Tornado
[tɔʁˈnaːdo]masculine
The English word tornado is translated into German as Tornado or Windhose.
Meaning: violent windstorm (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tornado | [tɔʁˈnaːdo] (narrow) | masculine |
| Windhose | [ˈvɪntˌhoːzə] (narrow) | masculine |
Both terms refer to a violent windstorm. Tornado is a masculine noun used to describe this weather phenomenon.
Which one should you use?
Both are masculine nouns.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of Tornado is Tornados, following the standard German pattern for loanwords ending in -o by adding an -s.
Did you know?
- The German term Windhose literally translates to 'wind hose' or 'wind trousers'.
- While Tornado is used for the violent storm, German uses the word Wirbelsturm as a general term for any whirlwind or cyclone.
- In Germany, the term Tornado is often used more specifically for the intense rotating wind, whereas Windhose is a broader descriptive term for the visual funnel.
Examples in context
- Was ist ein Tornado?What's a tornado?This sentence is useful for asking what a Tornado is.Tatoeba #13718486 by Waldelfe, translation #9415746 by CK
- Tom ist ein Tornadojäger.Tom is a tornado chaser.This sentence uses Tornado in the context of a tornado chaser.Tatoeba #5277404 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #5276288 by Hybrid
- Er hat den Tornado überlebt.He survived the tornado.This sentence shows the use of Tornado when talking about surviving one.Tatoeba #12573045 by Waldelfe, translation #11879731 by Amastan
- Gestern gab es einen schweren Tornado in der Region.Yesterday, there was a severe tornado in the region.
- Wir erwarten einen Wirbelsturm im Laufe des Abends.We are expecting a tornado later in the evening.
- Der kleine Ort wurde von einem Wirbelwind getroffen.The small town was hit by a tornado.
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple watches a weather report on TV during a storm.
- MaximilianSiehst du das? Ein Tornado kommt!Do you see that? A tornado is coming!
- SarahOh nein, Maximilian, das sieht schrecklich aus.Oh no, Maximilian, that looks terrible.
- MaximilianWir müssen sofort in den Keller.We have to go to the basement immediately.
- SarahJa, lass uns schnell gehen!Yes, let's go quickly!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tornado” translations and entries Tornado, Windhose, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Tornado, Windhose, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
