Schnecke
/ˈʃnɛkə/also, feminine
The English word snail is translated into German as Schnecke. Wiktionary also lists Gehäuseschnecke.
Meaning: any animal of the class Gastropoda having a shell (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Schnecke | /ˈʃnɛkə/ | also, feminine |
| Gehäuseschnecke | /ɡəˈhɔʏ̯zəˌʃnɛkə/ | feminine |
The term refers to any animal of the class Gastropoda having a shell.
Which one should you use?
Gehäuseschnecke specifically translates to shell snail.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of Schnecke is Schnecken.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʃnɛkə/
Did you know?
- In certain German dialects, particularly in the south, the word Schnecke can be used as a playful, albeit old-fashioned, term of endearment for a person.
- The Middle High German ancestor of the word, 'snëcke', shares a linguistic root with the Proto-Germanic word for 'cutting' or 'to cut'.
- The word Schnecke is used to describe a spiral shape, such as a 'snail horn' or a cinnamon roll, known as Zimtschnecke.
Examples in context
- Das ist eine Schnecke.It's a snail.Tatoeba #10370956 by sakslane, translation #10371179 by Silja
- Tom hat eine Schnecke als Haustier.Tom has a pet snail.Tatoeba #6055986 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #6054500 by Hybrid
- Bob aß die Schnecke, dann erbrach er sich.Bob ate the snail, then vomited.Tatoeba #705999 by Esperantostern, translation #542885 by FeuDRenais2
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Julian are looking at a garden path after rain.
- SarahSchau mal, Julian, dort ist eine Schnecke!Look, Julian, there is a snail!
- JulianOh ja, sie bewegt sich sehr langsam.Oh yes, it is moving very slowly.
- SarahIch finde die kleine Schnecke wirklich süß.I think the little snail is really cute.
- JulianLass uns sie vorsichtig ins Gras setzen.Let's carefully put it in the grass.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “snail” translations and entries Schnecke, Gehäuseschnecke, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Gehäuseschnecke, Schnecke, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
