Löwe
/ˈløːvə/masculine
The German word for lion is Löwe. Wiktionary also lists Leu and Löwchen.
Meaning: big cat Panthera leo (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Löwe | /ˈløːvə/ | masculine |
| Leu | /lɔʏ̯/ /ˈleːu/ |
masculine, poetic |
| Löwchen | /ˈløːfçən/ | diminutive, neuter |
| Löwlein | diminutive, neuter | |
| Löwin | /ˈløːvɪn/ | feminine |
The term refers to the big cat Panthera leo.
Which one should you use?
While Löwe is the standard masculine term, use Löwin if you are specifically referring to a female lion. To describe a small lion, you can use the diminutive forms Löwchen or Löwlein, which are neuter nouns.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form Leu is used in poetic or archaic contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
Löwe is a weak masculine noun. This means that in the genitive and dative cases, it takes an -en ending, such as des Löwen (of the lion). The plural form of Löwe is Löwen.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈløːvə/
Did you know?
- The archaic form Leu is actually the same word used for the Romanian currency, the leu, because both derive from the Latin 'leo'.
- The diminutive Löwchen is often used in German fables and children's stories to make the predator seem cute or harmless.
- In some German heraldry, the Löwe is depicted as a 'lion rampant', which is called aufgerichtet in German.
Examples in context
- Das ist ein Löwe.This is a lion.This sentence is useful for identifying a lion using Löwe.Tatoeba #3243579 by clarimariath, translation #1388922 by CK
- Ist das ein Löwe?Is that a lion?This sentence is useful for asking a question about a lion using Löwe.Tatoeba #12173546 by mhr, translation #8916958 by CK
- Ein Löwe ist stark.A lion is strong.This sentence is useful for describing a characteristic of a lion using Löwe.Tatoeba #599307 by ludoviko, translation #1392505 by CM
- Das majestätische Tier vor uns ist der Löwe.The majestic animal in front of us is the lion.
- Schau mal, der Löwe im Zoo! Wie beeindruckend!Look, the lion in the zoo! How impressive!
- 91 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Julian are looking at a picture book in a zoo.
- JuliaSchau mal, da ist ein Löwe!Look, there is a lion!
- JulianJa, der Löwe sieht sehr groß aus.Yes, the lion looks very big.
- JuliaIst er auch laut?Is he also loud?
- JulianEin Löwe kann sehr laut brüllen.A lion can roar very loudly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lion” translations and entries Löwe, Leu, Löwchen, Löwin, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Leu, Löwchen, Löwe, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
