Berglöwe
/ˈbɛrkˌløː.və/
The German phrase for mountain lion is Berglöwe.
Berglöwe refers to the large wild cat native to North America. It is also known as a cougar or puma.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of Berg, meaning mountain and Löwe, meaning lion.
Which one should you use?
While Berglöwe is the standard term, Puma is a very common synonym used in German to refer to the same animal.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of Berglöwe is Berglöwen.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the first syllable. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbɛrkˌløː.və/.
Did you know?
- The word Berg is a cognate of the English word 'berg' as in 'iceberg', which was borrowed directly from German.
- Because Löwe is also the word for 'Leo', a German speaker might refer to someone born in late July or August as a Löwe.
- German allows the creation of an endless variety of animals by adding Löwe to other descriptors, such as Seelöwe for 'sea lion'.
Example conversation
Felix and Hannah are hiking in a national park.
- FelixSchau mal, dort oben ist ein Berglöwe!Look, there is a mountain lion up there!
- HannahWas? Wo genau ist er?What? Where exactly is it?
- FelixEr steht direkt an dem Felsen.He is standing right by the rock.
- HannahWir sollten uns langsam entfernen, Felix.We should move away slowly, Felix.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Berglöwe, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
