Qualle
/ˈkva.lə/feminine
The English word jellyfish is translated into German as Qualle. Wiktionary also lists Meduse.
Meaning: aquatic animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Qualle | /ˈkva.lə/ | feminine |
| Meduse |
Qualle is the most common and widely used term for jellyfish in German.
Which one should you use?
Qualle is the standard, everyday word for jellyfish used in most contexts. The term Meduse also exists as a way to refer to the animal.
How does it change in a sentence?
Qualle is a feminine noun. The plural of Qualle is Quallen.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈkva.lə/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- One theory suggests the name Qualle comes from an old word for 'rennet' or 'curdled substances', linking the jellyfish to the texture of coagulated milk.
- The term Meduse is a cognate of the English 'medusa', referring to the mythological figure with snakes for hair, mirroring the stinging tentacles of the animal.
Examples in context
- Die Qualle lebt im Meer.The jellyfish lives in the sea.This sentence shows where the Qualle lives.Tatoeba #12471776 by mhr, translation #12472023 by Miktsoanit
- Im Ozean gibt es viele Quallen.In the ocean, there are a lot of jellyfish.This sentence describes the presence of Qualle in the ocean.Tatoeba #13567239 by mhr, translation #13571617 by rul
- Es gibt am Strand viele Quallen.There are many jellyfish at the beach.This sentence describes the presence of Qualle at the beach.Tatoeba #12354640 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #5924080 by mailohilohi
- Die Qualle war ein faszinierendes Thema in unserem Meeresbiologievortrag.The jellyfish was a fascinating topic in our marine biology presentation.
- Wir haben Quallen im Meer schwimmen sehen!We saw jellyfish swimming in the sea!
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Felix are swimming at the beach.
- SarahPass auf, dort schwimmt eine Qualle!Watch out, there is a jellyfish swimming there!
- FelixWo genau ist die Qualle?Where exactly is the jellyfish?
- SarahSie ist direkt hinter dir.It is right behind you.
- FelixOh nein, ich gehe sofort raus.Oh no, I am getting out right now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “jellyfish” translations and entries Qualle, Meduse, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Qualle, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
