Land
/lant/
'land' in German is Land.
The word Land refers to the solid part of the earth's surface as opposed to the sea.
Which one should you use?
Use Land when discussing a large territory or the solid part of the earth relative to the sea. In contrast, use Boden to refer to the actual surface or soil that one stands on.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In southern Germany and Austria, the term Ländle is used regionally to mean 'homeland' or 'home country'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to a country or a specific territory, the noun is neuter, appearing as das Land. The plural form of Land when meaning countries is Länder.
How do you pronounce it?
/lant/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the masculine article der for the base noun meaning country. English speakers often make this mistake, but you should use the neuter article das Land instead.
Did you know?
- In Germany, Land does not just mean a country, but specifically refers to the 16 federal states that make up the republic, such as Bavaria or Saxony.
- The term Landlust describes a strong desire to live in the countryside or a longing for rural life, a concept for which English has no single word.
- While Land refers to the territory, the German word Heimat is used for the emotional feeling of 'homeland' or the place where one feels they belong.
Examples in context
- Deutschland ist ein wunderschönes Land.Germany is a beautiful country.
- Mein kleines Ländle liegt in Süddeutschland.My little homeland is located in southern Germany.
- Der Grund und Boden gehört der Gemeinde.The land belongs to the municipality.
- Das Schiff hat das Land erreicht.The ship has reached land.
- Wir sehen das Land von hier aus.We can see the land from here.
- Vögel fliegen vom Wasser zurück zum Land.Birds fly from the water back to land.
Example conversation
Julian and Sarah are on a boat during a trip.
- JulianSarah, schau mal dort vorne!Sarah, look over there!
- SarahWas ist das, Julian?What is that, Julian?
- JulianIch glaube, das ist Land.I think that is land.
- SarahGott sei Dank, ich will zurück an Land.Thank goodness, I want to go back to land.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Land, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
