Learning the names for the rooms of the house in German can help you out in many everyday situations. Imagine being at your friend’s house and not knowing how to ask for the bathroom! Fret not — we’ve put together a list of the most important German words to describe rooms of the home and the items you might find in them.
Maybe you won’t be asking where to find the Keller (basement) very often. But you’ll still have plenty of opportunities to practice your vocabulary, whether you’re cooking and eating in the Küche (kitchen) or watching a movie in the Wohnzimmer (living room). On that note, let’s go on a tour of the home in German!
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Die Küche (the kitchen)
If close friends invite you over, you will probably end up cooking in the kitchen (in der Küche). The German idea of a relaxed evening involves slow food, some drinks and the coziness of the kitchen. Cooking together has become somewhat of a German tradition, which you’ll be able to participate in after learning these words:
| die Küche | the kitchen |
| der Tisch | the table |
| der Stuhl | the chair |
| das Messer | the knife |
| die Gabel | the fork |
| der Löffel | the spoon |
| das Schneidebrett | the chopping board |
| die Spüle | the sink |
| die Spülmaschine | the dishwasher |
Das Badezimmer (the bathroom)
Probably the most important vocabulary you’ll ever learn in German is this one sentence: “Wo ist das Badezimmer?” (You might also ask, “Wo ist die Toilette?”) Other useful words related to the bathroom include:
| das Badezimmer | the bathroom |
| die Toilette | the toilet |
| die Dusche | the shower |
| die Badewanne | the bathtub |
| das Waschbecken | the bathroom sink |
| die Seife | the soap |
| das Handtuch | the towel |
| das Toilettenpapier | the toilet paper |
Das Wohnzimmer (the living room)
The living room (das Wohnzimmer in German) is where family members spend most of their evenings, probably watching TV. It’s the heart of every home, and it’s typically described using the following German words:
| das Wohnzimmer | the living room |
| das Sofa/die Couch | the sofa/couch |
| der Couchtisch | the coffee table |
| der Fernseher | the television set |
Das Esszimmer (the dining room)
The dining room in most houses is connected to the living room. Some families eat there every evening, while others prefer the kitchen and use the Esszimmer only on special occasions such as Christmas. There are usually just a few items in this room:
| das Esszimmer | the dining room |
| der Esstisch | the dining table |
| die Stühle (der Stuhl) | the chairs (the chair) |
| die Anrichte (das Sideboard) | the sideboard |
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Das Schlafzimmer (the bedroom)
The German word for bedroom (das Schlafzimmer) is derived from what you are supposed to do there — sleep. The furniture in this room is usually limited to these items:
| das Bett | the bed |
| der Kleiderschrank | the wardrobe |
| der Nachttisch | the bedside table |
| die Nachttischlampe | the bedside lamp |
Das Kinderzimmer (the kid’s room)
The kid’s room in German houses is usually the room where the little ones sleep and play. Very few houses have a separate playroom, so there tend to be a lot of toys and books in the Kinderzimmer:
| das Kinderzimmer | the kid’s room |
| das Spielzimmer | the playroom |
| das Kinderbett | the crib |
| der Wickeltisch | the changing table |
| die Spielzeugkiste | the toy box |
Das Arbeitszimmer (the study)/das Gästezimmer (the guest room)
Living with a German family for some days is a great learning opportunity. Just make sure you know all the do’s and don’ts to avoid a major faux pas. And don’t be surprised if the guest room looks like you are meant to study during your stay. Often, the study doubles as a guest room. Some furniture you will find in the Arbeitszimmer or Gästezimmer include:
| das Arbeitszimmer | the study |
| das Gästezimmer | the guest room |
| das Schlafsofa | the sofa bed |
| der Schreibtisch | the desk |
| der Schreibtischstuhl | the desk chair |
| das Bücherregal | the bookshelf |
Other parts of the house
| die Eingangshalle | the entryway |
| der Flur | the hall |
| der Balkon | the balcony |
| die Terrasse | the terrace |
| der Garten | the backyard |
| der Vorgarten | the front yard |
| die Garage | the garage |
| der Keller | the basement |
| der Dachboden/der Speicher | the attic |
Note: The basement (der Keller) is where you will mostly find the laundry room (der Waschraum). In older apartment buildings, the basement is often an unfinished, dark and dusty place with little stalls for people to lock away their excess stuff.
Living room in German and other useful words around the house
Whether you need the bathroom, are looking for the way to the Küche (kitchen in German) or ask the agent for a tour from the Schlafzimmer (bedroom in German) to the Keller (basement): Learning the rooms of the house in German will help you get started. For more useful vocabulary, begin your German journey with Lingoda.
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Sandra Köktas
Sandra lives in Istanbul, together with her kids, cat and dog. As a historian she thrives exploring this ancient city with her two- and four-legged loved ones. Together, they also love to go on adventures through all of Turkey and its neighboring countries. The perfect opportunity to put all the language learning into practice. If she’s not on the road, Sandra is busy putting her experiences into writing as a freelance copywriter for the travel industry and everything related to language, culture and family. Her particular interest lies in providing information on animal welfare with her website contentrundumstier.de
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