Schnee
/ʃneː/masculine
The German word for snow is Schnee.
Schnee is a masculine noun used to describe the crystalline state of frozen water that falls from the atmosphere as flakes, the act of these flakes falling or the accumulation of them as a white layer. You can describe different types of snow using phrases like Frischer Schnee (fresh snow) or Weicher Schnee (soft snow).
Meaning: partly frozen, crystalline state of water that falls from the atmosphere as precipitation in flakes, falling of such flakes, accumulation of them as a white layer (noun)
Which one should you use?
While Schnee refers to the substance itself, the compound noun Schneefall is used specifically to refer to the event or act of snowfall. If you want to describe a landscape that is covered in snow, use the adjective verschneit. For related objects, you might use Schneeflocke (snowflake), Schneemann (snowman) or Schneeball (snowball).
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
As a masculine noun, the genitive form of Schnee is Schnees, which translates to 'of the snow'. To describe the current weather when it is snowing, the verb schneien is typically used in the third person singular to form the phrase es schneit.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʃneː/
Did you know?
- German culture has a specific word Schneegestöber to describe a heavy, swirling snowfall that reduces visibility to almost nothing.
- The German word for snowflake, Schneeflocke, follows a logic similar to English, but the word Flocke can also be used to describe a 'flake' of peeling paint or skin.
- In German, the verb for snowing schneien is an impersonal verb, meaning it can only be used with the pronoun es to describe the weather.
Examples in context
- Es gab viel Schnee.There was a lot of snow.This sentence is useful for noting the quantity of Schnee that occurred.Tatoeba #5023538 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #5022698 by CK
- Der Schnee ist weiß.The snow is white.This sentence is useful for describing the color of the Schnee.Tatoeba #3324762 by al_ex_an_der, translation #4463791 by AlanF_US
- Ich mag Schnee sehr.I like snow a lot.This sentence is useful for expressing a personal preference for Schnee.Tatoeba #5109778 by Esperantostern, translation #758154 by Zifre
- Die Berge sind mit Schnee bedeckt.The mountains are covered in snow.
- Der Schnee verwandelt die Landschaft in ein Winterparadies.The snow transforms the landscape into a winter paradise.
- Das sanfte Gestöber verzaubert die Stadt.The gentle snowfall enchants the city.
- Das monatelange Gestöber hat die Wälder in eine Winterlandschaft verwandelt.The months of snowfall have transformed the forests into a winter wonderland.
- 603 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hannah and Maximilian are looking out the window at winter weather.
- HannahSchau mal, es gibt endlich wieder Schnee!Look, there is finally snow again!
- MaximilianJa, der Schnee sieht wirklich schön aus.Yes, the snow looks really beautiful.
- HannahWollen wir heute im Schnee spielen?Do we want to play in the snow today?
- MaximilianKlar, ich ziehe mir schnell meine Jacke an.Sure, I'll put on my jacket quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “snow” translations and entries Schnee, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
