Tapete
/taˈpeːtə/feminine
The German word for wallpaper is Tapete.
Tapete is a feminine noun used to refer to decorative paper applied to walls.
Meaning: decorative paper for walls (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of Tapete is Tapeten. When using the noun in the genitive or dative case, the feminine noun becomes der Tapete.
How do you pronounce it?
/taˈpeːtə/
Did you know?
- While English speakers use 'wallpaper' for digital backgrounds, Germans often use the English word 'wallpaper' or Hintergrundbild for screens to avoid confusing it with physical Tapete.
- The word Tapete actually shares its ancient roots with the word for a carpet or rug. It is a linguistic descendant of the Greek word tápēs, which meant a piece of fabric laid on the floor.
- In some German dialects, the term Tapete was historically used to refer to any large piece of cloth or a curtain.
Examples in context
- Tom tapeziert die Wand mit weißer Tapete.Tom papered the wall with white wallpaper.This sentence shows how to use Tapete when describing papering a wall.Tatoeba #10010073 by Melang, translation #12312177 by Miktsoanit
- Ein Haus ohne Bücher ist arm, auch wenn schöne Teppiche seinen Boden und kostbare Tapeten und Bilder die Wände bedecken.A house without books is poor, even if beautiful rugs cover its floors and expensive wallpaper and pictures cover its walls.This sentence illustrates the use of Tapeten in a plural context regarding wall coverings.Tatoeba #2283005 by Esperantostern, translation #12321452 by Miktsoanit
- Ich habe heute eine neue Tapete für das Wohnzimmer gekauft.I bought a new wallpaper for the living room today.
- Die Tapete im Wohnzimmer ist sehr alt.The wallpaper in the living room is very old.
Example conversation
Julia and Maximilian are choosing decor for their new apartment.
- JuliaDiese Tapete sieht wirklich modern aus.This wallpaper looks really modern.
- MaximilianJa, aber sie ist viel zu teuer.Yes, but it is much too expensive.
- JuliaWir können eine günstigere Tapete suchen.We can look for a cheaper wallpaper.
- MaximilianDas ist eine gute Idee, Julia.That is a good idea, Julia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wallpaper” translations and entries Tapete, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Tapete, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
