mein Mund
/maɪ̯n mʊnt/word by word
The English phrase 'my mouth' is translated into German as mein Mund.
In informal contexts, you might hear Mein Maul used to mean 'my mouth' or the phrase Meine Klappe, which translates to 'my trap' or 'my gob'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the phrase changes depending on its role in a sentence. Use mein Mund when it is the subject (nominative case). Use meinen Mund when it is the direct object (accusative case). To say 'of my mouth' (genitive case), use meines Mundes.
Did you know?
- In German, the word Mund can also carry an archaic meaning of 'protection' or 'guardianship', derived from its Old High German form.
- While Mund refers to a human mouth, the word Maul is specifically used for the mouths of animals. Calling your own mouth mein Maul is a way of speaking about yourself in a coarse or animalistic manner.
- The word Klappe literally means 'flap' or 'valve'. When someone tells you to hold meine Klappe, they are comparing your mouth to a hinged lid that needs to be shut.
Examples in context
- Mein Mund war trocken.My mouth was dry.Tatoeba #1560950 by Zaghawa, translation #240546 by CK
- Mein Maul ist ganz schön trocken.My mouth is really dry.
- Mein Mund ist leer.My mouth is empty.
Example conversation
Lukas and Laura are talking about a spicy meal.
- LukasMein Mund brennt total!My mouth is totally burning!
- LauraTrink schnell etwas Wasser, Lukas.Drink some water quickly, Lukas.
- LukasDanke, das hilft schon.Thanks, that's already helping.
- LauraWar das Essen zu scharf?Was the food too spicy?
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (mein, Mund) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Mund, mein, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
