Protein
/pʁoteˈiːn/neuter
The German word for protein is Protein or Eiweiß.
Meaning: class of food (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | /pʁoteˈiːn/ /pʁoteˈʔiːn/ |
neuter |
| Eiweiß | /ˈaɪ̯vaɪ̯s/ | neuter |
Both terms refer to the class of food known as protein. In a nutritional context, you can modify these terms using suffixes to describe the content of food: adding -arm creates the word proteinarm (low in protein), while adding -reich creates proteinreich (high in protein).
What does it mean word for word?
The term Eiweiß literally translates to egg white, which is the common way to refer to protein in a culinary context.
Which one should you use?
Eiweiß is the more common term used in everyday language and is frequently seen on food packaging.
How does it change in a sentence?
To describe the protein content of a food, you can attach suffixes directly to the noun. For example, proteinarm means low in protein and proteinreich means high in protein.
How do you pronounce it?
/pʁoteˈiːn/
Did you know?
- The word Protein derives from the Ancient Greek word prōteîos, which means 'primary' or 'first'.
- The German word Eiweiß literally means 'egg white'. This is because early scientists identified protein using the clear part of an egg as the primary example.
- While Eiweiß is common in kitchens, Protein is the standard term used in German sports science and fitness culture for supplements like protein shakes.
Examples in context
- Falafel sind reich an Eiweiß.Falafel is a good source of protein.This sentence is useful for showing how to use Eiweiß to describe a food source.Tatoeba #11137413 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #5388188 by Hybrid
- Toms Ernährung ist zu proteinarm.Tom's diet is deficient in protein.This sentence is useful for showing how to use Protein to describe a diet deficient in protein.Tatoeba #1931119 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1023856 by CK
- Er nahm einen Proteintrunk zu sich.He took a protein shake.This sentence is useful for showing how to use Protein in the context of a protein shake.Tatoeba #1743573 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1740869 by Spamster
- Eiweiß ist ein unverzichtbarer Bestandteil einer ausgewogenen Ernährung.Protein is an essential component of a balanced diet.
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Maximilian are discussing their meal preparation.
- SarahWie viel Protein ist in diesem Gericht?How much protein is in this dish?
- MaximilianEs enthält sehr viel Protein.It contains a lot of protein.
- SarahDas ist gut für meinen Plan.That is good for my plan.
- MaximilianDu brauchst ja viel Protein.You do need a lot of protein.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “protein” translations and entries Protein, Eiweiß, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Eiweiß, Protein, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
