Stein
/ʃtaɪn/masculine
The English word "stone" is translated into German as Stein. Wiktionary also lists Schdää.
Meaning: small piece of stone (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Stein | /ʃtaɪn/ | masculine |
| Schdää | Rhine Franconian |
The word refers to a small piece of stone. It is a masculine noun.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Rhine-Franconian dialect regions, you may encounter the form Schdää. In Bavarian dialects, stone can be referred to as der Stei.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of Stein is Steine. Because it is a masculine noun, it changes to einen Stein in the accusative case when the stone is the direct object of a sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʃtaɪn/
Did you know?
- In some regions, a Stein refers specifically to a beer stein or a heavy ceramic mug, rather than a piece of rock.
- German uses the word Stein in the term Edelstein to mean 'gemstone', where edel means 'noble'.
- The German phrase einen Stein im Schuh haben is used similarly to the English 'thorn in my side' to describe a persistent annoyance.
Examples in context
- Der Stein ist hart.The stone is hard.This sentence is useful for describing the hardness of a Stein.Tatoeba #13784843 by mhr, translation #13785154 by rul
- Der Stein ist schwer.The stone is heavy.This sentence is useful for describing the weight of a Stein.Tatoeba #3302593 by freddy1, translation #3165955 by Tom9358
- Er hob einen Stein auf.He picked up a stone.This sentence is useful for describing the action of picking up a Stein.Tatoeba #1186698 by Espi, translation #300572 by CK
- Ich sehe einen großen SteinI see a large stone
- Der Kieselstein ist rund und glattThe pebble is round and smooth
- Wir haben am Fluss einen großen Stein gefundenWe found a large stone by the river
- Schau mal, welch schöne Kiesel hier liegen!Look at the beautiful pebbles lying here!
- Der Brocken lag mitten auf dem WegThe chunk of stone was lying in the middle of the path
- 174 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Maximilian are hiking in a forest.
- JuliaMaximilian, pass auf, da liegt ein Stein!Maximilian, watch out, there is a stone lying there!
- MaximilianDanke, Julia. Er war kaum zu sehen.Thanks, Julia. It was hardly visible.
- JuliaMöchtest du diesen glatten Stein behalten?Do you want to keep this smooth stone?
- MaximilianNein, der Stein gehört in die Natur.No, the stone belongs in nature.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “stone” translations and entries Stein, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
