Tomate
/toˈmaːtə/feminine
The English phrase tomato is Tomate in German. Wiktionary also lists Paradeiser.
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tomate | /toˈmaːtə/ | feminine |
| Paradeiser | Austria, masculine |
The word refers to the fruit.
Which one should you use?
The standard form Tomate is a feminine noun. In contrast, the Austrian term Paradeiser is a masculine noun.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term Tomate is used across Germany, Austria and Switzerland. However, in Austria, the word Paradeiser is commonly used instead of Tomate.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of Tomate is Tomaten. You can also form compound nouns by joining words together, such as Tomate and Suppe becoming Tomatensuppe.
How do you pronounce it?
/toˈmaːtə/
Did you know?
- The Austrian term Paradeiser is a linguistic relative of the phrase 'apple of paradise'. It stems from the older word Paradiesapfel, which was used to describe many exotic fruits once they arrived from the New World.
- While most people call it a fruit in a botanical sense, in a German kitchen, a Tomate is strictly treated as a vegetable. Calling it a fruit in a culinary context might sound quite eccentric to a local chef.
- In many German recipes, you might see the term Tomatenmark instead of just using crushed Tomaten. This refers to a highly concentrated, thick tomato paste used as a base for sauces.
Examples in context
- Die Tomate ist reif.The tomato is ripe.This sentence is useful for describing the ripeness of a Tomate.Tatoeba #8697484 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #8181732 by Hybrid
- Tom wurde rot wie eine Tomate.Tom turned red as a tomato.This sentence uses Tomate in a simile to describe someone turning red.Tatoeba #7277875 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #12769963 by Adelpa
- Die Tomatensuppe schmeckt gut.The tomato soup tastes good.This sentence shows how to use the compound noun Tomatensuppe.Tatoeba #10583982 by brauchinet, translation #10464938 by shekitten
- Entschuldigen Sie, wo finde ich die Tomaten?Excuse me, where can I find the tomatoes?
- Holst du bitte ein paar Tomaten aus dem Supermarkt?Can you please get some tomatoes from the supermarket?
- 47 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Felix are grocery shopping together.
- JuliaFelix, siehst du diese Tomate hier?Felix, do you see this tomato here?
- FelixJa, die Tomate sieht sehr gut aus.Yes, the tomato looks very good.
- JuliaSoll ich sie für uns mitnehmen?Should I take it for us?
- FelixJa, bitte, Julia.Yes, please, Julia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tomato” translations and entries Tomate, Paradeiser, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Paradeiser, Tomate, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
