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A2 noun #100 am häufigsten 3 Min. Lesezeit

das Wasser

Top 100

Jetzt üben Beispiele Notizen & Tipps

§ 'das Wasser' is always neuter

Many German nouns have genders that don't always seem to make logical sense to English speakers. 'das Wasser' is one of those. It's neuter, which means it always takes the article 'das' in the nominative and accusative cases. A common mistake is to try and assign it a masculine or feminine gender, especially if you're thinking of words like 'der Fluss' (river) or 'die See' (sea). But remember, water itself, in general terms, is 'das Wasser'.

Ich trinke das Wasser gerne kalt. (I like to drink the water cold.)

Ist das Wasser hier sauber? (Is the water here clean?)

§ Using 'Wasser' without an article

While in English you can often say just 'water' when talking about it in general, in German, you often need an article, especially when it's the subject or object of a verb. Omitting the article can sound incorrect or make the sentence ambiguous. When referring to water in a general, uncountable sense, 'das Wasser' or simply 'Wasser' can be used depending on context. However, for a specific instance of water, the article is usually necessary.

Correct usage: 'Das Wasser ist kalt.' (The water is cold.) - Here, 'das Wasser' is the specific water you are referring to.

Common mistake: 'Wasser ist kalt.' - While technically understandable, it sounds less natural than using 'das' when referring to a specific body of water or a specific quantity of water.

Kannst du mir bitte etwas Wasser geben? (Can you please give me some water?)

Das Wasser kocht. (The water is boiling.)

§ Plural of 'Wasser'

'das Wasser' is generally an uncountable noun, similar to 'water' in English. This means it doesn't usually have a plural form in the same way 'book' has 'books'. If you need to talk about multiple instances or types of water, you usually use a different construction or context. For example, you might say 'verschiedene Arten von Wasser' (different types of water) rather than trying to pluralize 'Wasser'.

You wouldn't say 'zwei Wassers' for two bodies of water.
Instead, you might say 'zwei Flaschen Wasser' (two bottles of water) or 'zwei Gläser Wasser' (two glasses of water).

Incorrect: *'Ich sehe viele Wassers.' (I see many waters.)

Correct: 'Ich sehe viel Wasser.' (I see a lot of water.) or 'Ich sehe viele Gewässer.' (I see many bodies of water.)

§ Using 'Wasser' in compounds

German loves compound nouns. 'Wasser' is used in many of them. The gender of the compound noun is determined by the gender of the *last* word in the compound. So, even though 'Wasser' is neuter, if it's part of a compound where the last word is feminine, the whole compound will be feminine. Be careful not to assume the compound is neuter just because 'Wasser' is in it.

Example: 'die Wasserflasche' (water bottle) - 'Flasche' is feminine, so 'Wasserflasche' is feminine.

Example: 'der Wasserfall' (waterfall) - 'Fall' is masculine, so 'Wasserfall' is masculine.

Wo ist die Wasserflasche? (Where is the water bottle?)

Wichtige Grammatik

German nouns have a grammatical gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter). 'Wasser' is a neuter noun, so it takes the definite article 'das'.

Das Wasser ist kalt. (The water is cold.)

When referring to water in a general sense, like in proverbs or scientific statements, 'Wasser' is often used without an article.

Ohne Wasser kein Leben. (No life without water.)

When referring to a specific quantity or type of water, you might use indefinite articles or descriptive adjectives.

Ich möchte ein Glas Wasser. (I would like a glass of water.)

In compound nouns where 'Wasser' is the first part, it often indicates something related to water.

das Wasserglas (the water glass), die Wasserflasche (the water bottle)

The plural form of 'Wasser' can be 'Wässer' when referring to different types or bodies of water, but often 'Wasser' remains unchanged in the plural, especially in a general sense.

Die Wässer der Erde. (The waters of the Earth.) / Es gibt viel Wasser hier. (There is a lot of water here.)

Beispiele nach Niveau

Ich trinke gern Wasser.

I like to drink water.

gern (gladly) indicates a preference.

Das Wasser ist kalt.

The water is cold.

ist (is) is the present tense of sein (to be).

Hast du Wasser für mich?

Do you have water for me?

Hast du (Do you have) is a common way to ask a question.

Wir brauchen Wasser zum Kochen.

We need water for cooking.

zum (for the) is a contraction of zu dem.

Das Baby trinkt viel Wasser.

The baby drinks a lot of water.

viel (much/a lot) is used before a singular noun.

Gib mir bitte etwas Wasser.

Please give me some water.

etwas (something/some) is used for an unspecified amount.

Ist das Wasser sauber?

Is the water clean?

sauber (clean) is an adjective.

Das Wasser fließt im Fluss.

The water flows in the river.

fließt (flows) is the present tense of fließen (to flow).

Hast du genug Wasser getrunken?

Have you drunk enough water?

A common question, 'trinken' (to drink) takes the accusative case for 'Wasser'.

Das Wasser im See ist sehr klar.

The water in the lake is very clear.

