Strauß
/ʃtʁaʊ̯s/masculine
The German word for ostrich is Strauß. Wiktionary also lists Vogelstrauß.
Meaning: large flightless bird (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Strauß | /ʃtʁaʊ̯s/ | masculine |
| Vogelstrauß | masculine |
The word refers to the large, flightless bird. It is a masculine noun.
Which one should you use?
Note that Strauß is a homonym. It can also mean a bouquet of flowers depending on the context.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the plural form in the dative case, the word becomes Straußen by adding the -en ending. When forming compound words like 'ostrich eggs' (Straußeneier), a linking -en- is inserted between the word for ostrich and the word for eggs.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʃtʁaʊ̯s/
Did you know?
- The term Vogelstrauß is sometimes used to explicitly distinguish the bird from a bouquet of flowers.
- The German word Strauß is a relative of the dialectal English word 'strout' meaning 'strut'.
- The word Strauß is a double homonym that can refer to a bird, a bouquet of flowers, or even a person's surname.
Examples in context
- Ein Strauß kann nicht fliegen.An ostrich can't fly.This sentence is useful for stating that a Strauß cannot fly.Tatoeba #6312385 by Esperantostern, translation #5133946 by CarpeLanam
- Der Strauß ist ein flugunfähiger Vogel.The ostrich is a flightless bird.This sentence is useful for describing a Strauß as a flightless bird.Tatoeba #7290102 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #7288144 by Hybrid
- Tom und Maria bemalten zu Ostern Straußeneier.Tom and Mary painted some ostrich eggs for Easter.This sentence shows how to use the compound word Straußeneier for ostrich eggs.Tatoeba #10526945 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #5011106 by Hybrid
- Der Strauß ist ein faszinierender Vogel.The ostrich is a fascinating bird.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A zoo in Germany.
- JulianSchau mal, da ist ein Strauß!Look, there is an ostrich!
- LauraEr ist wirklich sehr groß.He is really very large.
- JulianLäuft der Strauß schnell?Does the ostrich run fast?
- LauraJa, er ist extrem schnell.Yes, he is extremely fast.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ostrich” translations and entries Strauß, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Strauß, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
