Musik
/muˈziːk/
The English word music is translated into German as Musik. Wiktionary also lists Musikstück and Tonkunst.
Meaning: sound, organized in time in a melodious way (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Musik | /muˈziːk/ /ˈmʊzɪk/ |
|
| Musikstück | /muˈziːkˌʃtʏk/ | composition |
| Tonkunst | /ˈtoːnˌkʊnst/ | feminine |
| Musi | feminine |
Musik is the standard German word for sound, organized in time in a melodious way.
Which one should you use?
While Musik refers to music in general, Musikstück refers to a specific, individual piece or composition. The plural of Musikstück is Musikstücke, which translates as pieces of music.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Mucke is a slang term for music in German.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun Musik is feminine and takes the definite article die. Tonkunst and Musi are also feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/muˈziːk/
Did you know?
- The word Musik is a feminine noun, but when it is used in the compound Musikstück, the gender of the entire word changes to masculine because it is determined by the second part, Stück.
- The slang term Mucke is often used to describe music that is perceived as low-brow, commercial, or specifically associated with the working class.
- While Musik is the general term, the word Tonkunst literally translates to 'tone art' and is used to emphasize the technical mastery and high art of musical composition.
Examples in context
- Er mag Musik sehr.He likes music very much.This sentence shows how to express a preference for Musik.Tatoeba #755470 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #294185 by CK
- Musik mag er sehr.He is very fond of music.This sentence demonstrates a different word order when expressing fondness for Musik.Tatoeba #902046 by Espi, translation #294187 by CM
- Ich mag Musik sehr.I like music very much.This sentence shows how to say that you like Musik in the first person.Tatoeba #802539 by Hans_Adler, translation #256321 by CK
- Ich höre gerne MusikI like to listen to music
- Ich liebe Beethovens MusikstückeI love Beethoven's pieces of music
- Die Töne in dieser Musik sind sehr harmonischThe tones in this music are very harmonious
- Bist du bereit für gute Mucke?Are you ready for good music?
- Ich steh' total auf diesen neuen SoundI'm really into this new sound
- Die Musik dieses Komponisten ist wirklich außergewöhnlichThe music of this composer is truly extraordinary
- Ich liebe diesen neuen Dancehall Sound!I love this new dancehall sound!
- 965 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Laura are talking about their hobbies at home.
- JulianHörst du gerne Musik?Do you like listening to music?
- LauraJa, ich liebe Musik!Yes, I love music!
- JulianWelche Musik hörst du am liebsten?Which music do you prefer to listen to?
- LauraIch mag klassische Musik.I like classical music.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “music” translations and entries Musik, Musikstück, Tonkunst, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
