Sofa
/ˈzoːfa/neuter
The German word for sofa is Sofa. Wiktionary also lists Couch.
Meaning: upholstered seat (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sofa | /ˈzoːfa/ | neuter |
| Couch | /kaʊ̯tʃ/ | feminine |
Which one should you use?
Sofa is a neuter noun, while Couch is a feminine noun.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Austria, the term Polstergruppe is sometimes used to refer to a set of upholstered furniture, such as a sofa and accompanying chairs.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈzoːfa/
Did you know?
- The word Sofa travels a long path from the Arabic word ṣuffa and Ottoman Turkish sofa through Italian and French before entering German.
- While Sofa and Couch are often interchangeable, Couch is a direct loanword from English that has become fully integrated into the German language.
- German uses the phrase Couch-Potato as a loanword from English to describe a lazy person, though it is often spelled with a hyphen.
Examples in context
- Das ist mein Sofa.That's my sofa.This sentence demonstrates how to use Sofa to identify ownership.Tatoeba #3536421 by Esperantostern, translation #11042154 by sundown
- Tom saß auf dem Sofa.Tom sat on the sofa.This sentence shows the prepositional use of Sofa when someone is sitting on it.Tatoeba #3068696 by Manfredo, translation #3222949 by CK
- Es liegt auf dem Sofa.It's on the sofa.This sentence shows how to describe an object's location on a Sofa.Tatoeba #923487 by Sudajaengi, translation #43241 by CK
- Wo können wir die neuen Besucher empfangen? Gibt es ein Sofa oder eine Couch in unserem Besprechungsraum?Where can we receive the new visitors? Is there a sofa or couch in our meeting room?
- Lass uns heute Abend auf die Couch lümmeln und einen Film schauen!Let's lounge on the couch tonight and watch a movie!
- 190 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Hannah are looking at furniture in a store.
- LukasHannah, schau mal, dieses Sofa ist toll!Hannah, look, this sofa is great!
- HannahJa, Lukas, es sieht sehr modern aus.Yes, Lukas, it looks very modern.
- LukasSoll ich mal darauf sitzen?Should I try sitting on it?
- HannahGute Idee, probier es mal aus.Good idea, give it a try.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sofa” translations and entries Sofa, Couch, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Couch, Sofa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
