schnurren
/ˈʃnʊʁən/
To purr in German is schnurren.
The verb schnurren is used to describe the action of a cat making a vibrating sound in its throat. The related noun Schnurren refers to the vibrating sound itself.
Meaning: of a cat, to make a vibrating sound in the throat (verb)
Which one should you use?
The lowercase schnurren is the verb meaning 'to purr', while the capitalized Schnurren is the noun meaning 'the purr' or 'the purring'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In German, the capitalized form Schnurren functions as a noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʃnʊʁən/
Did you know?
- In German, schnurren is used figuratively to describe a person who is acting very sweet, agreeable or compliant in order to get something they want.
- The German word schnurren shares a common ancestor with the English word 'snarl'. While one describes a happy cat and the other a grumpy dog, both come from an ancient root meaning 'to grumble' or 'growl'.
- German uses the word schnurren to describe the smooth and quiet operation of a well-tuned engine, such as a luxury car.
Examples in context
- Die Katze schloss die Augen und fing an zu schnurren.The cat closed his eyes and started to purr.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use schnurren to describe a cat's action.Tatoeba #6140139 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #6113046 by Hybrid
- Katzen schnurren auch dann, wenn sie schwer verletzt sind.Cats also purr when they're severely injured.This sentence shows that schnurren can be used even when an animal is injured.Tatoeba #13865707 by Waldelfe, translation #10823235 by Amastan
- Schnurren Tiger?Do tigers purr?This sentence is an example of a question using schnurren.Tatoeba #569553 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #569046 by darinmex
- Meine Katze schnurrt, wenn ich sie streichle. Es klingt so süß!My cat purrs when I pet her. It sounds so adorable!
- Diese Katzen machen ein schnurrendes Geräusch, wenn sie zufrieden sind.These cats make a purring sound when they are content.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Maximilian are sitting on the sofa with a kitten.
- JuliaSchau mal, Maximilian, sie fängt an zu schnurren!Look, Maximilian, she is starting to purr!
- MaximilianDas ist wirklich süß, wie sie schnurrt.That is really cute, how she purrs.
- JuliaSie ist sehr zufrieden mit uns.She is very happy with us.
- MaximilianJa, sie fühlt sich hier sicher.Yes, she feels safe here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “purr” translations and entries schnurren, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries schnurren, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
