Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Pferd | /pfeːrt/ /feːrt/ |
feminine, masculine, neuter |
| Ross | /ʁɔs/ | feminine, masculine, neuter |
| Roß | /ʁɔs/ /ʁoːs/ |
neuter |
| Gaul | /ɡaʊ̯l/ | feminine, inferior, masculine, regional |
| Hengst | /hɛŋst/ | masculine |
| Pferdehengst | masculine | |
| Stute | /ˈʃtuːtə/ | feminine |
| Pferdestute | feminine | |
| Hengstfohlen | neuter | |
| Hengstfüllen | neuter | |
| Stutenfohlen | neuter | |
| Stutfohlen | neuter | |
| Stutenfüllen | neuter | |
| Stutfüllen | neuter | |
| Rössel | /ˈʁœsl̩/ | feminine, masculine, neuter, regional |
| Rössl | South German, feminine, masculine, neuter | |
| Rössle | South German, feminine, masculine, neuter |
The primary term for members of the species Equus ferus is Pferd. When you need to be more specific about the sex of the horse, you can use Hengst for a stallion or Stute for a mare.
Which one should you use?
While Pferd is the general term for any horse, Hengst specifically refers to an uncastrated male horse and Stute specifically refers to a female horse. The term Ross or Roß acts as a more poetic or literary way to say horse, often translated as 'steed'. The term Gaul is used to describe an inferior horse.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Pferdchen is an informal way to say 'little horse'. Ross is a literary term.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Gaul is a regional term. In South Germany, you may encounter the diminutive forms Rössl or Rössle, whereas Rössel is also used regionally.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of Pferd is Pferde. For specific offspring, you can use terms like Hengstfohlen, Stutenfohlen, Hengstfüllen, Stutenfüllen, Stutfüllen or Stutfohlen.
Did you know?
- The word Pferd actually originates from a Late Latin term meaning 'substitute post horse'.
Examples in context
- Es ist ein Pferd.It's a horse.This sentence demonstrates the use of Pferd.Tatoeba #8871108 by wolfgangth, translation #3640592 by Ricardo14
- Wo ist das Pferd?Where is the horse?Tatoeba #9493590 by Yorwba, translation #5228478 by solejar
- Er fiel vom Pferd.He fell off the horse.Tatoeba #714527 by Manfredo, translation #302383 by CK
- Das Pferd rennt schnellThe horse is running fast.
- Das Ross zieht den WagenThe horse is pulling the carriage.
- Das schwarze Pferd ist sehr schön.The black horse is very beautiful.
- Ich möchte gerne reiten lernen. Hast du ein Pferd?I would like to learn how to ride. Do you have a horse?
- Lass uns eine Kutschfahrt mit dem Ross machen.Let's go for a carriage ride with the horse.
- Das Pferd und der Reiter sind ein perfektes Team.The horse and the rider are a perfect team.
- Gestern habe ich ein süßes Pferdchen gesehen.Yesterday, I saw a cute little horse.
- 483 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Julian are visiting a farm.
- JuliaSchau mal, ist das ein Pferd?Look, is that a horse?
- JulianJa, das Pferd ist sehr schön.Yes, the horse is very beautiful.
- JuliaDarf ich das Pferd füttern?May I feed the horse?
- JulianFrag bitte zuerst den Besitzer.Please ask the owner first.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “horse” translations and entries Pferd, Ross, Roß, Gaul, Hengst, Stute, Rössel, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Gaul, Pferd, Ross, Roß, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
