Sowjetunion
/zɔˈvjɛt.uˌni̯oːn/feminine
The English phrase "soviet union" is Sowjetunion in German.
Sowjetunion is used to refer to the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics).
Meaning: USSR (name)
How does it change in a sentence?
As a feminine noun, the phrase uses the article die in the nominative and accusative cases. It takes the genitive case when expressing possession or "of the" relationships, such as der Sowjetunion (of the Soviet Union).
How do you pronounce it?
/zɔˈvjɛt.uˌni̯oːn/. The word has 4 syllables, and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- During the Cold War, the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) used Sowjetunion in a way that signaled a 'brotherly' relationship, often pairing it with the term Bruderstaaten or 'brother states'.
- Because Sowjetunion is a compound noun, German orthography requires it to be written as a single word without spaces or hyphens, unlike the two-word English 'Soviet Union'.
- The word Sowjet in German is a direct phonetic adaptation of the Russian word for 'council', reflecting the political structure of the era.
Examples in context
- Lang lebe die Sowjetunion!Long live the Soviet Union!Tatoeba #906163 by Esperantostern, translation #435498 by Clavain
- Vermißt du die Tage der Sowjetunion?Do you miss the days of the Soviet Union?Tatoeba #12544810 by Waldelfe, translation #10167308 by Amastan
- Ein Jahr später besuchte er die Sowjetunion.A year later, he visited the Soviet Union.Tatoeba #1784859 by Espi, translation #803202 by Source_VOA
- Die Beziehungen zwischen Deutschland und der Sowjetunion waren wichtig während des Kalten Krieges.The relations between Germany and the Soviet Union were important during the Cold War.
- Erzähl mir mehr über die verschiedenen Sowjetrepubliken innerhalb der Sowjetunion.Tell me more about the different Soviet Republics within the Soviet Union.
- 34 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Julia are discussing a history book in a library.
- MaximilianWann wurde die Sowjetunion eigentlich gegründet?When was the Soviet Union actually founded?
- JuliaDie Sowjetunion entstand im Jahr 1922.The Soviet Union was formed in 1922.
- MaximilianDas ist eine sehr lange Zeit.That is a very long time.
- JuliaJa, die Geschichte der Sowjetunion ist komplex.Yes, the history of the Soviet Union is complex.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soviet union” translations and entries Sowjetunion, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Sowjetunion, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
