Fluss
/flʊs/masculine
The German word for river is Fluss. Wiktionary also lists Strom.
Meaning: large stream which drains a landmass (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fluss | /flʊs/ | masculine |
| Strom | /ʃtʁoːm/ | masculine |
Both Fluss and Strom refer to a large stream which drains a landmass. Fluss is the general word for river.
Which one should you use?
While Fluss is the general word for river, Strom is used specifically for very large, major rivers that flow into the sea (like the Rhine or the Danube).
How does it change in a sentence?
Fluss is a masculine noun. The plural of 'Fluss' is Flüsse. Because 'Fluss' is a masculine noun, it changes to den Fluss when it is the direct object of a sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
/flʊs/
Did you know?
- In German, the word Strom is also the common word for an 'electric current', creating a mental link between flowing water and flowing energy.
- The English word 'flood' shares the same ancient roots as the German Fluss, both coming from a Proto-Germanic word meaning 'to flow'.
- German uses the word Strom in the term Jetstream, borrowing the English 'jet' but using the German word for a powerful current of air.
Examples in context
- Ich bade im Fluß.I'm bathing in the river.This sentence shows how to use Fluss when bathing in the water.Tatoeba #12424657 by Waldelfe, translation #8175959 by Smoky
- Ist das ein Fluss?Is this a river?This sentence is useful for asking if a body of water is a river.Tatoeba #451360 by al_ex_an_der, translation #56259 by CK
- Seht ihr den Fluss?Do you see the river?This sentence demonstrates the use of Fluss as a direct object.Tatoeba #10372557 by wannieh, translation #5935653 by CarpeLanam
- Der Rhein ist ein großer Fluss in Deutschland.The Rhine is a large river in Germany.
- Der Rhein ist ein wichtiger Fluss in Europa.The Rhine is an important river in Europe.
- Letzten Sommer sind wir mit dem Boot den ganzen Fluss entlanggefahren.Last summer, we sailed along the entire river in a boat.
- In Bayern gibt es viele schöne Flüsse zum Angeln.In Bavaria, there are many beautiful rivers for fishing.
- 717 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Lukas are walking in a park.
- SarahSchau mal, Lukas, der Fluss ist so schön!Look, Lukas, the river is so beautiful!
- LukasJa, Sarah, er ist wirklich sehr breit.Yes, Sarah, it is really very wide.
- SarahWollen wir dort drüben spazieren gehen?Do we want to go for a walk over there?
- LukasGerne, lass uns den Weg am Wasser nehmen.Gladly, let's take the path by the water.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “river” translations and entries Fluss, Strom, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Fluss, Strom, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
