Kürbis
/ˈkʏr.bɪs/
The German word for squash is Kürbis.
Kürbis refers to a fleshy vegetable with a hard skin, such as a pumpkin.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of Kürbis is Kürbisse. When using the genitive case, the word becomes des Kürbisses (of the squash) and in the dative case, it becomes dem Kürbis (to the squash).
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable. The IPA is /ˈkʏr.bɪs/.
Did you know?
- While English speakers use 'squash' to mean both a vegetable and a sport, in German, a 'squash' match is called a 'Squash-Match' and has nothing to do with the word Kürbis.
- In Germany, the Kürbis is the unofficial symbol of autumn, and the country hosts numerous Kürbisfeste or pumpkin festivals every October.
- The word Kürbis is a distant cousin to the Yiddish word kirbes, showing how the name traveled through different Jewish and Germanic dialects.
Examples in context
- Kürbisse, Vanilleschoten und Yamswurzeln sind die Hauptanbauprodukte.Squash, vanilla beans, and yams are the main crops.This sentence shows how to list Kürbis alongside other crops.Tatoeba #12331691 by Yorwba, translation #8904546 by The_World_Factbook
- Der Kürbis ist grün.The squash is green.This sentence uses Kürbis to describe the color of the vegetable.Tatoeba #11111457 by Rovo, translation #11112023 by shekitten
- Ich werde einen Kürbis für das Halloweenfest kaufen.I will buy a pumpkin for the Halloween party.
- Ich bereite gern eine Suppe aus Speisekürbis zu.I enjoy making soup with edible squash.
- Ich schneide den Kürbis für die Suppe.I am cutting the squash for the soup.
Example conversation
Maximilian and Laura are in the kitchen preparing dinner.
- MaximilianLaura, hast du den Kürbis schon gekauft?Laura, have you already bought the squash?
- LauraJa, er liegt in der Küche.Yes, it is lying in the kitchen.
- MaximilianSoll ich ihn jetzt schneiden?Should I cut it now?
- LauraBitte, das wäre sehr hilfreich.Please, that would be very helpful.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Kürbis, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Kürbis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
