See
/zeː/masculine
The German word for 'lake' is See.
The term refers to a body of water.
Meaning: body of water (noun)
Which one should you use?
The word for 'the lake' is the masculine der See. This is often confused with the feminine form die See, which is a synonym for 'the sea' or 'the ocean'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Southern Germany, the term Weiher is used for a small or medium-sized lake, similar to a pond or a pool.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of See is Seen.
How do you pronounce it?
/zeː/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the neuter article das for See by assuming it follows the pattern of Wasser, but it is strictly a masculine noun.
Did you know?
- The English word 'sea' and the German word See are distant cousins, both descending from the same Proto-Germanic root *saiwiz m.
- In Dutch, the word zee behaves much like the German 'sea' (die See) rather than the German 'lake' (der See), despite looking almost identical to the German word for lake.
- In historical Middle High German, the word sê was used more broadly to describe any significant expanse of water before the modern distinction between 'lake' and 'sea' became more rigid.
Examples in context
- Der See ist groß.The lake is big.This sentence is useful for describing the size of the See.Tatoeba #1137137 by Esperantostern, translation #1120810 by cntrational
- Ist der See tief?Is the lake deep?This sentence is useful for asking about the depth of the See.Tatoeba #8326297 by driini, translation #3041973 by ApAdAnA
- Er schwamm im See.He swam in the lake.This sentence is useful for describing swimming in the See.Tatoeba #4731013 by Esperantostern, translation #11042223 by sundown
- Der Bodensee in Deutschland ist einer der größten Seen Europas.Lake Constance in Germany is one of Europe's largest lakes.
- 291 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Sarah are planning a weekend trip.
- FelixWollen wir an den See fahren?Do we want to go to the lake?
- SarahJa, der See ist sehr ruhig.Yes, the lake is very calm.
- FelixIch nehme mein Kajak mit.I'll bring my kayak.
- SarahDas ist eine tolle Idee!That is a great idea!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lake” translations and entries See, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries See, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
