Petra
/ˈpeːtʁa/
Petra is the German name for the ancient city and archaeological site in Jordan.
As a proper noun, Petra can refer to either the archaeological site in Jordan or a common female given name.
Meaning: an ancient city and archaeological site in Jordan (name)
Which one should you use?
The word Petra functions as both a geographical name for the ancient city and a personal name for a woman.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpeːtʁa/
Did you know?
- The name Petra is derived from the Greek word petra, which means 'rock' or 'stone'.
- The popularity of the name Petra peaked in Germany during the 1960s and 1970s, making it a common 'generational' name for middle-aged women today.
- When referring to the city of Petra, German speakers often use the phrase die Felsenstadt meaning 'the rock city' to describe its unique architecture.
Examples in context
- Petra ist eine junge Verkäuferin.Petra is a young shop assistant.This sentence shows Petra used as a female given name.Tatoeba #8874389 by maaster, translation #8861857 by Ergulis
- Petra, möchtest du heute Abend ins Kino gehen?Petra, would you like to go to the cinema tonight?
- Ich habe Petra gestern getroffen.I met Petra yesterday.
- Petra ist eine sehr alte Stadt.Petra is a very ancient city.
- Wir möchten eine Tour durch Petra machen.We would like to do a tour through Petra.
Example conversation
Julian and Hannah are looking at a travel magazine.
- JulianSchau mal, Hannah, Petra sieht fantastisch aus!Look, Hannah, Petra looks fantastic!
- HannahJa, Julian, das ist ein beeindruckender Ort.Yes, Julian, that is an impressive place.
- JulianSollen wir nächstes Jahr dorthin reisen?Should we travel there next year?
- HannahDas ist eine wunderbare Idee!That is a wonderful idea!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Petra, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
