How to Say "Sheep" in German - How To Say Guide

Schaf

/ʃaːf/neuter

The German word for sheep is Schaf.

Schaf is a neuter noun used to refer to the animal.

Meaning: animal (noun)

How does it change in a sentence?

The singular form Schaf follows the neuter gender pattern, using the article das. The plural form of Schaf is Schafe.

/ʃaːf/

The German word Schafskopf literally means 'sheep's head' and is the name of one of the most popular traditional card games in Bavaria.
Calling someone a Schaf in German is a common way to describe a person who is naive, overly trusting or easily led by others.
The English word 'sheep' and the German word Schaf are actually distant linguistic cousins, both descending from the same ancient Germanic root.

Er schert die Schafe.
He is shearing the sheep.
This sentence shows how to use the plural form of Schaf with a verb.
Tatoeba #8841357 by wolfgangth, translation #2720087 by Amastan
Tom hat viele Schafe.
Tom has a lot of sheep.
This sentence demonstrates using the plural form of Schaf to indicate possession.
Tatoeba #10095116 by wolfgangth, translation #6273490 by CK
Ich habe viele Schafe.
I have a lot of sheep.
Tatoeba #9545541 by Yorwba, translation #6666824 by CK
Ich habe gestern ein Schaf gesehen.
I saw a sheep yesterday.
Das Schaf wird geschoren, um die Wolle zu gewinnen.
The sheep is being sheared to obtain the wool.
Die Mutterschafe sind für ihre Lämmer verantwortlich.
The ewes are responsible for their lambs.
Komm her, du süßes Schäfchen!
Come here, you cute little sheep!
Na, Schafi, bist du hungrig?
Hey, sheepie, are you hungry?
140 more sentences on Tatoeba

Felix and Hannah are walking through a meadow.

Sources

Wiktionary, “sheep” translations and entries Schaf, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
Word origins: Wiktionary entries Schaf, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

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