How to Say “Sea” in German

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Meer
/meːr/neuter
The German word for 'sea' is Meer. Wiktionary also lists See.
Meaning: body of water (noun)

Ways to say it

“sea” in German
German IPA Note
Meer /meːr/ neuter
See /zeː/ (Germany)
/seː/ (Austria, Southern Germany, Switzerland)		 feminine

Both Meer and See can be used to refer to a body of water meaning 'sea'.

Which one should you use?

Meer is a neuter noun and is a common synonym for sea, frequently appearing in phrases such as am Meer (at the sea). In contrast, when the word is used as the feminine noun die See, it specifically means 'sea'.

How does it change in a sentence?

Meer is a neuter noun, while See is a feminine noun when it means sea.

How do you pronounce it?

/meːr/

What mistakes should you avoid?

Be careful not to confuse the feminine die See (the sea) with the masculine der See, which actually means 'the lake'.

Did you know?

  • The word Meer is a cognate of the Latin word mare, which is why English scientific terms for the moon's plains, like 'maria', use a similar root.
  • The word See shares a common root with the Danish word sø, which can mean both a 'sea' and a 'lake'.

Examples in context

  • Die See ist rau.
    The sea is rough.
    This sentence describes the texture of the sea using See.
    Tatoeba #841234 by Esperantostern, translation #841233 by CM
  • Die See ist grün.
    The sea is green.
    This sentence describes the color of the sea using See.
    Tatoeba #8242416 by Luiaard, translation #2504015 by _undertoad
  • Sie lebt am Meer.
    She lives close to the sea.
    This sentence describes a person's proximity to the sea using Meer.
    Tatoeba #13388427 by Vortarulo, translation #11324288 by Luornu
  • Ich liebe das Meer. Es beruhigt meine Seele.
    I love the sea. It soothes my soul.
  • Wir machen einen Ausflug ans Meer, hast du Lust mitzukommen?
    We're going on a trip to the sea, do you want to come along?
  • 483 more sentences on Tatoeba

Example conversation

Lukas and Hannah are planning a weekend trip.

  1. Lukas

    Wollen wir ans Meer fahren?
    Do you want to go to the sea?
  2. Hannah

    Ja, das Meer ist wunderschön.
    Yes, the sea is beautiful.
  3. Lukas

    Ich liebe das blaue Meer.
    I love the blue sea.
  4. Hannah

    Dann packen wir unsere Sachen.
    Then let's pack our things.

Sources

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Lucille Rosie
Lucille RosieHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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