Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Teddybärli | masculine | |
| Teddy | masculine | |
| Kuschelbär | masculine | |
| Plüschbär | masculine | |
| Bärchen | /bɛːrçən/ | neuter |
In German, several words are used to describe a stuffed toy bear. You can use Plüschbär to specifically emphasize that the bear is made of plush material.
What does it mean word for word?
The word Kuschelbär is a compound of kuscheln (to cuddle) and Bär (bear), meaning cuddle bear.
Which one should you use?
While there are several forms, Teddy is the most common way to refer to the toy in everyday conversation. Plüschbär is used when focusing on the plush material, and Bärchen is used to denote a small or cute bear. Teddybärli specifically refers to a little teddy bear.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form Teddybärli uses the -li diminutive suffix, which is characteristic of Swiss German dialects.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form Bärchen uses the diminutive suffix -chen to denote a small or cute bear and it takes a neuter gender. All other listed forms are masculine.
Did you know?
- While Bärchen means 'little bear', it can be used as a romantic pet name between partners, similar to how English speakers use 'honey' or 'sweetie'.
- German allows for the creation of 'hyper-diminutives' where a speaker could theoretically add multiple suffixes to a word like Bär to make it sound increasingly cute.
- In German culture, giving a Kuscheltier (cuddle toy) like a Teddybär is a common tradition for infants to help them transition to sleeping in their own beds.
Examples in context
- Sie umarmte ihren Teddy.She hugged her teddy bear.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use Teddy.Tatoeba #10103471 by Melang, translation #7385314 by CH
- Das ist Tom, mein Teddybär.That's Tom, my teddy-bear.Tatoeba #3344094 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3343193 by Hybrid
- Er ist wie ein großer Teddybär.He's like a big teddy bear.Tatoeba #2732754 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2732753 by Hybrid
- Schau mal, ich habe dir einen Teddy mitgebracht!Look, I brought you a teddy bear!
- 19 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Laura are in a toy store.
- MaximilianSchau mal, ist das Teddybärli nicht süß?Look, isn't that little teddy bear cute?
- LauraJa, das Teddybärli ist wirklich sehr weich.Yes, the little teddy bear is really very soft.
- MaximilianSoll ich das Teddybärli für dich kaufen?Should I buy the little teddy bear for you?
- LauraJa bitte, ich möchte das Teddybärli haben!Yes please, I want to have the little teddy bear!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “teddy bear” translations and entries Teddy, Bärchen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
