Fleisch
/flaɪ̯ʃ/neuter
The German word for meat is Fleisch.
Fleisch refers to animal flesh used as food.
Meaning: animal flesh used as food (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
As a mass noun, Fleisch is typically used in the uncountable sense and does not have a common plural form when referring to meat as a food group. To indicate possession, such as 'of the meat', the genitive singular form Fleisches is used.
How do you pronounce it?
/flaɪ̯ʃ/
Did you know?
- German has a specific term Fleischwolf for a meat grinder, which translates literally to 'meat wolf'.
- In German, the word fleischig can be used to describe a plant or a leaf that is thick and succulent, similar to the English word 'fleshy'.
- The German word for 'butcher' is Fleischer, literally meaning 'meat-person'.
Examples in context
- Ich aß das Fleisch.I ate the meat.This sentence shows how to use Fleisch when referring to a specific piece of meat.Tatoeba #12365652 by mayabe, translation #2629267 by CK
- Er aß kein Fleisch.He didn't eat meat.This sentence demonstrates how to use Fleisch in a negative context.Tatoeba #12548104 by Waldelfe, translation #8593687 by Amastan
- Das Fleisch ist zäh.The meat is tough.This sentence illustrates the use of Fleisch when describing the texture of the food.Tatoeba #647047 by Manfredo, translation #57553 by CK
- Wir essen heute Geflügel zum Mittagessen.We are having poultry for lunch today.
- 408 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Julian are shopping at a local butcher shop.
- JuliaIst das Fleisch heute frisch?Is the meat fresh today?
- JulianJa, das Fleisch kommt gerade erst an.Yes, the meat just arrived.
- JuliaDann nehmen wir dieses Fleisch.Then we will take this meat.
- JulianGut, ich kaufe es für uns.Good, I will buy it for us.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “meat” translations and entries Fleisch, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
