Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Spülbecken | /ˈʃpyːlˌbɛkn̩/ | neuter |
| Abwasch | /ˈapˌvaʃ/ | Austria, feminine |
| Abwaschbecken | Austria, neuter | |
| Spüle | /ˈʃpyːlə/ | feminine |
| Spülstein | masculine | |
| Waschbecken | /ˈvaʃˌbɛkən/ | neuter |
| Waschmuschel | /ˈvaʃˌmʊʃl̩/ | Austria, feminine |
| Lavabo | /ˈlavabo/ /laˈvaːbo/ |
Switzerland, neuter |
If you are referring to a kitchen sink used for washing dishes, you use Spülbecken. If you are referring to a washbasin used for washing your hands or face, you use Waschbecken.
What does it mean word for word?
Spülbecken is a compound noun consisting of spülen, meaning to rinse or wash dishes and Becken, meaning basin or sink. Similarly, Waschbecken is a compound of waschen, meaning to wash and Becken, meaning basin or sink.
Which one should you use?
Spülbecken is the standard term specifically for a kitchen sink. In contrast, Waschbecken refers to a washbasin typically found in a bathroom.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Austria, you may encounter Abwaschbecken for a kitchen sink or the feminine form Abwasch. The term Waschmuschel is also a feminine term used in Austria. In Switzerland, the term Lavabo is used for a sink.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms vary in gender: Spülstein is masculine, Spüle and Abwasch and Waschmuschel are feminine, while Spülbecken, Waschbecken, Abwaschbecken and Lavabo are neuter.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʃpyːlˌbɛkn̩/
Did you know?
- In some regions of Austria, a kitchen sink might be called a Waschmuschel, which literally translates to 'wash mussel'.
- While Waschbecken is used for the basin, the word Becken on its own can also refer to a pelvis in anatomy or a swimming pool.
- The Swiss-German term Lavabo for a sink is actually a loanword from French, reflecting the linguistic influence of its neighbors.
Examples in context
- Tom ließ Wasser ins Waschbecken.Tom filled the sink with water.This sentence shows how to use Waschbecken to describe filling a sink with water.Tatoeba #5200231 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1094093 by CK
- Samis Waschbecken war verstopft.Sami's sink got clogged.This sentence shows how to describe a clogged Waschbecken.Tatoeba #9401157 by Yorwba, translation #7148915 by OsoHombre
- Kannst du unser Spülbecken reparieren?Can you fix our sink?This sentence is useful for asking to repair a Spülbecken.Tatoeba #758219 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #680972 by Source_VOA
- Das Waschbecken in meinem Badezimmer ist großartigThe sink in my bathroom is fantastic
- Die Spüle in der Küche ist verstopftThe sink in the kitchen is clogged
- Kannst du bitte das Waschbecken putzen?Can you please clean the sink?
- 55 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Sarah are in the kitchen after cleaning up.
- LukasDas Spülbecken ist jetzt ganz sauber.The sink is completely clean now.
- SarahToll, danke fürs Putzen, Lukas!Great, thanks for cleaning, Lukas!
- LukasGerne, aber das Spülbecken ist noch etwas nass.You're welcome, but the sink is still a bit wet.
- SarahKein Problem, ich wische es kurz ab.No problem, I'll wipe it quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sink” translations and entries Spülbecken, Abwasch, Spüle, Waschbecken, Waschmuschel, Lavabo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
