Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Klumpen | /ˈklʊmpən/ | masculine |
| Kloß | /kloːs/ | masculine |
In German, the word you choose depends on whether you are describing a physical mass or a metaphorical feeling. Use Klumpen to describe a physical mass or a clump of a substance, such as clay, sugar or wax. Use Kloß when referring to a dumpling or when using the idiomatic expression for a metaphorical 'lump in one's throat' caused by emotion.
Which one should you use?
Klumpen is the correct term for a physical substance or clump, such as a lump of wax. In contrast, Kloß is used for food, specifically a dumpling or for the metaphorical feeling of a lump in the throat. If you want to refer to a very small lump, you can use the diminutive form Klümpchen.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine noun Klumpen is identical in both its singular and plural forms. Both Klumpen and Kloß are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈklʊmpən/
Did you know?
- The German word Kloß is a distant relative of the English word 'cloud'. Both words trace their roots back to the Proto-Indo-European word *glūdos.
- In German culture, the Kloß is not just a lump of dough but a regional staple with many varieties, such as the potato-based Thüringer Klöße from Thuringia.
Examples in context
- Sie hatte einen Kloß im Hals, und Tränen sammelten sich in ihren Augen.She felt a lump in the back of her throat and tears began to well in her eyes.This sentence shows the idiomatic use of Kloß to describe a lump in the throat.Tatoeba #6107538 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3391129 by Hybrid
- Das Lösungsmittel aus der Flüssigkeit abdampfen. Was übrig bleibt, sind der Parfümanteil und ein Klumpen Pflanzenwachs.Vaporise the solvent from the liquid. What's left is the perfume component and a lump of vegetable wax.This sentence demonstrates the use of Klumpen when referring to a physical mass of a substance.Tatoeba #13029686 by Yorwba, translation #329174 by fcbond
- Das ist ein harter Klumpen.This is a hard lump.
- Was ist das für ein harter Brocken?What kind of hard lump is this?
- Da ist ein süßes Klümpchen Zucker in meinem Kaffee.There is a sweet lump of sugar in my coffee.
- Oje, ich habe mir eine Beule am Kopf gehauen.Oh no, I banged my head and got a lump.
- Ein Klumpen Zucker liegt auf dem Tisch.A lump of sugar is lying on the table.
Example conversation
Julia and Lukas are baking a cake together.
- JuliaLukas, rühr den Teig bitte noch einmal gut durch.Lukas, please stir the dough well once more.
- LukasWarum? Ich sehe doch keine Fehler im Teig.Why? I don't see any mistakes in the dough.
- JuliaDa ist hinten noch ein kleiner Klumpen Butter.There is still a small lump of butter in the back.
- LukasOh, du hast recht, ich rühre ihn sofort weg.Oh, you are right, I will stir it away immediately.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lump” translations and entries Klumpen, Kloß, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Kloß, Klumpen, klumpen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
