Animal actions in German vocabulary, covering common verbs and expressions for describing animal behavior.
Understanding how to describe animal behavior is a fun and practical way to expand your German vocabulary. This guide introduces common German verbs and expressions used to talk about what animals do, helping you create more vivid and natural sentences.
Animal Movement
Animals move in many different ways, and these verbs will help you describe their actions accurately.
| German Verb | English Verb | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| laufen | to run | Der Hund läuft schnell. | The dog runs fast. |
| springen | to jump | Die Katze springt hoch. | The cat jumps high. |
| kriechen | to crawl | Die Schlange kriecht leise. | The snake crawls quietly. |
| fliegen | to fly | Der Vogel fliegt über das Haus. | The bird flies over the house. |
| schwimmen | to swim | Der Fisch schwimmt im Wasser. | The fish swims in the water. |
| klettern | to climb | Der Affe klettert auf den Baum. | The monkey climbs the tree. |
| schleichen | to sneak | Die Eule schleicht lautlos. | The owl sneaks silently. |
| laufen | to walk | Das Pferd läuft im Stall. | The horse walks in the stable. |
| rennen | to sprint | Das Kaninchen rennt schnell. | The rabbit sprints fast. |
| hüpfen | to hop | Der Frosch hüpft auf dem Blatt. | The frog hops on the leaf. |
Animal Sounds
These verbs describe the sounds animals make, an important part of telling stories about them.
| German Verb | English Verb | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| bellen | to bark | Der Hund bellt laut. | The dog barks loudly. |
| miauen | to meow | Die Katze miaut nachts. | The cat meows at night. |
| zwitschern | to chirp | Die Vögel zwitschern am Morgen. | The birds chirp in the morning. |
| grunzen | to grunt | Das Schwein grunzt im Schlamm. | The pig grunts in the mud. |
| brüllen | to roar | Der Löwe brüllt im Zoo. | The lion roars in the zoo. |
| quaken | to croak | Der Frosch quakt am Teich. | The frog croaks at the pond. |
| wiehern | to neigh | Das Pferd wiehert laut. | The horse neighs loudly. |
| summen | to buzz | Die Biene summt um die Blume. | The bee buzzes around the flower. |
| jaulen | to howl | Der Wolf jault im Wald. | The wolf howls in the forest. |
| schnattern | to cackle | Die Ente schnattert laut. | The duck cackles loudly. |
Die Katze ___ nachts.
How do you say 'The cat meows at night' using the correct German verb for 'meows'?
miaut
'Miauen' means 'to meow,' which is the sound a cat makes. Other options are barking, chirping, and croaking, which are incorrect for a cat.
Eating and Drinking
These actions are essential for describing how animals take care of themselves.
| German Verb | English Verb | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| fressen | to eat (animals) | Der Hund frisst sein Futter. | The dog eats its food. |
| trinken | to drink | Die Kuh trinkt Wasser. | The cow drinks water. |
| picken | to peck | Der Vogel pickt Körner. | The bird pecks at seeds. |
| nagen | to gnaw | Das Kaninchen nagt am Holz. | The rabbit gnaws on the wood. |
| schlingen | to gulp | Die Schlange schlingt die Maus. | The snake gulps down the mouse. |
| säugen | to suckle | Die Katze säugt ihre Jungen. | The cat suckles her kittens. |
| kauen | to chew | Der Biber kaut an einem Ast. | The beaver chews on a branch. |
| schlecken | to lick | Der Hund schleckt seine Pfote. | The dog licks its paw. |
| füttern | to feed | Der Bauer füttert die Hühner. | The farmer feeds the chickens. |
| sammeln | to gather | Die Ameisen sammeln Nahrung. | The ants gather food. |
Social Behavior
These verbs describe how animals interact with each other, showing their social side.
| German Verb | English Verb | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| spielen | to play | Die Welpen spielen im Garten. | The puppies play in the garden. |
| kämpfen | to fight | Die Hähne kämpfen am Morgen. | The roosters fight in the morning. |
| kuscheln | to cuddle | Die Katzen kuscheln zusammen. | The cats cuddle together. |
| jagen | to hunt | Der Falke jagt eine Maus. | The falcon hunts a mouse. |
| balzen | to court | Der Pfau balzt im Garten. | The peacock courts in the garden. |
| trösten | to comfort | Die Elefanten trösten sich. | The elephants comfort each other. |
| warnen | to warn | Die Tiere warnen vor Gefahr. | The animals warn of danger. |
| folgen | to follow | Das Kätzchen folgt der Mutter. | The kitten follows the mother. |
| verlassen | to leave | Das Kalb verlässt die Herde. | The calf leaves the herd. |
| schlafen | to sleep | Die Bären schlafen im Winter. | The bears sleep in winter. |
Nesting and Resting
Animals often build nests or find places to rest. These verbs help describe those quiet moments.
| German Verb | English Verb | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| nisten | to nest | Die Vögel nisten im Baum. | The birds nest in the tree. |
| ruhen | to rest | Der Fuchs ruht im Gras. | The fox rests in the grass. |
| schlafen | to sleep | Die Katze schläft auf dem Sofa. | The cat sleeps on the sofa. |
| bauen | to build | Der Biber baut einen Damm. | The beaver builds a dam. |
| verbergen | to hide | Das Reh verbirgt sich im Wald. | The deer hides in the forest. |
| rollen | to curl up | Der Igel rollt sich zusammen. | The hedgehog curls up. |
| graben | to dig | Der Dachs gräbt einen Bau. | The badger digs a burrow. |
| pflegen | to groom | Die Affen pflegen sich gegenseitig. | The monkeys groom each other. |
| schützen | to protect | Die Vogelmutter schützt ihre Jungen. | The mother bird protects her young. |
| dösen | to doze | Die Katze döst in der Sonne. | The cat dozes in the sun. |
Learning these action verbs will help you describe animal behavior more naturally and confidently in German. Enjoy exploring the world of animals through language!
Die Vögel ___ im Baum.
What is the German verb for 'to nest' used by birds?
nisten
'Nisten' means 'to nest.' Other options mean 'rest,' 'sleep,' and 'build,' which are related but different actions.
Flashcards (1 of 50)
- English Verb: to run
- English Example: The dog runs fast.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
