21 December 2025
How to Say Race or Breed in German - Use Carefully
Today’s word is Rasse - a term that can mean breed (like dog or horse breeds), but also race in the sense of human categorization. Because of Germany’s history, Rasse is a word that’s used with extreme care when referring to people. In fact, many Germans avoid it in that context altogether. It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, too!
Rasse is a feminine noun, so the correct article is die - die Rasse. Not sure how to handle German gender confidently? Our 5-minute video lesson makes it easy to remember what goes with der / die / das.
Real conversations where Rasse might come up
You’ll most often hear Rasse used when talking about animals - especially dogs, cats, and horses. For people, Rasse carries racist historical associations and is not a neutral biological classification. Depending on what you actually mean, ethnische Herkunft (ethnic background) or Herkunft (origin) may fit; they are not exact replacements for every English use of race.
- Welche Rasse ist dein Hund?- Ein Labrador. Ganz lieb!(“What breed is your dog?” - “A Labrador. Super sweet!”)
Beginner sample dialogue
Max: Was für eine Rasse ist das?Nora: Ein Border Collie. Sehr intelligent!Max: Sieht sportlich aus.
(Max: What breed is that?Nora: A Border Collie. Very intelligent!Max: Looks athletic.)
Grammar in action: How to use Rasse
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Nominative: Die Rasse ist selten.(The breed is rare.)
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Accusative: Ich habe die Rasse nicht erkannt.(I didn’t recognize the breed.)
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Dative: Mit der Rasse kenne ich mich aus.(I’m familiar with that breed.)
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Genitive: Die Merkmale der Rasse sind klar.(The breed’s features are clear.)
Curious how these case forms work? Our friendly grammar course is designed for learners who want results - not grammar headaches.
Other ways to talk about Rasse in German
In animal contexts:
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Hunderasse - dog breed
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Katzenrasse - cat breed
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Pferderasse - horse breed
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Rassehund - purebred dog
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Mischling - mixed breed (often used instead)
Distinguish the concepts:
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ethnische Herkunft - ethnic background;
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Herkunft - origin or background;
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Nationalität - nationality;
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Migrationshintergrund - migration background. These describe different things and are not interchangeable translations of race. For race as a competition, use das Rennen or der Wettlauf.
Important note: The word Rasse was heavily misused during the Nazi era, particularly in racial laws and propaganda. As a result, modern German speakers are very cautious with it. Public institutions in Germany often avoid the term when talking about humans - and the constitution (Grundgesetz, Article 3) still contains it, though replacing the term has been debated for years.
Word variations and tidbits
Rasse is historically related to English race through French and Italian.
Some animal-related compound words include:
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Rassekatze - purebred cat
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Rassestandards - breed standards
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Zuchtrasse - a breed developed through selective breeding
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Rassemerkmal - breed characteristic
You’ll also sometimes hear:
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Rassismus - racism (very common word in media and politics)
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antirassistisch - anti-racist
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Rassentheorie - racial theory (especially historical racist theories of human classification)
Again, be thoughtful with this word: it’s one of those terms where cultural sensitivity is essential.
Duden entry:https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Rasse
Ready for more German Words of the Day?Do you know what Ratte means?What about Raum? One might scurry… the other gives you space.
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