Gewitter
/ɡəˈvɪtɐ/neuter
The German word for "thunderstorm" is Gewitter.
Gewitter refers to a storm characterized by thunder and lightning.
Meaning: storm with thunder and lightning (noun)
Which one should you use?
While Gewitter is the standard term, you may encounter the diminutive form Gewitterchen to describe a smaller or less severe thunderstorm.
How does it change in a sentence?
Gewitter is a neuter noun. It is indeclinable in terms of number, meaning the singular and plural forms are identical.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡəˈvɪtɐ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly assign the masculine gender to Gewitter because of the related word Donner (thunder), but it is actually a neuter noun.
Did you know?
- In German folklore, a Gewitter was historically seen as the work of the Donnerkeil, a thunderbolt that could be found in the earth as a prehistoric stone tool.
- There is a specific German term, Gewitterstimmung, which describes a 'thunderstorm atmosphere' where a fight is about to break out in a room.
- In German, a 'social storm' or a sudden outburst of anger or conflict is often described as a Gewitter.
Examples in context
- Letzte Nacht hat es gewittert.There was a thunderstorm last night.This sentence shows how to use the verb form of Gewitter to say there was a thunderstorm.Tatoeba #1234395 by al_ex_an_der, translation #10713699 by sundown
- Das Gewitter gestern hat die Postzustellung behindert.The thunderstorm yesterday delayed the delivery of the mail.Tatoeba #817889 by al_ex_an_der, translation #681412 by Source_VOA
- Das Spiel wurde aufgrund eines Gewitters unterbrochen.The match was stopped due to a thunderstorm.Tatoeba #1409913 by Zaghawa, translation #1590169 by Grim_fandango
- Der Wetterbericht sagt für heute Abend ein Gewitter voraus.The weather forecast predicts a thunderstorm for this evening.
- In dieser Region sind Gewitterstürme im Sommer nicht ungewöhnlich.Thunderstorms are not uncommon in this region during the summer.
- Der Roman beschrieb die düstere Burg auf dem Hügel während des tosenden Donnerwetters.The novel described the gloomy castle on the hill during the raging thunderstorm.
- Kommst du mit spazieren? Es gibt ein Gewitterchen, das wir beobachten können!Are you coming for a walk? There's a little thunderstorm we can watch!
- Die Gewitterwolken ziehen auf und es wird langsam dunkel am Himmel.The thunderstorm clouds are building up, and the sky is getting dark.
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Julia are looking at the dark sky.
- MaximilianSchau mal, das ist ein Gewitter!Look, that is a thunderstorm!
- JuliaWir müssen schnell nach Hause gehen.We have to go home quickly.
- MaximilianJa, das Gewitter kommt sehr schnell.Yes, the thunderstorm is coming very fast.
- JuliaLauf schnell, Julia!Run fast, Julia!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thunderstorm” translations and entries Gewitter, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
