Welle
/ˈvɛlə/feminine
The German word for wave is Welle. Wiktionary also lists Woge.
Meaning: moving disturbance, undulation (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Welle | /ˈvɛlə/ | feminine |
| Woge | /ˈvoːɡə/ | feminine |
Welle refers to a moving disturbance or undulation. It is used to describe physical waves in water, physics (light/sound waves) and metaphorical waves like a 'wave of heat' or a 'wave of emotion'.
Which one should you use?
While Welle is the standard word for a wave, Woge is a more poetic or elevated term used in literature to describe large waves or a surge of emotion.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Welle is a feminine noun, and its plural form is Wellen. The plural of the literary form Woge is Wogen.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈvɛlə/
Did you know?
- In German, the word for 'wave' as in a greeting with the hand is a verb, winken, which is completely unrelated to the noun Welle.
- The term Welle is used in the phrase die Welle machen, which means to make a scene or cause a fuss.
- The word Welle shares an ancient root with the English word 'coil', both coming from a Proto-Indo-European stem meaning 'to turn'.
Examples in context
- Tom ritt auf der großen Welle.Tom surfed the large wave.This sentence shows how to use Welle regarding surfing.Tatoeba #6967086 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #6604371 by Hybrid
- Besteht das Licht aus Wellen oder Teilchen?Is light a wave or a particle?This sentence illustrates the use of Welle in a scientific context.Tatoeba #5320347 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #5318475 by Hybrid
- Eine plötzliche Welle der Übelkeit überkam ihn.A sudden wave of nausea overpowered him.This sentence demonstrates the metaphorical use of Welle for an emotion or sensation.Tatoeba #9938331 by GaryGaryGary, translation #280673 by sundown
- Als Zeichen des Abschieds winkte er ihr zu.As a sign of farewell, he waved to her.
- Er winkte seinen Freunden fröhlich zu.He waved to his friends cheerfully.
- Als sie wegfuhr, sagte sie "Winke-winke!"As she drove away, she said "Goodbye!" with a wave.
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is standing on a beach watching the ocean.
- MaximilianSieh dir diese riesige Welle an!Look at this huge wave!
- HannahDie Welle sieht wirklich beeindruckend aus.The wave looks really impressive.
- MaximilianWollen wir versuchen, auf der Welle zu surfen?Do you want to try surfing on the wave?
- HannahJa, das machen wir!Yes, let's do that!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wave” translations and entries Welle, Woge, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Welle, Woge, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
