it must be masculine because the final element Schrauber is masculine.
Examples in context
- Der Hubschrauber ist gelandet.The helicopter has landed.This sentence is useful for describing the landing of a Hubschrauber.Tatoeba #12892470 by Waldelfe, translation #11276467 by Amastan
- Ich kann Hubschrauber fliegen.I know how to fly a helicopter.This sentence is useful for expressing the ability to fly a Hubschrauber.Tatoeba #13533617 by Waldelfe, translation #6258914 by CK
- Tom sprang aus dem Hubschrauber.Tom jumped out of the helicopter.This sentence is useful for describing someone jumping out of a Hubschrauber.Tatoeba #3434595 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3434285 by CK
- Der Hubschrauber landete auf dem Dach des Krankenhauses.The helicopter landed on the hospital's roof.
- Der Helikopter flog tief über das Feld hinweg.The helicopter flew low over the field.
- Wo hast du den Heli geparkt?Where did you park the helicopter?
- 48 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hannah and Maximilian are looking at the sky together.
- HannahSchau mal, dort oben fliegt ein Hubschrauber!Look, there is a helicopter flying up there!
- MaximilianWo? Ich sehe ihn leider nicht.Where? Unfortunately, I don't see it.
- HannahJetzt, direkt hinter dem großen Gebäude.Now, right behind the large building.
- MaximilianAch ja, der Hubschrauber ist wirklich laut.Oh yes, the helicopter is really loud.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “helicopter” translations and entries Hubschrauber, Helikopter, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Helikopter, Hubschrauber, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
