Gedicht
/ɡəˈdɪçt/neuter
The German word for poem is Gedicht. Wiktionary also lists Poem.
Meaning: literary piece written in verse (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gedicht | /ɡəˈdɪçt/ | neuter |
| Poem | /poˈeːm/ | neuter |
Both Gedicht and Poem refer to a literary piece written in verse.
Which one should you use?
Gedicht is the standard and most common German word for a poem, whereas Poem is also a valid noun for the same concept.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Switzerland, the word for poem is Gedicht.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of Gedicht is Gedichte, and its genitive singular form is des Gedichts. The plural form of Poem is Poeme. Both nouns are neuter.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡəˈdɪçt/
Did you know?
- German speakers use the word dichten to describe writing poetry, but it can also be used colloquially to mean 'making something up' or lying.
- If you are talking about a 'short poem', Germans often use the word Lied if it has a rhythmic, song-like quality, even if it is not a musical piece.
- The root of Gedicht comes from the verb dichten, which originally meant to compose or construct something, rather than just writing verses.
Examples in context
- Das war ein Gedicht.This was a poem.This sentence is useful for identifying a poem using Gedicht.Tatoeba #9359838 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #9205606 by AmarMecheri
- Er lernte ein Gedicht.He learned a poem.This sentence is useful for describing the act of learning a poem using Gedicht.Tatoeba #12230943 by mhr, translation #12231206 by Miktsoanit
- Er übersetzte ein Gedicht.He translated a poem.This sentence is useful for describing the act of translating a poem using Gedicht.Tatoeba #12507436 by Naina, translation #12507393 by Pacific
- Die Gedichte von Goethe sind weltbekannt.The poems by Goethe are world-famous.
- Ich möchte ein Gedicht vortragen.I would like to recite a poem.
- Ich finde seine Dichtungen sehr modern und interessant.I find his poems very modern and interesting.
- 175 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Laura are discussing a book in a cafe.
- MaximilianHast du dieses Gedicht gelesen?Have you read this poem?
- LauraJa, das Gedicht ist sehr schön.Yes, the poem is very beautiful.
- MaximilianIch schreibe auch ein kurzes Gedicht.I am also writing a short poem.
- LauraDas klingt toll, Maximilian!That sounds great, Maximilian!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “poem” translations and entries Gedicht, Poem, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Gedicht, Poem, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