'Im' is a contraction of 'in dem'. 'Klar' (clear) is an adjective describing 'Wasser'.

Wir brauchen Wasser, um Kaffee zu kochen.

We need water to make coffee.

'Um... zu' expresses purpose, similar to 'in order to' in English.

Bitte gib mir ein Glas Wasser.

Please give me a glass of water.

'Gib mir' is the informal imperative for 'give me'. 'Ein Glas Wasser' is a common collocation.

Nach dem Sport trinke ich immer viel Wasser.

After sports, I always drink a lot of water.

'Nach dem Sport' uses the dative case after the preposition 'nach'. 'Viel' means 'a lot'.

Das Wasser kocht schon für die Nudeln.

The water is already boiling for the noodles.

'Kochen' (to boil/to cook) is used here intransitively. 'Für' takes the accusative case.

Kannst du die Blumen mit Wasser gießen?

Can you water the flowers with water?

'Gießen' means 'to water' or 'to pour'. 'Mit Wasser' uses the dative case with 'mit'.

Ohne Wasser können Pflanzen nicht überleben.

Without water, plants cannot survive.

'Ohne' (without) always takes the accusative case. 'Überleben' (to survive) is a separable verb.

Grammatikmuster

Gender and Articles: 'das Wasser' uses the neutral definite article 'das'. Plural: 'Wasser' is usually uncountable, but 'Wässer' can be used in poetic or specific contexts (e.g., different types of water). Stick to 'Wasser' for everyday use. Common Verbs: Trinken (to drink), fließen (to flow), brauchen (to need), geben (to give). Prepositions: 'ins Wasser' (into the water), 'aus dem Wasser' (out of the water). Adjectives: kalt (cold), warm (warm), sauber (clean), schmutzig (dirty). Quantifiers: etwas (some), viel (much/a lot of).

Satzmuster

Ich trinke Wasser.

Ich trinke gern Wasser. (I like to drink water.)

Das Wasser ist kalt/warm.

Das Wasser ist kalt. (The water is cold.)

Brauchen wir Wasser?

Brauchen wir noch Wasser für die Blumen? (Do we still need water for the flowers?)

Gib mir bitte Wasser.

Gib mir bitte etwas Wasser. (Please give me some water.)

Wo ist das Wasser?

Wo ist das Wasser für den Kaffee? (Where is the water for the coffee?)

Das Wasser fließt.

Das Wasser fließt schnell. (The water flows quickly.)

Ich gehe ins Wasser.

Ich gehe gerne ins Wasser. (I like to go into the water.)

Viel Wasser trinken.

Man sollte viel Wasser trinken. (One should drink a lot of water.)

Tipps

Learn the gender with the noun

Always learn das Wasser with its gender. 'Das' indicates it's a neuter noun. This is crucial for correct grammar.

Common phrases with Wasser

You'll often hear phrases like 'Trink Wasser!' (Drink water!) or 'Ich möchte ein Glas Wasser.' (I'd like a glass of water.). Practice these common expressions.

Plural is the same

The plural of das Wasser is also das Wasser. For countable uses, you'll specify the amount, like 'zwei Gläser Wasser' (two glasses of water).

Use with verbs

Practice using Wasser with common verbs: 'kochen' (to boil), 'trinken' (to drink), 'gießen' (to pour). For example, 'Ich koche Wasser für Tee.' (I'm boiling water for tea.)

Related words: 'Wassermelone'

The word 'Wasser' is part of other words, like 'die Wassermelone' (watermelon). See how the meaning connects?

Don't confuse with 'Gewässer'

While related, 'das Wasser' (water) is different from 'das Gewässer' (body of water, plural 'die Gewässer'). Use 'Gewässer' for lakes, rivers, etc.

Listen for pronunciation

Pay attention to the 'a' sound in Wasser, which is a short 'a' like in 'father'. The 'ss' is pronounced like a sharp 's'.

Contextual usage

Think about where you'd use Wasser in daily life: 'Händewaschen' (washing hands), 'Blumen gießen' (watering flowers). Visualizing helps memory.

Use it in sentences

Write five simple sentences using das Wasser. For example, 'Das Wasser ist kalt.' (The water is cold.) This active practice is very effective.

Asking for water in Germany

When ordering water in a restaurant, you might specify 'Stilles Wasser' (still water) or 'Sprudelwasser' / 'Mineralwasser' (sparkling water). This is a practical cultural tip.

Einprägen

Eselsbrücke

Imagine a big, 'V-shaped' waterfall, which sounds a bit like 'Wasser'.

Visuelle Assoziation

Picture a glass of clear, refreshing water. Now, mentally label it 'das Wasser'. Every time you see water, try to think 'Wasser'.

Word Web

trinken (to drink) Flasche (bottle) Glas (glass) fließen (to flow) See (lake)

Herausforderung

Look around your home. Every time you see something related to water (a tap, a glass, a kettle), say 'das Wasser' aloud. Try to form a simple sentence with it, like 'Das ist Wasser.'