Hirsch
/hɪrʃ/masculine
The English word 'stag' translates to German as Hirsch. Wiktionary also lists Hirschbock and Rothirsch.
Meaning: adult male deer (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Hirsch | /hɪrʃ/ | masculine |
| Hirschbock | masculine | |
| Rothirsch | masculine |
The term Hirsch refers to an adult male deer. It is also commonly used as a component in compound nouns to describe things related to stags, such as Hirschhorn (stag antler).
Which one should you use?
While Hirsch is the general term for a stag, Rothirsch specifically refers to a Red Deer stag. Additionally, Hirschbock is a more specific term often used in hunting contexts to emphasize the animal's status as a male.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine noun Hirsch follows the strong masculine declension, which means its ending changes in the accusative and dative cases (for example, using einen Hirsch in the accusative).
How do you pronounce it?
/hɪrʃ/
Did you know?
- The term Hirsch can be used colloquially in some German dialects to describe a naive or clumsy person.
- The sound a stag makes is described in German as röhren, a word that also means 'to pipe' or 'to wail'.
- The English word 'hart' is a long-lost relative of the German Hirsch, as both descend from the same Proto-Germanic root.
Examples in context
- Hast du schon einmal einen Hirsch röhren gehört?Have you ever heard a stag barking?This sentence is useful for hearing how the word Hirsch is used when discussing the sounds a stag makes.Tatoeba #2722643 by raggione, translation #9440176 by sundown
- Ich habe gestern einen prächtigen Hirsch im Wald gesehen.I saw a magnificent stag in the forest yesterday.
- Ein großer Hirsch stand im Wald.A large stag stood in the forest.
- Wir haben einen Hirsch auf der Wiese gesehen.We saw a stag in the meadow.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Hannah are hiking in the mountains.
- MaximilianSchau mal, dort drüben ist ein Hirsch!Look, there is a stag over there!
- HannahOh, er ist wirklich beeindruckend.Oh, he is truly impressive.
- MaximilianEr bewegt sich ganz langsam durch das Gebüsch.He is moving very slowly through the bushes.
- HannahLass uns leise sein, damit wir ihn nicht stören.Let's be quiet so we don't disturb him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “stag” translations and entries Hirsch, Rothirsch, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Hirsch, Rothirsch, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
